The Lie (Kings of Linwood Academy 2)

In the morning, we get up early and are already waiting outside when Chase and Dax swing by to pick us up. After several days of feeling like a useless lump, I’m practically bursting at the seams with nervous energy now that it’s actually time to do something. It’s Friday, which means I’ve missed almost a whole week of school. But it’s not too late to fix this.

I hope.

The twins shoot me almost identical grins over their shoulders as River and I climb into the back seat.

“You ready for this?” Chase asks, a wicked gleam in his eye.

“More than ready.”

We arrive at school well before the start of first period, and Lincoln meets us outside the doors. It’s been less than a week since I was expelled, but the place already feels strange and foreign. It’s weird to walk through the halls knowing I shouldn’t be here.

The four kings of Linwood surround me on all sides as we make our way down the corridor—providing a buffer in case any school staff happen to see us, and silently telling all the students we pass that I’m still under their protection.

When we turn down a hallway on the north side of the building, our footsteps slow.

Savannah is standing near her locker, surrounded by four younger cheerleaders who are hanging on her every word like she’s a fucking guru or something. When her gaze flicks up and catches on the kings, annoyance flashes in her eyes, and when she notices me standing among them, her lips curl.

“What the hell are you doing here, Pool Girl?” she snaps. “Did you forget you were expelled? Want me to tell Mr. Osterhaut you’re loitering on school property?”

I don’t answer her taunt, stepping forward as the four boys open ranks to let me through. Savannah’s little posse of cheerleaders looks from me to her, bloodthirsty interest in their eyes. They’re probably hoping they’ll get to see her eviscerate me.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” I ask, glancing around the hall.

“Trent’s sick. He stayed home—just like you should have.”

Ignoring that too, I move closer to her. “No, I don’t think I should have at all. Because you’re gonna tell Mr. Osterhaut what you did. That you were the one who messed with my exams.”

“Why the fuck would I do that?”

I can feel the guys at my back, but they don’t step in, letting me handle Savannah on my own.

I like that.

Because I’ve got this.

Lowering my voice just slightly, I glance at the girls gathered around us. “I can give you a few good reasons why. And if you don’t want your little groupies to know what they are, you better send them away right now.”

“What—”

She starts to speak in a huff then breaks off, gazing at my face intently as if she’s trying to guess what I really know.

I’ve played a lot of poker. I can keep my hand hidden if I want to. But right now, I don’t want to. I make no effort to school my features or to keep my expression blank, letting her read the satisfaction and confidence on my face.

She blinks, then swallows.

“Go.” She tears her gaze away from me to focus on her minions, who all stare back at her in shock. “I said go! God!”

They all jump, and she waves her hand in a shooing gesture. The four girls scramble to obey her command, scuttling off down the hallway in a tight cluster. Their whispers and murmurs follow them as they go, and I can feel them casting glances back at us.

“Good call,” I say smoothly. “Now, if you do what I want, no one will ever be the wiser.”

She recovers some of her haughty bluster now that she’s alone, tossing her auburn hair over her shoulder and glaring at me. “I’m not telling Mr. Osterhaut anything.”

“Fine.” I shrug. “Then I’ll t

ell the whole school what Trent told us last night. He’s not really sick, by the way. He’s just… recovering.”

Her eyes fly open wide, and yup, I think she’s finally figured out for sure that I’m not joking. That I know things about her she definitely doesn’t want getting out.