Page 129 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

Finn’s house is dark and cool, but I can feel Caleb’s warmth just behind me as he leads me into the entryway and closes the door behind us.

Caleb drove J.C. and Noah home and then took me back to the park to get my car from where I’d left it before being kidnapped.

The responsible thing would have been to go home, but I felt too worked up.

Plus, there was so much on my mind that I didn’t think I’d ever get to sleep without talking to Caleb first.

He suggested we reconvene at Finn’s house, and I agreed.

“Are you all right, by the way?” Caleb pulls out two water bottles from the fridge and hands me one. “I can’t believe I haven’t already asked.”

I give myself a quick physical appraisal. “Fine, I think. Just a few scrapes on my legs where John and I grappled.”

I still can’t quite believe I won the fight.

I knew I’d learned a lot from Caleb and become a lot stronger than I used to be, but John had existed as this kind of boogeyman in the back of my mind throughout it all.

Even though I was training to one day fight him if necessary, I never actually thought it would happen.

And I certainly never thought I’d actually win.

If anything, I imagined I’d run away like I did with Levi and the other Hell Prince in the park. The idea that I could call John out and beat him in a hand-to-hand fight was impossible.

And yet, I did it.

I beat John.

Caleb rounds the island and pats one of the barstools for me to sit. I jump up onto the high chair, my legs dangling underneath me. Caleb’s brown hair is dark in the dim light, and his brows furrow in concentration as he takes my leg in his hands and examines the surface-level scrapes along my shin.

They stung earlier, but now they don’t hurt at all. Especially because Caleb’s hands are on my body, and I can’t seem to focus on anything else.

Every brush of his fingertips sends an electric pulse zinging through my body. My heart flutters in my chest.

I fold my hands together in my lap to keep myself from grabbing his face and kissing him.

He might want me to. I mean, he did invite me back to Finn’s house rather than send me home, and he showed up to rescue me and defended my honor.

But we haven’t talked about how I betrayed him.

How I told his friends about his secrets even after swearing I wouldn’t.

That isn’t something that can just be forgotten. We have to talk about it, but I’m not sure how to bring it up.

Caleb lowers my leg gently and leans against the side of the island. “You were right.”

“Yeah, just some scrapes. I don’t even need to bandage them.”

“No.” Caleb shakes his head. “I’m not talking about that. I mean … you were right about my friends … about everything.”

I guess that is one way to bring up a difficult topic. Facing it head-on, who would have thought?

I’m so startled by the sudden change of conversation that I don’t say anything. I just stare at Caleb, trying to find the words.

In the meantime, he keeps going.

“I was mad at you for blackmailing me, but if I’d just told the people in my life the truth, none of it would have mattered. I put myself in that position, and I only blamed you because I was embarrassed.” Caleb curses under his breath. “Just like fucking Bumper.”

“No!” Finally, the words come to me, and I reach out and grab Caleb’s hands, pulling him closer to me. “Don’t say that.”

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