Page 66 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

I’d seen him at the fights, sure, but I never talked to him until the night he caught the tail end of one of John’s “lessons.”

I can’t even remember what I did wrong anymore. Smiled at someone too long, maybe. Or laughed too easily, or wore something too lowcut, I’m sure.

Whatever it was, John took me behind the abandoned warehouse where the fights were being held and pinned me against the wall by my neck.

He held me there until my vision went black around the edges.

Until my tongue was just a swollen lump in my mouth and my fingernails had left deep scratches across the backs of his hands while trying to get air—scratches he would yell at me about later.

When he finally let me go, I dropped to my knees on the concrete, taking a deep lungful of air.

Before he hauled me back to my feet by my arm and slapped me across the face.

He left in a hurry after that, going to answer whoever had called his name from inside.

Not even thirty seconds later, a shape emerged from the shadows around me.

A shape I recognized.

One I’d been warned against time and time again, but I couldn’t find it in myself to be scared of him.

Not when I was dating the real monster.

Caleb had stepped into the light, brow twisted in concern, and asked if I was okay.

“Haley?”

I jump at the sudden nearness of the voice and accidentally send the marshmallow at the end of my stick diving into the flames. It expands in a gooey, molten blob before disappearing into the glowing embers.

“Shit!” I pull my stick back and frown at the charred end. Noah was in charge of bringing food, but beyond stuff for s’mores, the only thing he brought with him was weed, and I’m starving.

Caleb sits down in the chair next to me and slouches down, his knees spread wide. “Don’t worry about it. I packed cheese, meat, and crackers in my cooler for later. I have learned not to trust these assholes for food. Somehow, they can survive on nothing but alcohol and marijuana for days, but I need sustenance.”

“Neither of them is as muscled as you.”

Caleb quirks his head in my direction, eyebrow raised. “All the better to pin you with.”

I roll my eyes even as my cheeks warm. I’m grateful for the nearness of the fire so I can have something to blame it on.

Caleb was right—it is way too hot out here for a fire. Noah has already filled a bucket to douse the flames once everyone is done cooking their “dinner.”

“I’m just saying I have a basic understanding of how the human metabolism works. You don’t win fights by feeding your body trash.”

His entire body stiffens for a moment as he glances around to see if anyone overheard me. It isn’t exactly a secret that he is a fighter, even outside of the underground fights, but I should still be careful what information I let slip.

He leans forward, voice low. “It’s time we separate from the group for a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he says, eyes widening as though I’m being deliberately slow, “I brought you here for a reason, and I think we should make it clear to everyone what reason that is.”

A moment ago, I was ravenous, but now, it feels like I’ve swallowed a boulder.

I take a deep breath to steady my voice before I speak. “You do realize I’m not actually your fuck buddy, right?”

“Aren’t you, though?” His brows wag suggestively. “I mean, you had me fooled the other day, that’s for sure.”

I clench my teeth so hard my molars are threatening to crack. “You asshole. You can’t just order me to go into the woods and have sex with you.”

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