Page 109 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

But I’m not even out of the entryway when a figure appears in the hallway ahead of me.

I jump back, surprised, and lift my hands to protect myself against what I’m sure is an imminent attack.

Instead, the light flips on, and even as my eyes struggle to adjust, I know it is Haley.

I blink at her. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought maybe you’d come back here. I was … waiting.”

I don’t want to do this. Not now. Maybe not ever.

She betrayed me. She broke my trust, and whatever game we were playing, it’s over.

I quit.

I brush past her and walk through the dining room to check the sliding glass door that goes out to the balcony. “You have my number. There’s no need for the theatrics.”

“You wouldn’t have answered.”

“Exactly. So you shouldn’t be here.”

The door is locked, so I move to the door in the kitchen—one of two that opens to the garage. It’s locked, too.

“Caleb, please just let me explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain.”

“There’s everything to explain,” she argues. “Please just … stop moving.”

I check the side door that opens onto the concrete terrace on the side of the house and then have to turn to face Haley again.

She is in a pair of cotton pajama shorts and a tank top. I can see the definition of the lithe muscles along her arms and legs. Definition that wasn’t there just a few weeks ago.

I try to walk around her, but she follows my steps and blocks me in.

“Move, Haley.”

She lowers her dark brows, narrowing her blue eyes at me. They are electric tonight. Bright and shining. “Make me.”

I know we are both remembering Saturday night. The way I shoved her out of the way. She probably has a bruise on her back from me, but I try not to think about it.

I was so angry with Levi and whatever lackey he brought along with him. So mad that they would dare to touch her, hurt her … and then I turned around and did the exact same thing.

“I can.”

“You won’t.” Her eyes flash and for a second, I want to forgive her. Not because she deserves it but because I need a fucking break. I need one thing in my life to be okay for just a second.

Haley jumps on my hesitation, launching into an apology I don’t want to hear.

“I called J.C. because I didn’t know what else to do. You were shit-faced and in no shape to fight. And after the way John has been sending people after me, I thought the Hell Princes would take advantage of your … condition.”

“So I would have lost a fight with Bumper,” I say. “It’s not like it would be the first time. You made sure of that a long time ago.”

The reminder of her original betrayal stings. Mostly because it should have been my big red flag, warning me to stay far, far away from her.

She sold me out to save her own ass. Knowing full-well that her cowardly boyfriend wasn’t going to roll the dice on losing a fair fight against me. No, that piece of shit had to tool up with four of his buddies before starting the brawl, and even then he made sure that he also had the advantage of surprise.

Pussies. Plain and simple.

---