“No. Just…” He sighed as he blinked faster. “I was trying to fix it.”
“Fix what?” I had no idea what he was talking about.
He didn’t respond.
“What did you mess up?”
His eyes finally met mine again. “I need your help, Brooklyn.”
That wasn’t an answer. Or maybe it was. He’d done something bad. And he was coming here to get me to fix it. “Okay. How can I help?” Matt had all the resources in the world at his fingertips. How on earth could I help him?
“I need you to ask Felix to stop selling to James.”
I stopped breathing. I couldn’t do that. It was the one thing that I actually couldn’t help him with. I wasn’t supposed to know what James was doing. He’d already threatened me. If I asked Felix to stop selling to him…that would be spreading James’ secret. I could already picture James going to Felix and Felix telling him what I’d said.
But really…what was the worst that could happen? James probably just knew that I wasn’t a scholarship student. I didn’t really care if that came out. Or maybe James knew that Matt and I kept hanging out together. If that came out, Isabella would tell everyone what she had on Matt. My mind was spinning. What did Isabella have on him?
Matt’s fingers slid down my thighs.
The action made my thoughts come to a halt.
“I hate that he touches you,” Matt said.
Felix.I put my hands on top of Matt’s to stop them from moving. But not because of my feelings for Felix. Or because I wanted Matt to stop. It was because I was finally piecing together Matt’s night. At first I thought he might be high. I was pretty sure it was smoke that I smelled on him. But by the way he was acting…I knew he wasn’t high. He was hurting. And it killed me to see him in pain. “Matt.”
He looked back up at me.
If he hadn’t been smoking, it meant he’d been around someone who was. “Did Felix do this to you?”
This time Matt didn’t wince when he smiled. “Do you really think Felix could take me?”
Honestly no. Matt was every bit the football player. He was taller and stronger than Felix. My mind raced back to the only other person Matt had mentioned.James.“You were with James then?”
Matt shook his head. “James certainly feels better when he punches things. But no, he would never hit me. He’s one of my best friends. He would never hurt me.” Matt dropped his forehead back against mine.
I didn’t know what to say to that. James and I weren’t friends. He had no problem threatening me. But maybe he was as loyal to his friends as Matt was. I hoped so. And I wanted to be let in. “You can tell me what happened.”
“I like this,” he said as his fingers played with the hem of my baggy t-shirt. “You’d look even better in one of my shirts though.”
I tried to hide my smile. “Matt, we need to talk about this. If we’re going to work you need to trust me.”
That seemed to get his attention. He sighed. It sounded so labored. “I went to Felix’s dealer. I wanted to go above his head and cut off his supply. I tried to buy it all. Pretty sure they thought I was a rat.”
Oh, Matt.He was trying to take care of his friend. He had a heart of gold to match his golden hair. But this wasn’t the way. James needed more help than a 16-year-old could provide. Justbecause Matt had a good heart didn’t mean it was enough to get his friend sober. I put my hand on Matt’s chest.
A low groan escaped his lips. Not one like when he kissed me. He sounded like he was in pain.
I looked down at where my hand was on his chest. “Matt?”
“I’m fine.”
“They hurt more than just your eye, didn’t they?”
“I’m fine,” he repeated.
“Take your shirt off.”
He chuckled. “You first.”
