Page 64 of Crew Princess
A sick feeling had taken root since I was called into the principal’s office. “Shine a spotlight on us?”
“We look like fucking gangs to the outside world. People don’t like gangs. They hate them. That’s how they’ll spin everything. They’ll talk about the violence.” His gaze centered on me. “They’ll talk about you. But…” He stepped back again. “Who’d actually talk, though? If you’re a Normal, you keep your mouth shut. If you’re crew, you keep your mouth shut. We shouldn’t have to worry.”
But I was worrying. And I could see he was now too.
He cursed again, raking a hand through his hair. “This is not good.”
“Speaking of not good, I saw Jordan in the office. He mentioned the cops?”
“Yeah—”
“Miss Monroe!”
There it was, that bark I knew was coming.
Kenneth stood between two bookshelves, his tie thrown over his shoulder. He jerked his hand toward me. “Are you coming?”
Cross shifted to stand behind me, brushing up against me. “Why am I having bad thoughts about Broghers?” He clarified, “Things we could do to shut him up.”
I grinned. “I don’t think egging his car would do it.”
“We saw how well the last principal reacted when Jordan dated his daughter.”
“Bren!”
I had to go. “Yeah, but he is gone after all,” I called over my shoulder.
Cross didn’t respond, but he watched me, and those tawny hazel eyes softened before smoldering. I could read his mind. He needed me, and I was there with him.
I suppressed a groan. Desire could roar through me at a moment’s notice, and it was spreading wide and fast, all through my body.
His eyes darkened. He was reading me too, and his lips twitched. He mouthed,Later.
I nodded, forcing myself to turn and walk away from him.
Kenneth huffed in impatience and stepped aside as I entered the aisle that went to the back section.
“I am going to have your boyfriend moved to a different class during this hour,” he informed me. “And do not push me on this, because Icouldget him banned from the library for the rest of the year. And yes, while you’re helping Miss Sallaway, you will be spending most of your time in the library.”
I didn’t know what to think about that.
That told me Cross’ presence would be a huge threat to this project and also how invested Kenneth was. All facts we needed to know for whatever was coming.
“What about my class time?” I asked.
“I’ve talked to your teachers. Given that we only have a few weeks left in the school year and that you are not attending college, they’ve agreed to give you modified work to complete. There will be extra tests for you to take, which you will need to study for, and they will provide the specific learning materials you’ll need.”
“But—” I was reeling. Was that even legal?
“This is a special scenario, and yes, I did get permission from your guardian,” he snapped. “I explained the general scope of the project and the extra studying you would have to do to pass your classes. But let’s be honest. You are intelligent. You do minimal work in the classroom to pass your exams, and most of you seniors have already completed the majority of any requirements you need to graduate. The last month is a cake month for you, and seniors will be released within two weeks anyway. So no, you will not find a loophole to get out of this project. You are on probation. The law requires you to be here, I require you to be helpful, and I am your judge, jury, and possible executioner. Got it?”
With that, he stormed back to the room where I could see a camera guy standing in the opened doorway, the lens pointed our way.
Yeah.
Two things hit me at once:
One, whatever he’d recorded there was going to be destroyed.
