Page 119 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

“Let me go,” I repeat, trying to keep my voice even and free of the rage boiling inside of me. “If I’m such a disappointment, let me and Lily leave. You won’t ever hear from me again. You can tell people I died or killed myself or disappeared. Tell them I had plastic surgery on my face and moved to Bermuda. I don’t care. Just let us leave.”

He studies me the way you would watch a worm squirm in the mud. A mild look of disgust mingled with curiosity.

He likes that I’m dangling at the end of his hook. He likes that I’m begging him.

I can only hope that sense of power is enough to earn me some mercy.

“Please.”

My father blinks at me, studying my face for a second before he turns on his heel and waves over his shoulder at Officer Ingram. “Get rid of him. I’m done here.”

44

Lily

I could make a run for the trees. I can see the lights of a neighbor’s house through the leaves. Maybe they would even hear my screams and come out to help.

Or maybe they would just call the police, and Ingram would answer the call.

Maybe no one can save us, and we have to save ourselves.

The car is still running. Officer Ingram didn’t tell Finn to turn off the car or confiscate the key, so if I can slide over into the driver’s seat without any noticing, I can run him down.

The problem is that he could shoot Finn in the time it takes for me to cross the console.

The other problem is that even if doesn’t shoot Finn when I cross the console, when I warn Finn to get out of the way so I can run Ingram down, he could shoot Finn.

A lot of my plans end with Finn being shot, which does not make them very good plans.

After everything that has happened tonight and the last few weeks, I should want to run away and save myself.

But I love Finn.

I love him.

It feels crazy to admit it, but I’ve seen a soft side of him. I’ve seen the dark parts of his life that have hardened him.

And I understand.

He was doing what he thought he needed to do to survive. I can’t blame him for that. Not now that I know the whole picture.

So now, I need to do what I need to do so we can both survive.

Ingram keeps shifting his gaze from Finn to me and there is never an opening for me to move to the driver’s seat.

Until Mr. Foster appears.

I see him get out of the cop car, and I know Finn doesn’t notice because he doesn’t move. He doesn’t have any reaction at all.

Until his dad speaks.

Only then does Finn flinch. More importantly, Ingram shifts focus.

He forgets about me. They all do.

Just like I wanted when I first came to Ravenlake Prep, I’m flying under the radar, and this time, I don’t intend to let it go to waste.

I lift one leg over the console and then carefully drag the other over, holding my breath the entire time as though that will somehow help me be stealthier.

---