The secret is out.
I’m officially dating the entire Student Council, but that’s not the only thing that’s outside the norm at Adamson All-Boys Academy.
Nah, I think the murders are a bit more remarkable, although my dad might disagree. He’s not exactly thrilled with my fake fiancé or the other four boys that make my pulse race.
With two current students dead, and three attackers on my tail, it looks like I’m next. The fact that I’m a target isn’t in question, but are the people closest to me involved somehow? Everyone’s a suspect—my family, my classmates, even my new boyfriends.
Okay, that’s it. I’m going to do it: I’m going to attend Adamson in a fucking skirt, and kick some ass.
Follow the clues, catch the bad guys, secure my future. Because, murder-mysteries aside, this is my final year of high school, and nothing lasts forever, right? Not even a forever crew.
Table of Contents Table of Contents
Front Matter Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Signup for my Newsletter
Author's Note
Map of The Underground Church
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
Back Matter Orientation Cover
Spirited Cover
The Family Spells Cover
Filthy Rich Boys Cover
Filthy Rich Boys Chapter 1
Keep Up With The Fun
More Books By C.M. Stunich
About the Author
The Forever Crew
The Forever Crew © C.M. Stunich 2020
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
The For information address Sarian Royal Indie Publishing, 89365 Old Mohawk Rd, Springfield, OR 97478.
www.cmstunich.com
Cover art and design © Amanda Carroll and Sarian Royal
The The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, businesses, or locales is coincidental and is not intended by the author.
this book is dedicated to Marmie.
you were here when I started this, gone when I finished.
I’ll miss you forever.
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Author's Note
***Possible Spoilers***
The Forever Crew (Adamson All-Boys Academy #3) is a reverse harem, high school, murder mystery romance. What does that mean exactly? It means our female main character, Charlotte Carson, will end up with at least three love interests by the end of the series. There isn’t any bullying in this book, not from the love interests anyway. This story in no way condones bullying, nor does it romanticize it. The love interests in this sequel are actually pretty damn nice (especially when compared to my boys in The Rich Boys of Burberry Prep series).
Any kissing/sexual scenes featuring Charlotte aka Chuck are consensual. This book might be about high school students, but it is not what I would consider young adult. The characters are quirky, the emotions real, the f-word in prolific use. There’s some underage drinking, sexual situations, mention of a side character’s possible suicide, and other adult scenarios although this remains a fairly lighthearted read.
Charlotte starts off as a bit of a brat, but I hope you enjoy the character growth in this series. ;)
None of the main characters is under the age of seventeen. This story will have a happy ending in the third and final book, but if you want to follow the Student Council into college, I’ll be writing a fourth book follow-up that crosses over with characters from Filthy Rich Boys, titled Orientation.
Reading Order:
Adamson All-Boys Academy Series
The Secret Girl
The Ruthless Boys
The Forever Crew
Bonus: Orientation, a Burberry Prep x Adamson All-Boys Academy crossover novel
Drip, drip, drip.
That’s the sound the blood makes as it slithers down the dead student’s arm, a crimson pool forming below the fingers of his outstretched hand. It’s the only noise I can hear above the rushing surge of my pulse and the ragged, frantic inhales of my breath.
“Chuck.”
I turn around and find Spencer standing there, dressed in a black hoodie and smelling like cigarettes.
A black hoodie.
Why the hell is he wearing a black hoodie?!
“I saw you running—” he starts as I scramble away and find my feet. It’s like, way early in the morning, and Spencer is out here smoking? It doesn’t make sense. Add in the black hoodie, and Church with the knife, and … “What the fuck is that?!” He chokes out, pointing behind me in the direction of the shrine.
“I …” There’s not enough time for me to get a single sentence out before two of the killers come crashing through the bushes.
Two killers … and Spencer Hargrove in a hoodie, awake at an hour he never is.
No. No. This is my forever crew; these are my friends.
“Spencer, run!” I scream, grabbing his hand and jerking him along with me in the way I should’ve grabbed Church. Why did I leave him there? The killer was waiting for me in the hallway, that’s why. But I can’t get past the feelings of fear and guilt that choke me as we sprint into the woods, and towards the other hot springs pool.
Branches slap my face as I run, my feet bleeding from the rocks and sticks and brambles that line the forest floor. Spencer stays right beside me, matching me stride for stride. That’s when we come around the corner and run into several adults wearing masks.
Masks.
Like something out of a fucking horror movie.
They look like foxes, these wily, grinning things that bring chills up across my skin.
“Holy shit,” I murmur, but Spencer doesn’t pause even long enough to take notice. He shoves me to the left, and then takes off with my hand in his, dragging me along with him. Within a few seconds, we’re emerging out of the trees and stumbling over the rocks that line the pool.
