Page 119 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

My phone buzzes in my pocket. Haley hasn’t texted me in a week, but her face is the first one I see when I reach for my phone and pull it out.

Because she was right.

About my dad and my friends and … everything. I’ve been a coward and right now, despite my bullheadedness, I’m willing to tell Haley she was right.

Maybe it’s too soon for forgiveness, but I can admit I was wrong.

But it isn’t Haley. The number is private. The message is short.

We have Haley at the schoolhouse.

I don’t think twice. I don’t need to.

I know who “we” is, and I know there isn’t time to waste.

I jump up and run to the door.

“We will continue this conversation later,” I throw over my shoulder. “I love you, but I have to go.”

My dad sounds confused as he yells that he loves me, too, but he still loves me. And that’s enough for right now.

45

Caleb

J.C. and Noah were already together at J.C.’s house, so I only have to explain what is going on once.

“The Hell Princes have Haley out at the old schoolhouse. I don’t know what they want, but I think we can assume they don’t want to sing songs and roast marshmallows.”

“They want a fight?” Noah asks.

I shrug. “I don’t know. I texted the number back, but no one is answering. Haley isn’t picking up her phone, either.”

“And you still care about Haley, then?” J.C. asks.

If he’d asked me an hour ago, I wouldn’t have known what to say. I would have been confused and needed time.

But that was before I realized she was in danger.

Now that I know someone has her—that she could be hurt—the truth is impossible to deny.

“I do.”

J.C. nods and then lifts a fist into the air. “Then we go to fight!”

“Or, preferably, watch from the sidelines,” Noah adds as he jumps into the passenger seat of my truck. “Fighting is more Caleb’s thing.”

“We go for emotional support!” J.C. amends with another fist thrust.

“You might have to fight. I don’t know how many people are there or if they have weapons. I don’t know anything about what we’re walking into.”

“Hey,” J.C. says, leaning forward from the back seat and nudging my arm with his elbow. “We’re here for whatever you need, okay? No matter what happens, we’ve got your back.”

I glance at Noah, and he gives me a quick nod. “And Haley’s back.”

“We’ve got both of your backs,” J.C. clarifies before his face splits into a wide grin. “So that you two can go back to making the beast with two backs.”

Noah and I groan at the same time.

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