Page 49 of Crooked Crows (Boys of Briar Hall 1)

Corvus’ brows drew together, his stare turning deadly instead of just spiteful, but he didn’t deny that was exactly what they were after. They hated that they didn’t control me. Couldn’t fucking stand it.

“That’s not exactly it,” Rook deadpanned, and I turned my blade on him, but that only perked him up. “But I’ll accept yourfullsurrender if you’re offering. I’ve never tried Lennox pussy.”

He licked his lips, stepping forward until the tip of my blade was at his throat, just above the edge of a tattoo peeking out from beneath his black t-shirt. He pushed harder, until the freshly honed edge drew a droplet of crimson from his flesh.

My breath rushed out through parted lips, and my traitorous cunt throbbed beneath my jeans as Rook devoured me with a single look.

“We’ll keep the bitch at bay,” Corvus explained, placing his hand against the flat side of my blade to push it away from Rook’s throat before he could impale himself on it. “But in exchange, you will belong to us. You will do as you’re told.”

“I’m not a fucking possession. You can’townme,” I scoffed.

“I can, and I will. Whether you agree to it or not. This way’s easier, Sparrow. Don’t fight it.”

He reached out a hand like he might try to smooth out the sour pucker tightening my lips, but I knocked it aside with a scowl.

“Hard pass,” I hissed. “I can handle my own shit. I don’t need your help.”

His smug look faltered and pure satisfaction raced through my veins, bringing a smile to my lips.

“Fine,” he seethed through a false smile. “Have it your way.”

Corvus jammed the emergency stop button again and the elevator completed its trip to the second floor. The doorspingedopen as he stepped out of my path, but he stopped me before I could leave. His hand curled around my upper arm.

I let him have his moment of control, even though if I’d wanted to, I could’ve sliced his fingers clean off his palm.

“Don’t forget your books,” he said, and Grey passed them to Corvus, who held them out to me, releasing my arm. “Last chance, pretty bird. All you have to say is yes and you can be living on easy streets for the rest of senior year…”

I snatched my books, burying my blade between the pages as a student ducked her head and scooted past the open elevator door. “I’d rather die.”

Corvus nodded, pursing his lips as he pressed another button inside the elevator and the doors began to close before Grey slipped out.

“Walk you to class?” he offered with an entertained gleam in his eyes as the elevator whisked the other two away.

I groaned, frustrated heat licking up my back as I stormed away.

The sound of his muted laughter followed me to class.

JoshfuckingRichardson.

You have got to be kidding me.

I knew something was up the minute he slid into the seat next to hers in math today. He always sat in the bottom left corner of the classroom. Where he could play games on his phone in the shadow of his desk without being noticed. Josh Richardson was the kind of guy that escaped notice most days anyway.

Flying below the radar of popularity even though his family was among the wealthier ones at Briar Hall. He treated school like a holding cell. Like it was just a thing he had to sit through to make it to whatever came next. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him hand in an assignment, and yet he was still here. Still just below the top of the class. At Briar Hall, your money didn’t just buy you nice clothes and a straight-toothed smile. It could also buy you halfway decent grades. I wondered if his parents would continue paying for A’s when he went to college.

I didn’t give a flying fuck about JoshfuckingRichardson. Until today.

He leaned into Ava Jade’s side, whispering something I couldn’t hear from four desks back.

I should’ve sat next to her.

Why hadn’t I sat next to her?

Oh, right, because I didn’t want to push my luck and get fucking stabbed again. She’d do it. I had no doubt. But I also wanted to give her a little space. A little time to think over Corvus’ offer without me right there, hovering. Show her that not all of us were as hard as Corvus or as bloodthirsty as Rook.

Being the nice guy got you absofuckinglutelynowhere.Corv was right about that. It turned out he was right about a lot of things.

When Ava Jade laughed at something Josh said, my jaw clenched tight. No matter how hard I tried to relax it, to not let thisthinginside of me swell too big, it didn’t work.

---