“I won’t let anything bad happen to you, newb.”
I’d already let him down by kissing Matt. Even if he didn’t know it. I didn’t want to let him down anymore. And I believed him. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. I tapped my glass against his and drank the whole thing like Kennedy had. “Ugh. That’s so disgusting. I’d rather have punch.”
Kennedy laughed. “The second one goes down easier.” She pulled three more shots to the edge of the bar.
I knew it was a bad idea. I knew it but I still found myself reaching out to grab one of the glasses. It burned just as badly the second time.
“You still owe me that dance,” Felix said to me.
“Let’s do it!” Kennedy pulled us both out into the middle of the room where everyone was dancing. She shimmied her hips in what could only be described as a perfect backup dancer routine. How had I not known she was a great dancer? I kinda just stood there awkwardly. I didn’t know how to dance. I looked at the people around us. Most of the girls were practically humping the guys on the dancefloor. And I definitely didn’t know how to dance likethat. I moved my feet a bit but I just felt awkward. Although the music was good. I closed my eyes. Oh crap, my arms were doing that thing where they felt heavy again. Two tiny glasses of tequila couldn’t have been as bad as two glasses of punch. It wasn’t physically possible.
“Can I speak to you for a second?”
I jumped when someone’s hand landed on my shoulder. My eyes flew open. Felix was staring at someone over my shoulder. I turned and saw James Hunter standing there. The scowl was no longer plastered to his face. Instead it was the smile. The fake one that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Um.” I looked around but James was definitely talking to me. “Me?” I poked myself in the middle of my chest.
He leaned forward, his lips brushing against my ear. “Can you keep a secret?”
I wasn’t a scholarship student. I’d probably kissed my brother instead of the boy I’d promised my first kiss to. My life was becoming one big secret. “Yes.”
“You can’t tell anyone what you saw tonight.”
Or…what?I swallowed hard.
“Please,” he added, taking the tone of a threat off the table. “I swear it wasn’t what it looked like.”
I pulled away and looked up at his face. Similar words to what Matt had said when I’d seen James come into school late.I have it under control.It wasn’t what it looked like? So why wasn’t he offering an alternative? My eyes dropped to the dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. I didn’t want to keep his secret. I wanted to help him. “I think it was what it looked like.” I didn’t realize the words had even left my mouth until his fake smile melted off his perfect face.
“James! There you are,” the brunette I’d seen him with earlier said. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I thought you left.” She looped her arm through his. “Who’s your friend?”
“Brooklyn Sanders. She’s a new student at Empire High. A scholarship student. A sophomore. She just moved here from Delaware.”
How the hell did he know all that?
“Nice to meet you, Brooklyn. I'm Rachel,” she said and then turned back to James. “Come on, let’s get another drink.”
He nodded and then leaned toward me one more time. “Keep my secret and I’ll keep yours,” he whispered before Rachel pulled him away. He disappeared into the crowd of other students dancing.
Nowthatwas a threat. The chill I’d felt when I’d walked up to the mansion returned. The problem with James’ threat was that I didn’t know what secret of mine he was talking about. I had so many it was getting hard to keep track.
I didn’t want to be here anymore. I didn’t want to be tied up with people like Matt and James. And most of all I didn’t want my arms to feel so heavy. Or for the room to be spinning so fast.
I was in over my head. I needed to come clean to Felix. I’d tell him everything. I wasn’t going to be blackmailed by some rich kid I didn’t even know. Even if he seemed to know me. I turned around and ran right into someone, their drink splashing all over the front of my dress.Shit.I wasn’t sure how, but this party was even worse than the one last weekend.
Untouchable - Chapter 18
Saturday
“Sanders!”
I looked up from the stains seeping into my dress to see Rob holding a now-completely empty cup in his hand. He was smiling brightly like always.
“I thought that was you! What the hell are you doing here?” He clapped me on the shoulder like his brother had just a minute ago.
Getting scared shitless, getting my favorite dress ruined, and getting threatened by your brother.I shouldn’t have been here. That much was clear. “I was actually just leaving.”
His fingers tightened on my shoulder. “Shit, I spilled my drink all over your dress. Let’s get you to the bathroom to clean that up.”
