Page 11 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

She sniffles like she’s about to cry, but I don’t care. “Yeah, it’s a real quality crowd you run with,” I snarl. “Bunch of upstanding fuckin’ citizens.”

“I don’t run with them anymore.”

“Whatever.” I lift my hand in a cross between a wave and a dismissal. “This feels like a‘you made your bed, now it’s time to be groped in it’kind of situation.”

She gasps. “Asshole.”

“Says the bitch,” I spit back before I can stop myself.

She doesn’t deserve any more of my energy than I’ve already spent.

Which admittedly isn’t much.

I wish the guy had put up a better fight. It would have made the whole ordeal more worth my time. Energy is still burning in my arms and fingers and I’m reasonably sure the redheaded card girl has taken off into the night.

So now, there isn’t even a willing girl waiting for me to pump this adrenaline into. I’m going to have to take care of that myself.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

“Enjoy the rest of your night. Nurse this pervert back to health if you want. That’s what you do with guys who fuck you up, right? If memory serves correctly.”

I don’t bother waiting for a reply.

Spinning around, I stomp back towards the front of the building where my truck is parked. A cool breeze cuts through the evening and sends goose bumps down my legs.

I’m halfway there when I hear hurried footsteps behind me.

“What is your problem?”

I grit my teeth. “At the moment, you.”

Haley comes around in front and plants herself in my path, arms crossed over her chest. “We’re neighbors now, you know? You aren’t being very neighborly.”

“Don’t fucking remind me.”

I’d almost forgotten about that. I’ve seen her once or twice since her family moved in next door to Finn’s old place. Just glimpses as she carried a box into the garage or when she pulled her blinds closed at dusk.

That alone was more than I wanted to see of Haley Cochran.

“Besides,” I add, “I don’t live there. I’m just housesitting.”

Even if it was my house, I wouldn’t be delivering cookies or signing up for Neighborhood Watch. I helped Haley once before. It cost me months to recover from that night.

She can watch out for herself from now on.

“Same difference. Doesn’t require you to be an asshole.”

I bark out a laugh. “That’s rich coming from you. I seem to remember a situation very much like this one, where I was incredibly nice. You know what it got me?”

“I’m sorry about that,” she mumbles.

I ignore her and move around her to keep walking to me car. I’m done with this ungrateful bitch.

With all this shit, actually.

No more chasing down screams in the night for me. Caleb Wilson is officially out of the superhero business.

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” I say, “I have a lovely young lady to entertain for the evening.”

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