Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1) - Caroline Peckham ,Susanne Valenti Page 0,123

He had bloodshot eyes like he hadn’t slept, like he’d been up all night waiting for this moment to come. And now it had and I was so very fucking sorry for it.

“Bait, I-” I started but he shook his head firmly.

“Don’t blame yourself,” he said gently. “You gave me a chance, Tatum. I owe you everything for that.”

I nodded, not feeling any less shitty about it as I turned to walk at his side in solidarity. An air of excitement filled the room as the rest of the students perked up to watch and I tried to ignore the fluttering of my heart.

We slowed to a halt in front of the Night Keepers’ table and it felt like everyone in the room was holding their breath as they waited for what was gonna happen next.

“Did you bring it?” Blake demanded of Bait.

He nodded, reaching into his blazer pocket and taking out an electric razor. He placed it down on the table and Kyan leaned back in his chair with a smirk, settling in for the show.

My heart beat wildly as I thought of that razor being used on me. But they wouldn’t take my hair, surely? Saint had said himself he didn’t want me looking like shit.

“Pick it up, Plague,” Saint commanded in a cool tone.

I swallowed as I reached for it, taking the surprisingly heavy lump of machinery into my grip.

“Now kneel before our girl, Bait,” he hissed and Bait dropped to his knees without a moment’s hesitation.

My heart pounded out of tune as I stared down at him. But this was okay. Shaving a guy’s head wasn’t the end of the world. He’d survive it.

“Slice a nice little line down the middle, baby,” Kyan instructed and I jerked around to look at him in alarm.

I opened my mouth to protest when Bait said, “Do it,” through his teeth.

I clenched my jaw as Kyan laughed and Blake banged his fist on the table, starting up a thumping tune as everyone joined in around the hall.

Bait lifted his head to look up at me and guilt clutched my heart.

“I’m sorry,” I breathed before turning the razor on so a loud buzzing filled the air.

As gently as possible, I pushed it through the middle of his thick copper hair, running it right over the crown of his head and all the way down the back. The loose hair tumbled around him, the bald strip glaring up at me and making me grimace while laughter clashed against my ears from around the room.

My hands were shaking, my ears were ringing and I was struck with the desire to be sick. I knew that it wasn’t really me doing this to him but it was my hands, my actions causing my friend to become the centre of ridicule for the entire school and shame washed through me as I was forced to endure it.

“Up,” Saint commanded and I frowned as Bait got to his feet, bowing low to the Night Keepers. Anger roiled in my gut. He looked ridiculous and that was just what they wanted. Him humiliated.

Bait took the razor back from me, tucking it into his pocket as the laughter continued filling the air.

“If you ever try to run from us again, it won’t be your hair that gets cut,” Saint hissed. “Do you understand me?”

Bait nodded quickly, his cheeks turning bright red as every eye in the room fixed on him.

“Dismissed,” Saint snapped and he ran back to the Unspeakables’ table without a backwards glance.

I turned to look at them as anger rose in me on behalf of my friend. A stream of curses came to my lips and were about to pour from them and break right through the mask I’d been hiding behind. Kyan sat up straighter in his chair as he realised I was about to go off like a damn rocket and I choked back the words at the last second. Swallowing them down down down into the very pit of my stomach.

Fucking jumped up, heartless assholes. I’d beat every one of your heads in with a mallet.

I dropped my gaze to my feet and shut my eyes too because this was harder than I’d thought. Wearing a bitch mask was way easier than wearing a little bitch mask. I forced my warring emotions back into that safe space inside me and my breathing started to even out.

It’s not worth it, Tatum. You’ve got to let them get bored of you.

“Sit down,” Saint ordered, pointing