“You know…” he said, his voice trailing off as his eyes drifted to mine. “I was thinking. Maybe there is a way I could get over Matt being an ass.”
“Yeah? And how would you do that?” I wanted James to be happier. I didn’t want to have to worry about him. And he had such a nice laugh. It would be nice if the world could hear it more often.
“For starters, we could fuck.”
I stopped swaying back and forth. It took every ounce of restraint not to slap him. I knew he was up to no good. Asking me to dance so he could prove some kind of point to Matt? Screw him. “I don’t think that would fix anything, James.”
“Really? I think it would fix everything.”
I stared back at him. “How would that fix anything? You’re dating Rachel. And I’m dating…” Who the hell was I dating? Felix? Miller? Matt? God, was I kind of dating all of them? I’d had zero punch and my head was still spinning.
“You know, this summer I told Rachel I’d give everything up for her. All this shit I don’t care about. That I’d pass on Harvard. That I’d renounce my inheritance. I’d give up all my responsibilities. That we could run away together. And she got mad at me. Furious, actually. That was the night Matt screwed her. And all I keep thinking about is that my mother was right. That Rachel just likes me for my money. Rachel thought I was going to give it all up so she hopped in bed with someone else. I don’t want to believe that. But…” his voice trailed off and he shook his head.
“I’m sorry that you’re hurting.” I truly was. This was one of James’ nicer moments. And all I could wonder was if Matt was right. If he was hurting so much that he might do something to himself. He wouldn’t, right? He couldn’t.
He smiled. “Then how about you make me feel better?”
Just when I thought he was being nice.“I’m not sleeping with you, James. I don’t do…that.”
“Don’t do what? Have revenge sex? Let me tell you, you’re seriously missing out.” His hands slid slightly lower on my waist.
I looked away from him, searching for Kennedy in the sea of other students. She said she’d join us on the dance floor. Where was she?
“Oh my God,” James said.
“What?” I didn’t look back at him.Kennedy, please magically appear and save me from this awkward conversation.
“Are you a virgin?”
I forced myself to look back at him. “That’s none of your business.” I was done being polite. I didn’t have to dance with him. He wasn’t my responsibility to look after. “I’m going to go find Kennedy.”
“Wait.” He caught my arm as I tried to flee. “I’m sorry, I just…it would make Matt so fucking mad. How could you not want that? He kept you his dirty little secret for weeks. He didn’t tell any of us about you. Doesn’t that piss you off? That he was that embarrassed of you?”
“He wasn’t embarrassed of me. Isabella was threatening him. She…”
“Isabella threatens everyone. He’s a pansy if he was scared of her. It’s her father he should be worried about.”
I tried to ignore his last statement. Mostly because I was worried it was true. The thought of that unread contract mademy stomach twist into knots. But if I thought about that now I was pretty sure my head would explode. “Matt said Isabella threatened to kill him. And me.”
“And you believe him? After everything he put you through? It wouldn’t be the first time Matt lied just to get into some chick’s bed. You’re allowed to be mad at him, Brooklyn. Freaking let it out.”
“You know what? I am mad. I’m mad that you’re trying to use me to get back at him. I’m not a pawn.”
“I didn’t say you were. I just thought we might feel the same way. Rachel used me. Matt used you. Why can’t we make each other feel better by making them feel like shit?”
“Because you don’t even like me.”
“Why do you think I don’t like you?”
“Because you’re being an ass.”
He laughed. “Well, my offer stands. I rented a room for the night. 315. Take a key.” He pulled out a keycard from the same pocket he was hiding a flask in.
“No thanks.”
“I do like you, Brooklyn. You’re everything I thought Rachel was.”
“And what did you think Rachel was?”
