Page 101 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

The hand he waves is the one holding his keys. I snatch them out of his hand. The fact I’m able to do that just proves how out of it he is.

Sober Caleb would have caught my hand in midair.

“You aren’t driving anywhere.”

“Of course not. I’m not an idiot.” He swipes his hand out for the keys and misses by six inches. “I ordered a …” His face screws up in concentration before he shakes his head and shrugs. “I don’t remember what it’s called, but the app says the car will be here in a couple minutes. I need to go wait by the curb.”

“You aren’t going anywhere. You’re being ridiculous.”

He steps into my personal space and smooths a hand down my hair. “You’re being ridiculous if you think I’m going to let anyone get away with hurting my girl.”

When he turns away, I’m left standing there, stunned. But about the time he opens the door, my wits return to me.

“No!”

Caleb doesn’t turn around when I yell, but I run after him and grab the back of his shirt. He keeps walking down the driveway, dragging me along behind.

“No, no, no. You have never called me your girl before, and I’m not going to let the first time be because of some Hell Prince assholes, okay? If you want to go fight Bumper, you’re doing it for you. Not for me. I got away from my attackers yesterday. I saved myself.”

“They need to know there are consequences for their actions,” he says over his shoulder, jaw tense. “They need to know we aren’t scared of them.”

I can see a car coming slowly up the sloped road. Caleb lifts a hand to signal to it, and the black car stops at the end of the driveway.

“Caleb, please.” I use my hold to slingshot myself around him. He stumbles when I land in front of him, hands pressed to his chest. “Just stay here and sober up. This can wait until another time, at least. Really, I’m fine.”

“It can’t wait.”

“Yes, it can.”

Caleb sweeps his arm out and moves me aside. It doesn’t hurt, but it isn’t exactly gentle. “I’ve skipped too many fight nights since meeting you anyway. And now more than ever, I need the money.”

“What does that mean? ‘Now more than ever’? What happened?”

He just shakes his head.

I can tell this isn’t all about me. Caleb is upset, and he is using the attack on me as a way to burn off his anger.

“Caleb, whatever is going on, it isn’t worth going to a fight like this. You aren’t in any state to fight.”

“I’m undefeated.”

The driver rolls down his window to make sure he is at the right place, and Caleb nods at him.

“Yeah, when you’re sober. You’ve never fought drunk.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ve never seen you like this.”

He opens the backdoor. “Exactly. So neither of us have any idea what I’m capable of like this. I’m kinda excited to find out.”

I growl in frustration and move to the passenger side window, hoping to convince the driver what a bad idea this is. The guy is young twenties with shoulder-length hair parted in the middle and an energy drink in the center console.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but he is drunk. He shouldn’t be going anywhere right now.”

The guy laughs. “Most people who get in my car are drunk. As long as he doesn’t vomit, I don’t care.”

“Sorry about her,” Caleb says. “Overprotective girlfriend.”

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