Page 61 of Cruel (Brutal Academy)

"Little test?" Lila finally choked out. "You sent those mercenaries to attack the Academy?"

Samuel looked remarkably unapologetic. "The school board agreed that if I bankrolled another trial, it could take place." He tilted his head slightly towards Reuben.

I looked back at my older brother. His expression was unchanged. I should have guessed he and Samuel were behind this. Who else would be twisted enough?

"I guess we passed," I said lightly. "We didn't die. That sounds like a pass to me, right Hunt?"

"Right, Park," Hunter agreed. He looked like he wanted to pick up the rocket launcher, figure out why it didn't work the first time and use it on Samuel and Reuben. Failing that, he might pick up the dildo where it still lay on the ground and hit them over the head with it.

Pissed didn't even begin to describe it.

Lila looked even more furious. "You sent people to kill us? Who does that?"

Samuel ignored the question. "You four worked together?"

“Just this once,” Chloe snapped. “Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”

“Definitely not,” Lila agreed. “I can’t believe you’d do something like this. What sort of monster—”

Samuel exhaled out his nose. "I was hoping this test would toughen you up. Make you reassess your priorities. Instead, it seems to have done the opposite. I'm starting to think none of you should take my place."

Lila must have remembered she was holding a gun, because she raised it slowly and pointed it at her father.

"You sent people to kill us," she said again.

"Did you die?" he said evenly. He actually seemed pleased she had a gun aimed at his head.

"She could have," I said, barely containing my rage.

"We all could have," Hunter added. "Those assholes could have killed everyone in the school. Even if they had orders not to kill Chloe and Lila, it was dark in there. It's only skill and us working together that prevented that from happening."

Reuben rolled his eyes.

Samuel settled his gaze on Hunter. "There was no such order. Just like there is no such order during the trials. If my daughters don't have the skills to get through this, then they won't survive in the long run."

"You're a special kind of asshole," I told him. He didn't seem to give a shit Lila could be dead right now because of him. I turned to Reuben. "You too. The trials are one thing. Armed mercenaries are another."

The sides of Reuben's mouth twitched. "Nothing you couldn't handle. Don't tell me you didn't enjoy yourselves."

I opened my mouth. Closed it again. The fucker was right, we had enjoyed it. It was exactly the kind of shit we got off on. And he fucking knew that too.

"I thought so." He nodded faintly. "They haven't nicknamed this place Brutal Academy for nothing. You should all be able to handle situations like this with one hand tied behind your back. As far as I'm concerned, this test was a success."

Samuel frowned at him. "We'll have to agree to disagree."

"Were you hoping one of us would die so you don't have to think too hard anymore?" Lila asked. "Or two of us." She jerked her head in Zachary's direction.

"Not at all," Samuel replied. "I was hoping this would make you fight harder for what you want. I was hoping to see one of you handle the situation better than the others."

"Lila used a dildo as an improvised weapon," I said helpfully. "And Hunter is handy with a rocket launcher. It was kinda epic." I couldn't stop a smile from creeping onto my lips.

"Zachary is an amazing shot," Hunter said. "Slade and Dane too." He glanced around for them. "And Zachary made a bomb. That was cool." He was almost smiling now too.

"Chloe held her own," Zachary argued. "She was amazing."

Samuel looked unimpressed. "Next time, I expect to see you all perform better."

"Next time?" Lila echoed. Her hand was steady. She didn't seem to have made up her mind about whether to use the gun on her father or not.

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