Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1) - Caroline Peckham ,Susanne Valenti Page 0,110

hair and flirting their little hearts out. Part of me wished the guys would accept whatever sexual favours those girls were no doubt offering, because that would buy me the time I needed to run.

Blake was pretty much the only one responding to whatever they were saying, while Saint stood like an angel of hell, gazing straight down the path, waiting for me to appear. Kyan was leaning against the wall, playing with something in his hand, looking bored out of his mind.

I wet my lips then withdrew into the trees, turning back to make a large circle around the building. I finally reached the back of it and wished I knew the time, because I was sure I was cutting it close.

I located the tree with my pack, reaching up and hooking it out of the branches before shrugging it onto my shoulders. Without the light of my phone to hunt for the stick I’d left in the ground, it was impossible to see it in the dark.

I dropped down to my knees, cursing as I brushed my hands across the ground in my hunt for it. I bit into my lip so hard I was sure I was gonna draw blood.

Come on, where are you you piece of shit twig? I am not gonna fail my mission because of some dead piece of foliage!

My hand brushed it and I mentally apologised for insulting the twig, praising its damn existence instead as I snatched it out of the ground and started digging with my fingers.

I pulled the firecrackers from the soil, stilling as Blake’s laughter reached me. It was freaky how he could flip his charm on and off like that, switching between the laughing golden boy to a psycho asshole in the blink of an eye.

They were so close. So freaking close. I couldn’t breathe for a long moment, suddenly trapped in a vision of what they’d do to me if they found me.

Fear slid along my spine and brought on a tremor in my body. I was so fucked if they caught me. It didn’t even bear thinking about.

Move, Tatum.

I got to my feet, heading back into the trees and having to cut a wide arc past the boys’ dorms in the direction of Aspen Halls. I was no longer cold, my body burning from the running and the adrenaline flooding my veins.

Water was seeping into my shoes and I was starting to regret my choice of footwear as I nearly slid down a hill from the lack of grip on them. My heart free fell in my chest and I dragged in a lungful of air, reminding myself they weren’t on my tail. They were waiting back at the dorms and they had no reason to come hunting the woods for me.

I took another steadying breath and carried on, heading down another steep bank and spotting the glimmer of lights up ahead beyond Aspen Halls.

Sneak was standing by the gates with her suitcase and I cursed as I realised I must have been really close to being late. Lanterns lit the driveway, but the lawn flanking it was dark and that was what I’d have to use to get close to the gates.

I reached the edge of the trees and hurried across the path into the shadow of Aspen Halls. A psst caught my ear and Bait stepped out from behind a stone water fountain in the courtyard.

He hurried to my side with a pack on his shoulders and a look of worry in his eyes.

“Are you alright?” His gaze slid over my clothes and I realised there were leaves in my hair, half a thorny branch hanging from my dress and my shoes were so caked in mud that it was impossible to tell they’d once been white.

“I’m good.” I waved him off, pushing a hand into my hair and pulling out some leaves before peeling the thorny branch off and tossing it on the ground.

Bait visibly swallowed, glancing over my shoulder towards the gate. The crackle of a guard’s radio caught my ear and adrenaline made my heart flutter.

“Are you ready?” I asked him and he nodded firmly, strength filling his gaze.

“What’s the plan?” he asked.

I took the firecrackers and lighter from my pocket, looking over at the wall stretching out either side of the gate.

“When Sneak’s mom shows up, I’m gonna cause a distraction. As soon as the guards move, you run and get in that car. Don’t wait for me,” I said