Page 98 of Knox Academy Omnibus
“Yes, that’s true, but the other guy was her father. He met Laura when he moved back home. They had a son. They were happy. Until Debbie went looking for him; the girl that tore us apart. Long story short, she got pregnant and died giving birth to a baby girl whilst she was over there still.” We all gasp at the revelation.
“Does she know?” I ask.
“No.”
“How does Laura fit into all of this? Revenge?” Sawyer asks.
“I always had my suspicions about Amelie. I watched them growing up because I wanted to recruit her brother, you see. Yet as Amelie grew, she looked so much like Debbie, I thought I was going crazy.
In the end, I had an affair with Laura in an attempt to get the truth from her, but we ended up falling in love. We ended it once, for everyone’s sake, but when she turned back up in my life years later, I fell for her again. One night she broke down and she told me about Amelie. She told meeverything.”
“So she abused Amelie and you knew, yet you brought her here anyway?” Slate snaps.
“I know how we can get her to join,” I add, cutting off their conversation.
“How?” my father asks.
I’m not sure how he managed to manipulate Amelie's father into letting her come here to a mother that hated her. He would have to have something major held against him. Maybe that’s the point. We joined and he has stuff against all of us. Even Baxter, although he’s technically out now. That’s why he can’t leave. One way in and one way out. The way out is in a casket. We knew this when we joined. The connections and reach The Snaidhm has makes it worth it. Do we have to do some shitty things? Yes, but the connections to people around the world are beyond some people’s wildest dreams. We can be anyone, go anywhere. Untouchable.
“Laura...She hates her. You gave up your one true love once before. Are you willing to give up the new wifey for your cause?”
“You know I would give up anything, except you boys...or Amelie. Amelie is the key. The board has not been happy since your fathers and I screwed everything up. They are a stickler for their rules.”
“Then it looks like we need to patch things up with her; she just wants to be loved. Needs it in fact. She won’t just accept one of us.” I look at my brothers. They nod. We are all in this as much as our father. “We chose this life and now it’s time to bring her in.”
“Sawyer,” our father says. “You need to hand in your resignation.” He nods. “You can’t have a relationship with a student and work there. There are some things even I can’t cover up. Especially with Baxter knowing; he’s too much of a loose cannon. He can’t be trusted. You can work within The Order for now. I’m sure we can even find you a local teaching post within a couple of weeks.”
It sucks really, we have known our jobs are to recruit. We need the best of the best within our ranks. Men and women who are ruthless. Some will go on to be politicians, doctors, world leaders. Others will be criminals, assassins and drug lords.People from all walks of life. People who owe you favours from university, that you can call on at any time, but when you owe someone and they call in theirs, you also have to be willing to doanything.
“So we all agree that you will do everything in your power to get on Amelie's good side? And no one breathes a word about Laura to her. The timing has to be right. When the time comes that will be what makes her join us.”
We all agree. I don’t know how my brothers feel, but I love Amelie and will do whatever it takes to have her join us. Being a woman on the outside sucks. I have watched my mother suffer because of it. She has never said anything about knowing, but she’s a smart woman. It fills me with hope that Amelie and I could have a real relationship, one that lasts, once she knows about us. And just like our father, we all made a blood oath to put The Snaidhm first. I intend to do just that, but with Amelie by my side.
Knox Academy is the heart of the criminalandpowerful divisions. We have an Elite Academy that will breed our future leaders.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Amelie
I stand back and admire my handy work, even though it’s crazy early o'clock and I should get some sleep. Baxter dropped me back at my room after dinner. I was expecting a more violent bang, but the boys did well at holding back. Though I suspect more is going on between them and Baxter. If I was hanging around, I would want to get to the bottom of it to find out what it is. What’s really with their injuries? And Kalen’s hair? I could weep for him...if I cared.Which I don’t, I firmly tell myself.
Baxter told me I could leave anytime I wanted. The plane is on standby. I was going to finish out the week, say goodbye to Elsie, but I can’t. Goodbyes were never my strong suit anyway.
With Baxter’s help having the files printed, I decided to hit them all where it hurts...by showing the entire school everybody's sins. The only thing each student has at Knox Academy, is their secrets. Especially the Knox boys. The headmaster’s sons. His perfect prefects. Worse, because he chose three of them to adopt knowing that they’re fuck ups. Whythem? That’s probably what every desperate fuckup looking for love in this place asks themselves.
I was surprised Baxter left his file for me. Three times bigger than anyone else’s, it made for an interesting read. Whoever this Rebel guy is, he must have some serious love for him and his family. What happened to Rebel's sisters was sickening and Baxter made sure to get vengeance.
I read the Knox brothers files and Elsie’s, flicked through a few more...but I decided against reading the rest of the files. There’s not enough time. Doesn’t mean I can’t and won’t post them though. I burned Elsie’s and Baxter’s files after reading them. Baxter clearly didn’t give a fuck if I read his, and although I shouldn’t have read Elsie’s, I couldn’t resist. Besides, the clues were there, I just didn’t expect my perfect blonde bestie with the face of an angel to be a serial arsonist, who killed someone. Suddenly a lot makes sense.
Everyone else is fair game in this place. I don’t belong here; my petty criminal record isnothingcompared to even the tamest file I read today.
Page after page is plastered around the school, like a news bulletin. Welcome to Monday 20th November: the day I fucked your life up and spilled all your secrets. The day I finally get to go home.
There are so many pages that it is impossible for anyone to clean this mess up before the students arrive. I don’t even know how Baxter even managed to make so many copies. But I’ve learned it’s best not to even ask with him. He was also nice enough to include some less than appropriate images of the guys with me. Gee, thanks. Under normal circumstances I would have lost it, but they really pack a punch. Besides, I’m not coming back, so who cares if the whole school thinks I’m a slut on a scorned woman rampage?
I’m sure the students here really won’t care, buttheywill, and that is all that matters. They all want to hide from their pasts. Everything that happened to them as kids. I want to feel bad, but they didn’t think twice when they let out that video of me during my darkest times. And I was raised to believe an eye for an eye. No one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it.
And the kicker is, Baxter also included a slide show that is due to hit everyone’s tablets when the first bell rings.
