Page 122 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

I drop my eyes and don’t answer. Words aren’t coming easy right now.

When we are done, Finn slips a fluffy white robe around me. And when he leads me to his room, I don’t resist.

I text my mom to tell her I’m spending the night out. I don’t want her to worry. Then I crawl underneath the blankets of his bed and close my eyes.

“I can’t believe we were lying here only a few hours ago,” he says, reaching down to squeeze my hand.

“It doesn’t feel real. We were having a party, and then—” Suddenly, the thought occurs to me. “What happened to the rest of the Golden Boys? Where are they? Are they—”

“Fine,” he says, smoothing a comforting hand down my arm. “They scared the Hell Princes off and then Officer Ingram showed up and told them all to clear out. The guys didn’t know they couldn’t trust him, so they listened. But they are all home and safe.”

I sigh with relief. “Good.”

“Is it?” Finn asks.

I frown at him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he says softly, unsure, “you learned a lot of new information tonight, and I would understand if you don’t have particularly warm feelings about my friends.”

“You told me everything that happened was because of Nico.”

“Partially,” he says quickly. “He took things too far.”

“And you said the guys pulled him off me? You called the ambulance?”

Finn nods.

“Then, I’m not thrilled about any of it, but it sounds like you all did your best in a crappy situation, and I probably owe you all my life.”

Finn gives me a sad smile and kisses my temple. “Thank you.”

I nuzzle into him and then sit up suddenly, a finger pressed to his chest. “But no more orgies in the park for you. You’re all mine, Finn Foster.”

He squints at me, his blue eyes bright and hopeful. Then he laughs and pulls me close.

“Good.”

46

Finn

One Month Later

I hear a key in the front door and then the rustle of Lily dropping her bag by the door and slipping out of her sneakers.

She didn’t tell me she was coming over, but she has been in and out of the house just as much as I have the last few weeks, so I’ve come to expect her at any moment.

“How was your first day back?” she calls through the house. I hear her pad across the hardwood floor through the living room. “Where are you?”

“Kitchen,” I yell back, pushing aside the stack of papers in front of me.

When she appears in the doorway, it feels like a weight is lifted from my shoulders. Like I can breathe. I just saw her a few hours ago, but seeing her at school isn’t the same as seeing her in my house.

She has on a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans with rips across the thighs and knees. Her oversized sweater is tucked into the front of the waistband, giving a hint of the trim figure that is hidden beneath. A figure I’ve fully explored in almost every way possible over the last few weeks.

After all of the shit went down the night of the Winter Formal, Lily stayed with me for a while. Ravenlake Prep—and most of Ravenlake, in general—was left reeling after the news of my father’s crimes began to break, and the administration thought it would be best if we stayed away from the school until the next semester started.

So, Lily and I received homework and online lessons from our teachers, and have spent most of our time sequestered at my house, studying and … not-so-much studying.

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