Page 70 of The Secret Girl (Adamson All-Boys Academy 1)
“You're a girl,” Church says again, arms crossed over his chest. He squints at me. “How? Why? What are you even doing here?”
“If you didn't notice, dumbass, my dad's the headmaster,” I spit back at him. “And the school board wants a mixed population now. They wanted to use me as their experimental girl student, and I said no. Explanation enough for you? Try being a teenage chick in a school full of super rich jerks. How well do you think that'd go down?” I glance between the twins and their glittering green eyes before I look back at Church. “Especially with what happened to Jenica.”
Church frowns, and groans, putting his head in his hand, the elbow of one arm resting in the palm of the opposite hand.
“Jesus Christ. Who else knows?”
“Just us,” the twins say together, tucking opposite hands into their pockets, so that they're mirror images of each other. “Well, and whoever it is that's leaving her notes.”
“Notes?” Church asks, lifting his face up to look at me. He looks … disturbed. “What sort of notes?”
“Charlotte,” the twins drawl, holding out their hands toward me, and I sigh.
“I gave them to my dad. They were left on the community corkboard, addressed to Eve, from Adam. Someone else knows.” Church just stares at me and then swears under his breath.
“What else did they say?” he asks, and I guess we're not going to talk about the fact that he saw me naked. Good. Because I don't want to talk about it. Ever.
“Um, get out? We don't want you here? Basically …” I trail off and cross my arms over my chest. Church's eyes follow the movement, and I swear it feels like he's looking at the curve of my chest. I suddenly very much miss my bindings. “Probably the same guy who chased me with a knife.”
Church glances at Micah, and then Tobias. It's quite clear they're sharing some silent secrets here.
“We should get some private security detail up here,” he says, and my brows go up. Um, what? He wants to get private security detail … for me?
“Already tried,” the twins say together, and Tobias sighs.
“We asked our dad to send some, but the schoolboard denied our request. They think the whole thing was a prank and that fat old Nathan is good enough security. Besides, nobody but us believes Jenica was murdered.”
Church makes a scoffing sound and glances back at me.
“I'll talk to my parents, too,” he says, watching me carefully. “But Ranger learns nothing about this. Is that understood?”
“Aye, aye, Mr. President,” the twins say together, and then everyone turns to look back at me.
“What? I don't take orders from you,” I murmur, and Church sneers.
“For fuck's sake, Carson. You're as dumb a girl as you are a boy. Trust me when I say you don't want your secret to get out. There's old money here, and they won't like the idea of a woman in their boys' club.”
“No shit,” I murmur, stiffening up as he moves up to stand beside me, looking down from that cold, impassive face of his. “You don't think I'm dumb enough to spill my own secret? I don't need you to order me to keep myself safe.”
Church reaches up and tries to touch the side of my face, but I slap his hand away.
“Just as feisty as ever,” he murmurs, shaking his head and glancing back toward the twins. “One of us should stay with her at all times.”
“I don't need you guys to follow me around,” I groan, but then again, I did just barely outrun a crazy person with a knife. “You've been keeping me on a tight enough leash at is, what with all your detentions and Culinary Club bullshit. Why don't you just dumb another jar of spiders on me?”
Church just looks at me from that impossibly handsome face of his and then shakes his head, putting two fingers up to his temple.
“I've got a headache. I need a cup of coffee.”
“You're a caffeine addict,” I murmur, but he just flips me off by curling one of his two fingers under. “Where are you going to get coffee at twelve thirty at night?”
Church glances up at me and smirks.
“Oh, I have my ways.”We end up back at the Jaw Flapper which just happens to actually be open, taking a seat in the corner as a woman in a turquoise uniform with a white apron comes over to take our order.
“Church, you shouldn't be up so late,” she chastises, putting a mug of coffee in front of Church, and slapping a menu down in front of me. Nobody else gets one, so I'm guessing she knows the guys pretty well. “And who's the gorgeous girl with you?” She winks at me, and I gape. Before we left, I put my bindings back on. I'm wearing my uniform and glasses, too. “Can't fool me, honeydew,” she says, and I flush.
