Page 108 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

“Explain what? You were there!” My voice is hoarse from disuse, and my throat is thick with unshed tears. “You knew all along who I was and why I was afraid, and you …”

The memory of us at the park a week ago, of him holding me and telling me not to be afraid, comes back, but this time, it is twisted and warped.

I clap a hand over my mouth to stop from screaming.

“God, you took me back there! What is wrong with you?”

“Too much to get into right now,” Finn says. “But you have to trust me.”

I step away from him. “No. No, I don’t.”

It never made sense why Finn was fixated on me. Why I was different from other girls in the school.

But now it makes perfect sense.

He wastherethat night. I showed up and ruined their fun assaulting that poor girl, so they beat me up bad enough to put me in a coma.

Then, when I woke up, I went to the police and got their friend in trouble.

I was supposed to do what everyone else in this town does and ignore them. They are rich and privileged, and I was supposed to keep my mouth shut.

But I didn’t. And Finn wanted to punish me for that.

As though my stay in the hospital wasn’t enough.

As though physical therapy and flashbacks and nightmares weren’t punishment enough.

“Enough with the lovers’ quarrel,” Nico says, waving his arms. “We’re here to get even. You hurt Dallas, and we came here to hurt you. But now, here she is …”

A deep, low sound rumbles out of Finn. “You aren’t going to touch her.”

Nico clicks his tongue in mock disappointment. “Actually, I’m afraid I am. Several of us might, in fact.”

“No,” Finn says. “You aren’t.”

Nico opens his mouth to respond, but before he can, a car turns down the top of the driveway, illuminating us all with the headlights.

We all squint towards the car.

It is only when it turns perpendicularly in the drive that I can see it is a police cruiser.

“Finally,” I breathe in relief.

The officer—Ingram, I think his name is; he’s the one who stopped Finn and I during our hookup in the car not too long ago—rolls down his window and assesses the gathering with narrowed eyes. “Is everything okay down here, folks?”

I blurt out first. “No, it’s not.”

I start towards him, ready to explain everything and beg for help.

But before I get there, Finn holds out his arm to stop me.

“Wait. Something isn’t—”

“All good,” Nico says to the officer amicably, like they’re old buddies. “Just taking care of business, like I said.”

Officer Ingram takes in the group again, his eyes falling on me and Finn, before he gives a thumbs-up to Nico.

“Fine,” he says. “But make sure the girl doesn’t call the station again. I took this call, but I can’t guarantee I’ll get the next one.”

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