Page 39 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

I pass by Finn’s house initially in case my mom followed me out to the road to watch. Then, when I’m a few houses down, I check to make sure no one is watching before I double back and sprint up the driveway.

Caleb answers the door on the third ring. I’m so convinced my mom is seconds away from finding me out that the second the door opens, I fling myself through it and slam it shut, pressing my back against the solid wood.

“Are you being chased?” Caleb asks, sounding bored with the idea. “I thought I made it clear that I’m not saving your ass again. Fool me twice, et cetera.”

I take a deep breath as the tension of my not-very-covert operation eases away, only to be replaced by the suddenness of being in Caleb Wilson’s presence yet again. “My mom warned me to stay away from you.”

He smiles at that, clearly pleased. “Did she now?”

He turns and walks down the carpeted steps into the sunken living room, and I realize he is barefoot. There is a noticeable tan line around his ankle, separating his golden, muscled leg from his pale foot.

I can’t help but wonder where else he has tan lines.

I shake the thought out of my head and lift my gaze, only to be arrested by his damp, tousled hair. He tips his head forward and runs his hand through it, sending small droplets of water flying around like a dog shaking off after a bath … but sexy.

I realize he just got out of the shower, and as if I’m the horniest idiot in the world, my mind immediately goes to thoughts of him being naked.

This is all looking like a very bad idea.

I tear my eyes from him and kick off my tennis shoes by the front door. Caleb is so far out of my league I should be asking for his autograph.

Besides the fact that he can have any girl at Ravenlake Prep that he wants, he hates my guts.

And I’m not convinced I don’t hate him, too.

He’s a beautiful, red, shiny apple on the outside.

But as soon as you cut him open, you see the rotten core.

I remind myself of the facts: I’m only here to learn to protect myself.

That is all. Everything else is secondary.

“Do you think I’m bad?”

The question is a low rumble, breaking through my thoughts, and my face flushes immediately. So much for the facts.

“Excuse me?” I stammer.

It feels like he might be reading my mind, though I know that is impossible. Still, part of me wonders…

“Your mom warned you to stay away,” he reminds me, leaning against the back of a long, L-shaped couch. “Does your family think I’m trouble?”

I let out a small sigh of relief. “Well, after everything in the papers last year, she thinks it would be best to keep away.”

“That was Finn’s drama, not mine.”

“That’s what I told her.”

He crosses his arms, his forearms flexing. “You defended me?”

“Hardly.” I roll my eyes. “I just don’t want her to find out we are … whatever we are to each other … and freak out. If I can soften her opinion of you, it will soften her reaction when this is all revealed.”

“It won’t be revealed,” he says, an edge of warning in his voice. “Besides, you dated a Hell Prince. How am I worse than that?”

I dig my socked foot into the plush carpet, making an indention in the fibers. “My parents don’t exactly know about John. Not all of it.”

“Bumper,” Caleb corrects. “We should refer to him by his proper, ridiculous name.”

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