Page 90 of Pretend You Love Me
He doesn’t answer immediately.
“How James?”
“Does it really matter?” The First Lady says.
“Yes,” Brooklyn yells. She’s standing now. “How did you find me, James?”
“I had a bulletin out on your fingerprints. We knew where you were as soon as Hawk ran the prints. Once we had it narrowed down to the region, it only took a little poking around to find you.”
She’s visibly seething now. Her eyes flash to me; they are filled with rage.
“How dare you.”
“Brooklyn, he was just trying to help,” Will says.
“If I’d wanted help, I would have asked for it.” Her voice is loud. Her hands are clenched at her sides. “I’m sick of everyone treating me like a child. I’m not a child. I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions. I don’t need babysitters.”
She storms toward the hallway.
“We just care about you,” Declan calls.
She flips him off without turning around and continues down the hallway.
After a few minutes, I softly knock on her door.
“Go away,” she yells.
I turn the handle and push it open anyway. “Brooklyn, can we talk?”
“No!”
I step inside and shut the door behind me. I feel like I should apologize, but I don’t have anything to apologize for. I’m sorry she’s upset, but that’s not what she wants to hear, I’m quite sure.
“I just wanted to make sure you were safe,” I plead.
She huffs.
“Someone died in that house, Brooklyn. I had to tell Hawk.”
Her suitcase is on the bed. She’s stuffing clothes in it.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I watch her throw her socks into the suitcase.
“Leaving. What does it look like?”
It feels like she’s slapped me across the face.
“Brooklyn, please, let’s talk about this.”
“Kip, there’s nothing to talk about.”
I step closer to her and grab her arm, so she has to stop. “Please.”
“You betrayed me,” she whispers.
I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. “Betrayed. That’s a bit dramatic.”
“Oh, should Icalm down? Would that help? Am I just so hysterical that I can’t think rationally?”
