Page 80 of Cruel Prep (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 1)

I don’t need to be closer to know it’s a Hell Prince.

I spin back around and pick up my pace, not yet running. Running would be an overreaction. I need to be patient and calm.

Then, I look to my left across the grassy area in the center of the park, and I see another figure walking towards me. He isn’t on the path, but rather, cutting across the damp grass … moving directly towards me.

And behind him is another person.

All of them in leather jackets.

I start walking even faster, my heartbeat whooshing in my ears.

Is this real or am I imagining it? I’ve never had such a sustained flashback before—and this isn’t even a flashback of anything that has happened to me—but I could be crazier than I think. Maybe I worked myself into such a panic earlier that now I’m hallucinating.

I turn around to be sure the footsteps behind me are indeed getting closer.

They are. The guy behind me is close enough now that I can see the scraggly state of his facial hair and hear his heavy breathing.

As I see it, I have two choices: decide I’m crazy, keep walking, and potentially get attacked in this damn park again…

Or run and risk looking like a lunatic fleeing nothing.

Easy decision. I lower my head and break into a sprint. I’ll take looking like an idiot over death by biker.

As soon as I take off, I hear the pounding boots of the men starting after me.

The ground feels like it is shaking with the force of their pursuit, but I stay focused on the path in front of me.

I’ve been running for years, training for this very moment without knowing it. I know for a fact I can outrun any of these burly assholes, real or imagined.

I come flying out of the park like a bat out of hell. I don’t stop sprinting when I’m clear of the trees.

In fact, I don’t stop sprinting until I can see the motel in the distance. Even though my legs are on fire and my lungs feel like they’re filled with battery acid.

Every breath hurts, but I don’t stop. I’m out in the open, sure, but that’s no guarantee of safety.

The only place I’ll be safe is back in the room with my mom.

So I keep going, putting one foot in front of the other, checking back over my shoulder every three seconds to make sure I’m alone.

No one else emerges from the park.

And by the time I get back to the motel, I have to wonder…

Did that really happen?

Or am I starting to lose my mind for real?

31

Lily

The room is empty. My heartbeat starts to ratchet up to panic levels again. Did they get my mom? What the hell have they done with her…?

Then I see that there’s a handwritten note on the bed.

Went out for a quick errand. Be back in a bit. Love u.

I let out a deep sigh of relief.

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