Together, we fall into the warm water, exploding through the surface with ragged breaths.
“Swim, Chuck,” Spencer urges, making sure I’ve got a head start before he takes off for the shore. We’re barely out of the water before huge hands are grabbing onto my shoulders and yanking me up the rest of the way.
It’s Church.
There’s blood everywhere, all over his hands, on his face, his yukata stained and hanging off one, smooth porcelain shoulder.
Now, there’s even blood on me.
“Let go of me!” I shout, freeing myself from the hands of the Student Council President. Spencer slides in front of me, arms out on either side, ready to fight.
“Don’t fucking touch her!” he snaps, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of the woods. But there’s nobody there, just t
he boy who gave me an engagement ring … and then put a knife through our teacher.
“I need you both to calm down,” Church says calmly, swiping his palms down the front of his yukata and leaving crimson streaks.
“I saw you stab Mr. Dave,” I whisper, pointing at him, hand shaking. I want to believe it was self-defense. But then Spencer, and the hoodie, and … It occurs to me that this could be some sort of long game that the guys are playing, the ultimate exercise in bullying. Every incident I’ve suffered—the first knife chase that led me to Ranger, the twins discovering my secret right off the bat, the headless bird and candles—they’ve all been connected back to the guys somehow.
“You saw him what?!” Spencer chokes out, and his reaction is so genuine, it feels impossible to doubt him. And yet, some primal instinct in me remains wary. He rakes his fingers through his silver hair and glances back at me. The thing is, Church isn’t the only one with some explaining to do.
“I wasn’t stabbing him; I was removing the knife.” Church stays absurdly calm, moving toward us with slow, easy footfalls, the slap of his bare feet on the patio the only sound besides the lapping of the water against the shore. Spencer blocks him, dripping from his soggy hoodie, the hoodie that makes him seem so damn guilty. “It wasn’t deep—it hadn’t hit anything vital—and he asked me to help.”
“There’s a dead kid in those woods,” Spencer growls out, panting hard. He swipes his hand down his face and flicks the excess water aside. “There’s blood everywhere, and then here you are, covered in it.”
“Please, Spencer, don’t make an ass out of yourself,” Church says, his gaze fully trained on me. I feel like squirming, under that stare of his. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be feeling here: guilt, relief, suspicion. All of the above, most like.
My gaze flicks toward Spencer as he glances back at me, turquoise eyes dark with emotion.
He could easily be the third hoodie-wearing asshole, couldn’t he? His brother has all those academy maps, and he disappeared when Eugene was killed. He runs the school’s underground with his business ventures, and he knows every little nook and cranny of Adamson.
A lump forms in my throat, and I find it suddenly hard to swallow.
“You have no reason to trust anyone, Chuck,” Spencer says slowly, panting from our run through the woods. “In fact, considering everything that’s happened to you, it would be better if you didn’t.”
“Stay away from me,” I warn, backing up until the edge of my foot touches the water. I want to trust them both, believe them both, but I’m having a really hard time doing that when one was wearing a hoodie and waiting in the woods, and the other is covered in blood and our teacher is nowhere to be seen.
The sound of pounding footsteps precedes the twins as they squeeze out the side door together and come around the corner. Both are white as ghosts, and their green eyes widen in unison as they spot Church.
“Dude, what the fuck is that?” they ask together, pointing at him as Ranger shoves his way out, panting and furious. As soon as he sees we’re all here, he sighs with relief and comes toward me.
“Wait!” I shout, holding up a hand, scooting back even further, so that my already wet yukata dips into the water. “Nobody come any closer.”
“What the hell is going on out here?” Ranger asks, glancing toward Church. “When I woke up, Spencer was gone, and then I found your guys’ room empty …” He trails off, studying the blood for a moment. “Whose blood is that?”
“Not mine,” Church says easily. He lies as easily as he breathes, I remind myself, wrapping my arms tightly over my chest. The door opens a moment a later, and the twins step forward, putting their arms against the doorjamb the way they did last night.
“Student Council only,” they say, shoving whoever it is back. The half-wall and cluster of bamboo that decorates the spot near the door keeps the person from noticing Church and his blood-stained clothing. A grumbling curse follows, and then we’re alone again.
Birds chirp from the surrounding trees, but the only sound I can hear then is the thundering of my heart, the rushing of my pulse in my head.
“He stabbed Mr. Dave,” I repeat as Spencer steps aside, creating a circle with Church opposite me, the twins to my left, and Ranger standing beside his best friend.
“What the fuck, Church?” Ranger asks, his voice hard but not accusatory, like he believes me … but also like he believes Church wouldn’t do something like that unless he had to.
