Page 91 of Reject (Academy of Misfits 2)

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“The fuck I am!” Camden exclaims, his body tensing.

“Were you listening at the fucking door?” Eastern mutters looking as confused as I feel.

What the hell has Cal got to do with this? More to the point, why the fuck is he helping us? Sonny puffs out his cheeks then blows out a heavy breath.

“Blame me for this. I might’ve shared a few things with my foster family. They want to help. Carmichael’s hands are tied. He can’t do what he wants as principal of this school, but they can. They will. Itrustthem,” Sonny says, looking at Cal and nodding his head as though only just realising that fact.

“And we’re going to sort this shit out. The King has no right to use kids for his own gain or threaten the people you care about to get what he wants. Besides we have a vested interest in taking the King down,” Cal says, looking at Camden who’s so furious he’s barely holding the rage in.

“We?” Ford asks, folding his arms across his chest.

“Yes, the Freed brothers and me.”

Eastern whistles low and Camden narrows his eyes at Cal.

“Start talking,” Camden orders, taking my hand in his.

Cal nods. “You all better make yourself comfortable. This may take a while.”

Each of us takes a spot around the room. I sit on the bed between Eastern and Sonny. Ford is sitting on the floor at my feet and Camden is sitting stiffly on the chair by my desk. We’re all looking at Cal, waiting.

“As you know I was brought in by Mr Carmichael after he decided to get rid of that complacent, good for nothing piece of shit, Bobby Rusk. In fact, he was going to hire someone else, but Hud asked a favour, and I was brought in.”

“Bobby could be a dick at times, sure, but he was alright,” Camden says, shrugging.

He wasn’t alright at all. He was a fucking pervert. Then again, Bobby was totally in Camden’s pocket, turning a blind eye when we all fucked off to the Tower. None of us have been back since the start of the new term.

“He was alright because he let you lot run amok,” Cal says glancing at Camden. A look passes between them, one that I’m not able to interpret.

“As you’re probably aware Max, Bryce, Hud, and their partner Louisa, foster Sonny. He came into our lives when his father passed. The Freeds kept in touch with many of the kids who were in the care home they grew up in. Quite a few work for them and a whole lot more remained friends. Including Sonny’s dad. We care about the little shit.” Cal winks and Sonny grumbles something unintelligible under his breath.

Camden sucks his teeth, unimpressed, or at least that’s the impression he’s trying to give because I’m pretty sure I’ve just seen a little jealousy flash across his face.

“Alright, we get it, you’re the fucking Brady bunch. What’s the deal with you guys and the King?”

“Camden, shut the fuck up and let the man speak,” Sonny snaps. It’s unlike him to be short-tempered, but he’s more tense than usual.

“Cheers, sunshine,” Cal grins, not giving a crap that he’s pissing Sonny off more.

“S’alright,tosser,” Sonny retorts, raising his eyebrows in challenge. Cal flips him the finger. They both laugh.

“When Sonny was being taken care of at hospital he told us about you, Asia…” He looks at Sonny giving him a devious glare. “Actually, he wouldn’t shut up about how he met thisfiery, sarcastic, beautiful girlwith blue hair who rocked his whole world… Though I can see you changed the colour now.”

“Fuck, Cal, could you just get to the point and stop embarrassing me, please,” Sonny groans, tipping his head back and squeezing his eyes shut.

“He did, did he?” I respond, unable to hide the grin in my voice. Sonny peeks at me from behind his fingers. I give him a warm smile. He shows me his dimples and when he lowers his hand, he takes mine in his.

“Yes. He was worried about you. We couldn’t get him to talk at first, when he eventually told us the story we were pissed off. The King has been a thorn in our side for some years now.”

“What do you mean?” Camden asks. “You guys are clean, right? Apparently the sun shines out of those Freed brothers’ arses. Pretty sure they eclipse the sun when they bend over.”

Eastern laughs and even Ford smirks. I, on the other hand, am holding my breath because Sonny has his thumb pressed into my palm and he’s swirling it around and around making my skin prickle with sensation. When I glance at him, he’s looking directly at Cal, but I can’t help but notice the amusement playing around his lips. I’m still wound up from Camden’s naked hotness and Eastern’s kiss. Now this. I might implode soon.

“Yes, we’re clean, but that doesn’t mean to say we haven’t come across some dark bastards in the past. There’s a Cuban businessman called Santiago Garcia who Hudson had a run in with a few years ago. He hurt someone Hud cared about. Her name was Beth…”

“Was?” I whisper.

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