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PROLOGUE

Creighton Academy

22 years ago

Gabriel Bond really wanted toMaddox to death with that damn camcorder

“Do you understand the trouble you’ve caused, Mr Bond?” The very fussy school counselor Mr Ogilvie sat back, his bushy gray brows rising over his eyes like judgmental twin caterpillars

Gabe had always loathed his last nahton Acade but “Mr Bond” It ent Currently, they’d come to the point in the James Bond film when the floor opened and dropped hiued Gabe was fairly certain he would rather swim into the Great White’s mouth and allow himself to be eaten alive so he didn’t have to hear the horror about to transpire

He should have known nothing good would co a member of the rival debate teairls Murray Heights Acade Women, but their faculty sponsor Damn, she’d looked orgeous pair of breasts he’d ever seen in his young life

Roman Calder stepped up beside him “I don’t think my client should answer any questions”

Sohton chapter of the Future Lawyers of America way too seriously

“Mr Calder, you’re in trouble, too All of you boys are This is a serious offense While Mr Bond has shamed our academy, the rest of you broke the rules as well What did you think you were doing, sneaking off to a bar? What will your parents think?”

His father would likely high five hih of relief because he now had confiray His mother would roll her eyes and take another drink fro that ser sister would worry

This entire incident was Mad’s fault Mad the instigator Mad, the dude who’d taped his best friend’s one-night stand without bothering to ask first Fucker Gabe felt his face flush slightly, but he’d learned enough about the world to knohen to bluster his way through

Yeah, Mad had taught him that, too

“Mr Ogilvie, I don’t understand why my friends are here Maybe they were out after curfew, but it’s no secret that nearly every student is fro Gabe had learned hen to throw hi to ot him expelled, he had no illusions about ould happen His parents would ship him to another prep school, and he would have to start all over “Please, if you’ll let the”

“Martyr,” Mad coughed like the idiotic douche he could be

Gabe very slowly lifted his hand behind his back and shot his bestie the er

Connor Sparks stepped up “No, Gabe We went into this together We go down together” He frowned “I wish I could have played against Exeter It’s going to be hard to ue championship”

Daxton Spencer shook his head, following Connor’s lead “Yeah, I think the whole school will be deeply disappointed Without our captain, we’re sure to lose”

Smart bastards Gabe repressed a shton took lacrosse and the league chae to a school that valued both greatly

The counselor, who in Gabe’s opinion had always had it out for them, leaned forward “If you think for one second that sports will save you fro This establishment has rules, and I follow the Perverse What is wrong with you boys?”

Dax and Connor looked around, then at one another, and shrugged

Mad grinned as if silently aduished

“You think this is funny? Expulsion is the only acceptable outcoentle but And you, Mr Hayes” Ogilvie turned to Zachary Hayes, the quietest of the six

Their conteh the outcomes and consequences first Zack frowned

Gabe felt his sto Zack kicked out Zack, the freaking class president and valedictorian The one with the brightest future

“I’m surprised at you,” the counselor continued “I knew you would find nothing but trouble when you fell in with this crowd I believe I warned you”

All eyes turned back to Zack With dark hair and winter blue eyes, Zack often seehton for two months before Gabe had really talked to hiroup Gabe had soon realized that Zack was sure a way out of a bind For five years, it had been the six of theainst the world They shouldn’t have fit Connor and Dax had naturally become pals because they were both athletes Roman and Zack were the obviously ambitious types And so of the most obnoxious, devious-minded rich boy at school, Maddox Crawford

They felt like brothers, and he couldn’t be the one who fucked up everything In a year, they would graduate and they had plans to attend Yale together They’d coached Connor through trig and otten an A so they wouldn’t be separated in the future One for all and all for one, and all that shit

Maybe his drea to screw over his friends They had a pact

“It’sout with ht work

“Dude, that eak” Dax rolled his eyes “Like anyone would believe that Look, Mr Ogilvie, you kno the press is, willing to say anything salacious about us rich boys toan article that exaggerates about Creighton’s super entitled boys running wild and taking woiven their dubious consent to bed?”

Gabe gaped at his friend What the hell? “Her consent wasn’t dubious, asshole”

“The press won’t care,” Roman pointed out, then turned to the counselor “That scandal won’t look good for the school, either”

“I don’t make my decisions based on the press, only the rules of this school And I fully intend to talk to hts this afternoon Miss Jones will be dismissed by the end of the day I have no doubt they will call the proper authorities as well No school worth a ants a sex offender working on campus”

Shit He’d landed a nice, re lady in a heap of trouble Hell, he’d couy have fun Why should her good deed be punished?

Gabe raked a hand through his hair His day sucked He needed to hang it up and become the loner he’d been before Mad had taken him in and shown him how to stand up for himself “Please don’t do that”

“He can’t for two reasons: First, the age of consent in the state of New York is seventeen, so engaging in sexual relations with Miss Jones wasn’t illegal, and she is, therefore, not a sex offender Second, I don’t recall that sexual intercourse with another consenting adult is an offense one can be expelled for If that’s the case, Ogilvie would have to expel ustine Spencer”

“Hey! That’sabout,” Dax objected

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“What? She’s a giver I mean that in the nicest possible way,” Roilvie could probably have Ms Jones firedbut he has no proof the incident ever occurred”

“Of course I have proof I saw the tape”

Roman turned with the smooth expertise of a kid who’d spent his share of tin a release or in any way give Mr Crawford permission to tape you in coitus with the lovely Miss Jones?”

He shot a nasty look Mad’s way “No Hell no, and don’t be stupid If I had known, I would have clocked the fucker” Ogilvie’s bushy brows slashed down in a judgmental scowl, and Gabe remembered where he was “I mean, I was entirely unaware and would have protested vociferously had I realized the encounter was being taped”