Page 106 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

The reaction that kept me with an abusive man for two years.

Ironically, Caleb’s voice is the one I hear in my head. Despite him being the one who hurt me, I hear him tell me to get up. To fight.

So, I do.

I jump to my feet, sure to feel the ground firmly beneath me before I advance. Then, I charge forward, pull my arm back, and let my fist fly.

Caleb’s reaction to me was so fast and so strong that I almost wondered whether I’d been wrong this entire time. I thought maybe he could actually fight and win.

But when my fist hits his cheek, I realize how right I was.

Caleb makes no effort to defend himself. His head snaps to the side and his body goes with it, bending over with all the resistance of a sack of potatoes.

He crumples to the floor.

“Shit, Haley!” When I turn around, J.C. is grinning at me. “That was hot.”

“Just get him out of here,” I say, on the verge of tears. My fist hurts like hell.

“Please do,” Felix says, sweeping up dollar bills around the floor. “All of you need to get out now.”

Caleb mumbles incoherently, but he doesn’t fight as J.C. hauls him to his feet, slings his arm around his shoulders, and drags him out of the kitchen.

“Son of a bitch is heavier than he looks,” he groans.

My instinct is to stay as far away from Caleb as possible, but I sidle up next to him and take a portion of his weight.

“He’s out cold. How hard did you hit him?”

“Not nearly as hard as he deserved,” I say.

I don’t regret telling J.C. about everything and helping Caleb get out of the fight. For the sake of my own conscience, I’m glad I kept him out of the ring and helped him get home.

But this is the last time I risk my own safety for him.

Or anyone.

Drunk or not, Caleb hurt me. After everything I’ve been through—everything Caleb heard about and witnessed from John—he hurt me.

It won’t happen again. Ever.

As we pass the auditorium doors, I can hear a fight going on inside. Someone stepped up to fill Caleb’s space, apparently. A few people are lurking in the doorway, and one of them turns around. I don’t realize who it is until they speak.

“You’re brave to show your face here.” J.C. and I both stop and turn, facing Levi. Speaking of faces, his is mostly healed now. Only a few grayish bruises remain around his jaw and right eye. He tips his head towards Caleb and tsks. “Especially since your boyfriend is too messed up to save you.”

“Looks like your boyfriend isn’t here to save you, either,” J.C. says. “Where is Bumper tonight?”

“Fuck you,” Levi growls. “Keep talking, and we’ll be taking it to the ring.”

J.C. snorts. “From what I hear, Haley beat you and a pal singlehandedly. Maybe you should save the trash-talking for someone who hasn’t already whooped your ass.”

Before Levi can formulate a response, J.C. spits in his direction and then keeps moving down the hallway as though no one said a word.

“Hey, thanks,” I murmur.

J.C. shakes his head. “No one talks to my friends like that.”

Friends. Plural.

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