Just Drop Out (Hannaford Prep, #1)

by J. Bree

“I’m not sure you’ll ever know it all. There’s stuff I’ve done… I’m a dangerous person to be around. You need to know that from the get-go, so you can tap out now if you need to.”

“My cousin is a mobster’s son. My brother is a sociopathic murderer. My father is… my father is true evil. Whatever you have following you, we can sort out together, the same way I’ve worked at sorting everything out for Harley. I’m all in, Lips.”

“Where does Harley go during the summer break?”

“He goes back to his grandfather’s place for two weeks each year. It’s part of a seedy deal the old crook cut with a dirty judge. Then he either stays with Blaise, touring or whatever, or I get him a hotel. He can’t come to our house; my father would never allow it.”

“Wouldn’t he know you’re helping him, though? Where else do y...

“My mother and Harley’s mom were twins; did you know that? Twins run pretty strongly in our family. They were heiresses themselves. If you trace our family line back far enough, you hit Russian royalty. My grandparents disowned Aunt Iris when she ran off with Éibhear O’Cronin; they were horrified their blue-blooded daughter had been seduced by the handsome degenerate.” She fluttered her eyes and pretended to faint, and I giggle for probably the first time in my life. “So my mother was the sole heir. Now my father, the asshole, had a prenup to say that all finances were to stay separate, because her hundreds of millions were nothing compared to his billions. When my mother died, her will said the money was to be split and shared three ways.”

“So you and your brothers each have a share of the millions and no parental supervision on how you use it? Fuck, you are the luckiest kid in this school.”

“My mother left her money to Ash, me…...

“Best day of my life was seeing that murderer’s face when he realized he was getting nothing.”

“So then why doesn’t Harley have the money?”

“His grandfather stole it. Sort of. His grandfather had custody of Harley when my mother died, so he had it put in trusts and bonds and offshore accounts, then told Harley he could have it the moment he swore in. He’s using the ...

You can torture and break someone, bend them to only serve you, but there are limits to what a broken person can do.

“I started to come around to the idea of being friends when you started messing with Joey. No one, has even been brave enough to take him on. When Harley showed up with his mom's necklace and told me we were done messing with you, I knew you would fit in with us.”

“Does he have a bank account? Give me the details, and I’ll transfer the cash across. I’ll do eighty-five so he has a buffer. Fucking boys.”

“You have money? You have enough money to pay for that?”

“I do. I’m going to be working over summer break, so I’ll just take an extra ...

“Take an extra—what the hell is happeni...

“Whatever you've done to get her on your side, I will fucking end you for it. You think my brother is bad? You have no idea what I will do to you next year.”

“Why don't you want her to have friends?”

“She can have friends, just not Mounty trash,” he sneers at me, his eyes icy blue.

“Fuck you.” I pull my arm out of his grip, and I give Avery a quick hug before I drop into the taxi. Ash glares at me as Avery waves cheerfully, and then the taxi takes off down the driveway and out of the huge, ornate school gates. My grin is plastered to my face. I survived Hannaford, and I made a friend.

Ash is a nightmare, Harley is pouting, and Blaise is pleading with me to seek therapy. I’m going to enjoy taking these boys down a notch or two. I’ll text you tomorrow x