Page 13 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

I don’t know if it’s because I’m so goddamned horny or something else, but I want to close the gap. Show her my threat is real.

Tension. Silence. Like the whole world is waiting to see what she’ll say or do next.

Then, of all things… she laughs.

Like, doubles over and belly-laughs, until tears are streaming down her face. I stand still and watch her.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” she asks.

I clench my jaw. “I should’ve left you in that fucking alley,” I mutter. “Should’ve left you there to suffer whatever that fuckwit wanted to do to you. Gutter trash belongs with gutter trash. My mistake for getting involved in the first place. Won’t happen again.”

That does the trick. She stops laughing immediately, then turns to look at the unconscious lump on the sidewalk behind us. Her eyes go glassy.

“Even you aren’tthatmuch of an asshole.”

I laugh scornfully. “Do you really believe that, darling? For a pretty girl, you’re not that smart if you think I wouldn’t turn my back on some ugly fucking Hell Prince pawing a Public bitch like you. But he didn’t even leave a mark, did he?”

I reach out and grab her chin, turn her head side to side like I’m examining her.

“Nope,” I finish, “he did not. You should thank whoever saved you from that nasty ending, you know.”

She slaps my hand away from her face. Her chin wobbles, but she clenches her jaw to hide it. “Get away from me.”

“Make me.”

Her eyes snap to mine, and her pouty lips part. I can feel her breath whisper across my neck, andholy hell,I need to get laid.

I’m so caught up in the nearness of her body that I almost miss it when she brings her knee up sharply.

Almost.

I twist away from her just before her knee can connect with my currently throbbing member. When she doesn’t connect with her target, her momentum is thrown, and she starts to fall forward.

I grab her arm just before she can stumble, spin her around, and curl her back against my chest, arms pinned to her side.

“This is the bullshit I was talking about,” I growl in her ear. “I help you—yet again—and this is how you repay me?”

She struggles, her hips wiggling against my front, tormenting me. I hold her slightly away from my body so I can keep my head on my shoulders.

“Because you’re an asshole,” she hisses.

“I helped you,” I repeat.

“You helped me and then immediately became an asshole again! Doing one nice thing doesn’t make you a good person.”

“Interesting theory. Kind of like how moving across town doesn’t mean you aren’t still Public trash. And a Hell Prince whore on top of that.”

I toss her forward. She stumbles across the concrete before righting herself.

“I’d rather be broke than morally bankrupt, thank you very much.” Her eyes are narrowed and angry.

“Ooh.” I press a hand to my chest as though she has wounded me and then shrug. “Sticks and stones, dollface.”

Her blue eyes sharpen in anger. “You better get out of here before I find some.”

I roll my eyes and walk past her, ignoring the palpable heat rolling off her body. “Here’s a helpful tip: don’t pick a fight you can’t finish. Also, next time you find yourself a damsel in distress, call on a different white knight. I’m done with your shit.”

I open the door of my truck, throw my bag in, and clamber after it into the front seat.

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