“Mr. Dave was bandaging his wound; I left to find Charlotte,” Church says, throwing his hand out toward me and then running his fingers through his honeyed hair and leaving ruby streaks. He seems to notice too late what he’s doing, and his jaw clenches in disgust. “I don’t know where he is now.”
“And you stabbed him, why?” Ranger repeats as the twins exchange a look, and then turn their attention to me and Spencer, both sopping wet.
“I didn’t stab him. He came into the room to talk to me, and one of those psychos followed him in. They grabbed Charlotte’s hunting knife from the bag, and put it through Mr. Dave before I could stop them.”
“How would a stranger know I had the hunting knife at all?” I ask, panting hard, wanting to believe the guys, wishing with every breath that I could.
“I don’t know,” Church supplies, holding his palms up and out in a placating gesture. He sighs hard, like he’s exhausted already. “I have no fucking clue.”
“Why are you two wet?” the twins ask together, studying me and Spencer in our sopping clothes.
“Yes, do tell,” Church agrees, and then he unties the sash from his yukata and lets it fall to the ground, striding past me, and diving into the water to wash off the blood. Ranger doesn’t hesitate before bending down and bundling up the bloody clothes. My eyes stray from him to Church as the golden boy of Adamson Academy breaks the surface of the water, pushing back his wet hair with both hands and opening amber eyes to stare at me.
My heart flutters in the worst way, and I fist my hand in the wet fabric of my robe.
“I was trying to hide from the headmaster, smoking in the woods.” Spencer ruffles up his hair and closes his turquoise eyes for a moment. “I saw Charlotte run past me, and …” He trails off and then tilts his head back, opening his eyes to look at the bright, sunny sky of early morning. “Someone was chasing her.”
“Two someones,” I correct, “in hoodies.”
The twins and Ranger both turn to look at Spencer, and the latter cocks a brow.
“Seriously?” Spencer asks, redirecting his attention back to me. “You think I’m one of the killers?”
“I don’t know anything,” I whisper as he sighs and then turns back to Ranger.
“We were chased through the woods, and then we stumbled onto some psychos wearing masks. Oh, and by the way, there’s a dead kid in those trees, on some sort of shrine. It’s beyond fucked-up. I’m pretty sure it was Jason Lambert.”
“Who?” I ask.
“You wouldn’t know him,” the twins say together. And then Micah adds, “He’s been running against Church for Student Council President since freshman year.”
“Gee, thanks, that really helps clear my suspicions,” I grumble as Church stands up, the water just barely lapping at his glorious hips, the rest of his muscular body on full display. My cheeks heat, and I turn away.
“Let’s find the headmaster,” Ranger begins, exhaling. “And then maybe call the police.” His blue eyes harden as he holds the bloodied clothes against his chest. “But first, let’s find Mr. Dave and get rid of this.”
“Are you—” I start, and then the heavy wetness of my too-big yukata causes it to slide down my shoulders and just sort of … drop. It splats on the ground, leaving me completely and utterly nude, and staring down four of the five guys in the Student Council. My eyes widen, and I move to step back, forgetting how close I am to the water’s edge.
Instead, I splash right in, my naked body slamming against Church’s and s
ending us both into the water. He manages to right himself fairly quickly, holding my nude form against his, back to front. I can feel his dick, too, and it’s not as soft as I would’ve liked it to be in that moment.
“Careful, Charlotte Carson,” he whispers near my ear, a muscled arm banded across my midsection.
That, of course, is when my father chooses to step outside. The twins move to block him in like always, but you know, he’s the headmaster and that technique doesn’t work so well.
“Student Council only—” they start, and then balk as Dad pushes his way outside, freezing like a deer in the headlights when he sees me, naked. Church, naked. Our nude bodies pressed together in a very compromising sort of way.
“Mr. Carson,” Spencer blurts, drawing Dad’s attention … to his wet hoodie.
Oh, and did I mention the fact that the twins are shirtless, dressed only in boxers?
“Chuck.”
My dad’s voice comes out in a low, menacing hiss.
And that’s when I know I have more to worry about than just murderers.
I have a pissed-off father, and that’s almost as bad.
“There was a dead body here,” I insist, pointing at the bare surface of the shrine while Dad stands nearby and fumes, his nostrils flared, his face never quite recovering from that purple-red color it got when he saw me and Church together.
As I stand there, next to a shrine with no body, in a forest bereft of creepy people in masks, I wonder to myself: have I done it this time, have I finally made Archie Carson angry enough to explode, to shed that careful calm of his?
“Sir, I saw it, too,” Spencer begins, now dressed in a dry yukata and flip-flips with wooden soles. I think they’re supposed to be reminiscent of these raised-platform shoes from Japan called geta (the twins have been giving me a serious anime/manga education as of late). “There was a boy here, pretty sure it was Jason.”
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