Untouchable - Chapter 32 #2
We stood like that, staring at the busy street for a moment. The cars honking and tires squeaking had somehow become normal. Soothing even.
“You’re shaking,” Matt said. “I left my suit jacket inside. I’ll go grab it for you.”
I reluctantly let go of his hand and sat down on the steps. The cement was cold on my stockinged thighs, sending another shiver down my spine.
“Did you mean what you said in your speech?”
I looked up. A man in a navy suit was standing a few steps down from me, staring at me. He had salt and pepper hair and the distinguished look of all the other students’ parents inside the church. But I had no idea why he was talking to me.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
He pulled off his suit jacket. “You’re shivering.” He draped it over my shoulders. His jacket didn’t feel any warmer than the cold autumn air. I shivered again. “What did you say about my speech?” I asked.
He smiled. But it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “That last bit. About you no longer caring about meeting your father.”
I pressed my lips together. “Yes, I meant it. My uncle was a wonderful person.”
The man nodded. “I’m sure. And you were living with him, is that correct?”
I looked over my shoulder, hoping Matt would return. This had to be the weirdest funeral conversation ever. Other than someone making dead baby jokes. “Um…yes.”
“Interesting. No other living relatives at all?”
Was he trying to rub it in? “No.”
He nodded. “Just that ethnic guardian, then?”
The way he said ethnic made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. “Her name is Mrs. Alcaraz.” I stood up. “I’m sorry, I have to get back inside.”
“You know, I’ve heard a lot about you, Brooklyn.”
I stopped. There was only one reason why this man would have heard about me. I only had two friends at Empire High. And this definitely wasn’t Kennedy’s dead father. “Are you Felix’s dad?” Unlike his son…this man was not funny. If anything, he was socially inept.
He smiled again. It still failed to reach his eyes. “You really don’t know who I am?”
I slowly shook my head. Was I supposed to?
“Have you ever picked up a paper?” he asked with a laugh.
I just stared at him. Thinking about the paper made me think of crossword puzzles. Which made my eyes tear up.
“No bother. I’d like you to come with me. I’ll fill you in on the car ride.” He gestured to the town car behind him.
“What? No.”
He reached for my hand, but I stepped back.
“Right now, Brooklyn.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You have ten seconds to get into the car by will.” He glanced down at his watch. “Or I’ll have you put into the car.” He snapped his fingers and two large men stepped out of his town car.
“What?”
“Seven seconds, Brooklyn,” the man said.
“Mr. Pruitt?” Matt asked.
I turned around.
Matt was standing there with his suit jacket in his hand. “What are you doing here?”
Mr. Pruitt? I looked back at the man standing on the front steps of the church. I saw the resemblance now. The fake smile for starters. He was Isabella’s dad.
“None of your business, Matthew,” Mr. Pruitt said. “Run along.” He swished his hand through the air like Matt was a child that should go play ball or something.
“Isabella isn’t here,” Matt said as he joined me by my side. “She wasn’t invited.”
“Oh, I’m well aware,” Mr. Pruitt said. “Two seconds, Brooklyn.”
I felt like my heart was about to beat out of my chest. What did Isabella’s father want with me? My stomach twisted into knots.
“Two seconds for what?” Matt asked.
“Matthew, if you’ll please excuse us, this is a family matter. I’m here to retrieve my daughter from the slums. Times up, Brooklyn.”
The two large men lumbered toward me.
Matt stepped in front of me. “And I told you Isabella isn’t here. This is a funeral. Show some respect.”
“I’m not the one making a scene. You’re doing that all by yourself. And clearly I’m talking about my other daughter. This one. The illegitimate one. Her.” He did that thing with his hand again, this time directed at me.
No. I pushed his suit jacket off my shoulders as I took another step back. There was no way this man with the fake smile was my father. There was no way in hell I was related to Isabella. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You are. You’re only sixteen. I’m your father. And therefore your legal guardian. Now get in the car.”
“No!” Mrs. Alcaraz yelled as she came running down the steps of the church. “Stay away from her!”
One of the large men grabbed my arm. I tried to move, but he had me locked in place.
“I’ll be waiting in the car,” Mr. Pruitt said and turned around.
“Jim left her in my care,” Mrs. Alcaraz said as she caught up with Mr. Pruitt. “You can’t. Por favor.”
“And you expect me to let you raise my daughter? You can’t even speak proper English.”
“But I signed the papers. You can’t take her. You can’t.” She followed him up to his car. “I promised Jim. You can’t!”
“Well your poor excuse for a lawyer reached out to me. I’m her only living relative. And I’m not signing a damn thing. She’s my daughter. Not yours.”
The man pulled me down the steps.
“Let go of me!” I tried to squirm out of his grip, but the man was too strong. I looked at Matt for help, but the other bodyguard was holding him back.
“Get your hands off of her!” Matt yelled. The bodyguard smashed his elbow into Matt’s back, knocking him down onto the cement steps.
Matt. I tried to get free of the large man’s grip again, but it was useless. He shoved me into the back seat of the town car.
“I won’t let him get away with it, mi amor!” Mrs. Alcaraz yelled as they slammed the door behind me. She put her hands against the glass. “Nunca!”
“Welcome to the family,” Mr. Pruitt said. “You’re welcome, by the way. What a hellhole that was.” He pulled out his cell phone and started scrolling through his emails like this was a normal day for him. Like he hadn’t just turned my life upside down.
I felt like I was going to throw up on the expensive leather seats. I was a Pruitt? A Pruitt?
No.
Never.
Nunca.
***
How will Matt save Brooklyn from her evil father?
Brooklyn has been kidnapped by her evil father. A man her mother never wanted her to meet. He’s one of the most ruthless, powerful men in the city. And now Brooklyn is his heir.
Will Matt be able to save Brooklyn from her father’s evil clutches? Or did he only like Brooklyn because she was from the wrong side of the tracks?
Volume 5 of Forbidden Billionaires includes three novels: Elite , Betrayal , and Matchmaker .