Page 126 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

“I didn’t do anything, Haley.Youdid this.”

And she did. Entirely.

Haley sought me out for training on her own. She could have hidden from Bumper or tried to find some way to negotiate with him.

But instead, she taught herself to fight back. Haley earned this victory on her own, and I don’t want to take a second of the glory.

“You won.”

Haley pulls back and grins up at me. Her face is flushed and a sheen of sweat covers her forehead and chest, but she isn’t even injured.

Bumper didn’t land a single meaningful punch.

Haley destroyed him.

“Cheaters!” I pull my eyes away from Haley to see Bumper rising from the floor behind her, an accusatory finger raised. “The fight wasn’t over.”

“You were on the ground,” Haley says. “How was it not over?”

Bumper moves towards her, and even though Haley just proved she is more than capable of fighting her own battles, I pull her behind me and stand between her and her ex-boyfriend.

“The two of you weren’t fighting to the death, Bumper.”

He narrows his dark eyes and shrugs. “No rules means no rules.”

“Which means I can’t be a cheater.” I take a step closer, and Haley grabs my wrist. “You lost. Back down and let this be over.”

Color rises higher in Bumper’s neck and face, turning him a violent red color. “Round one is over.”

“I get that you’re embarrassed,” I say, lowering my voice, trying to sound rational despite how badly I want to knock him out. “Really, I understand why you’re upset, but refusing to admit your defeat is only making it worse. Haley called you out and won. Shake hands and move on or else.”

“Or else what?” His voice is loud enough for everyone to hear. “Is that a threat, Golden Boy?”

“John,” Haley hisses. “Don’t do this.”

“I’m not doing anything. I’m just trying to understand why your boyfriend is getting in the middle of our business,” Bumper says, turning towards his five friends still standing on the outskirts of the ring. “The Golden Boys showed up here to get involved in Hell Prince business, so they can’t be shocked that we are going to push back.”

“You texted me, you worthless asshole.” The words come out a growl, and I’m aware I’m losing control, but I can’t stop it.

The fighting itch under my skin is a fire now.

If I don’t release it, I’ll burn up with it.

“Exactly. I called you out, you showed up, and now you don’t want to fight?”

Bumper is twisting everything around. He’s embarrassed and ashamed and backed into a figurative corner. He’s coming out swinging with everything he’s got.

“You’re a coward.”

Suddenly there is a shout from behind me, and I spin around in time to see the Hell Princes edging toward J.C. and Noah. No one is fighting yet, but they are ready if the need arises. J.C. shoots me a worried look.

In a second, I turn back and close the distance between myself and Bumper.

I grab a handful of his sweaty shirt. “Call them off now. Don’t make this bigger than it needs to be.”

“You made this bigger than it needed to be when you chose that bitch over our truce.” He glares past me at Haley, his top lip curled into a snarl. “It wouldn’t be such an insult if she wasn’t a worthless piece of trash, but—”

His next words are lost when I shove them back down his throat with my fist.

---