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The back cab was silent for a long moment as we all processed that news.
“Which one were you?” Malachi asked quietly.
Saint didn’t answer because we arrived at the school and he bailed out before he could.
I looked over at Malachi and raised my brow at him.
“This world is fucked up,” he muttered, following the rest of the men out.
Adam, Malachi, Saint, Nathan, and Louis all followed me into the school.
I walked straight up to the office and ignored all the stupid asshole kids that I passed that were in awe of us.
I found Principal Bailey right where I thought he’d be.
In Mrs. Teague’s office. Mrs. Teague being the assistant principal, and the woman that he had a crush on even when I was in high school.
It was a very poorly kept secret if you asked me.
“Principal Bailey,” I said, coming to a stop in the main room of the office instead of going into the office itself. “May I have a word with you?”
Principal Bailey stiffened when he saw all the men at my back.
He came out, as well as Mrs. Teague, and frowned at me.
“What can I help you with, Derek?” he asked.
I’d spent quite a bit of time in their offices. They definitely knew me by sight, even all these years later.
“I had a call from Avery Flynn,” I said. “She’s currently hiding in a janitor’s closet somewhere because of something, and I want your permission to go find her.”
His face went hard. “You’re not allowed to go walking around my school.”
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I’m sure that Superintendent Roman will fucking love that I got a call from Avery in the middle of school hours because she was scared shitless and crying because you can’t watch your fucking students and ensure that she’s safe.” I paused. “May I remind you that this is supposed to be a safe place for these students? Even the ones that aren’t popular and their parents don’t kiss your ass?”
Principal Bailey stiffened.
“You can’t…”
“I can,” I confirmed. “I’m just doing you the courtesy of telling you that I’m going to find her.”
His jaws worked as they ground together slowly.
“Fine,” he said. “But you might as well just take her home at this point while I investigate what happened. Bring her here first to give me a recounting.”
I rolled my eyes and disappeared through the maze of hallways.
I used to love this school.
Now I hated it for what it was doing to Avery.
I tapped her name on my phone and called her.
“Hey, are you here?” she rushed out.
She didn’t sound timid or upset anymore.
She sounded pissed.
“Yes,” I answered, my eyes taking in the students. “Which hallway are you in?”
“The freshman,” she answered, a little steadier now. “At the back janitor’s closet. The one near the water fountain.”
“The freshman?” I asked, sounding confused. “Why the freshman?”
She sighed long and loud. “Because this was the only one that I knew they wouldn’t follow me to.”
I gritted my teeth and continued down the hallways until I got to what I assumed was her janitor’s closet.
“Okay,” I said. “I think I’m here.”
The door cracked open, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
At first glance, she looked good. Happy and healthy.
Her eyes were swollen as if she’d been crying.
And then I got a load of the rest of her.
“What the absolute fuck?” I barked.
The phone call dropped as she hit end then she shoved her phone into her back pocket as she said, “Do you have the key?”
I growled low under my breath, and a baby freshman that’d been circling around to his locker squeaked. He looked at me with wide, fearful eyes and tilted his head as if he was scared to move.
“Leave,” I snapped.
He left without even going to his locker.
“Don’t be mean, Der,” she said softly. “Just help me get this off.”
I pulled my phone up and flipped the camera app up.
She hissed and shoved her hand in my face.
“What are you doing?” she asked, sounding slightly offended.
“I’m taking a fucking picture so I can show that dillweed of a principal,” I snapped. “That, and so you don’t have to walk through the school with that attached to your head so he can see it.”
‘That’ being a fucking massive spiral notebook attached with handcuffs to her halo at the back.
She sighed and turned so that I could get a better picture, being sure to hold the notebook up so it didn’t pull on her brace.
“Jesus,” I growled.
I pulled out the key to my handcuffs and unlocked it, wondering where the hell the set had come from.
It was one like mine.
“Who did this?” I barked.
I pulled the handcuffs off and shoved them into my pocket, my eyes scanning the notebook.
Taylor Hughes was written at the top of the notebook in shitty handwriting.
