Page 113 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

Then, a steady stream of blood pours from between his lips.

I don’t see Finn stand up, but he is behind me now, pulling me towards him, away from Nico. He is saying something, but I can’t hear it. I can’t hear anything except the frantic thrum of my heart.

I just killed someone.

He deserved it. I know that. I know he did. But I did it. With my own hands.

Panic squeezes my chest, making it hard to breathe. Then, Finn is in front of me.

His blue eyes are the only bright thing in the world, and they are looking at me, wide and concerned.

His pouty lips are moving, saying something I can’t hear.

When he presses his forehead to mine, I inhale. The frosty scent of him is still there, but it’s layered in blood and dirt and the rich scent of turned earth.

His hands smooth down my arms. I breathe to the rhythm of his touch until my heartrate is normal, and I can function again.

“Lily?” he asks gently. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Fine,” I croak. “I’m fine.”

He nods and then looks towards where I know Nico is lying, but I don’t follow his gaze. I don’t want to see. “We have to go. We can’t stay here.”

He grabs my arm and pulls me after him, and then my brain seems to turn on.

All of the realizations I’ve had over the last hour but couldn’t process flood back, and I jerk my arm away. “You—”

I don’t know how to finish that sentence. Everything Finn has done is just … too much. Too big to consider.

He was there.

He saw what happened to me.

He allowed it.

“Lily, wait!” he says.

But in that moment, my life depends on getting away from him. On getting out of the woods and far enough away from Finn that I can think.

So, I shove past him, lower my head, and take off into the trees at a dead sprint.

I don’t plan on ever coming back.

42

Finn

I should have told her.

I waited and waited and waited, thinking there would be time in the future to explain everything to Lily.

Once my dad was pacified, certain Lily wouldn’t tell our secrets, I’d explain everything to her. She would understand.

I was harsh with her, yes, but not criminal.

I didn’t hurt her.

But I was there that night, and now she knows. She’ll never forgive me.

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