Page 64 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

My entire body flushes and a weight presses down at my center, impossible to ignore. I shift my hips in the seat to dispel the discomfort. Caleb’s eyes are on me the entire time.

“Alcohol.” He points a thumb over his shoulder towards the cooler in the back of the truck. “If I get desperate enough, I’ll get drunk.”

I turn towards him in surprise just in time to see him hide his smirk. It has only been thirty minutes, and he is already messing with me. I better prepare for a very long night.

23

Haley

When Caleb pulls his truck through the campgrounds, I’m surprised by how few people are around.

“Now that school has started back up, this part of the campground stays pretty empty,” he explains. “The diehard outdoorsmen have trailers down by the water.”

“How far away is the lake?”

Caleb pulls off the dirt road and towards a line of trees where I finally see another car pulled into the shade and two guys hauling camping gear out of the back.

“Are you actually worried we’re going to be murdered?” Caleb asks, throwing the car into park. “Are you worried no one will hear you if you scream?”

I know he is teasing me, but it doesn’t stop goose bumps from forming on the backs of my arms. “I am now.”

Caleb chuckles, the sound deep and low. “You’ll be fine. If you do scream, it will be clear to everyone that you like it. Trust me.”

He would know. When Caleb’s fingers were inside of me, I sounded like an overzealous porn star.

Embarrassment flashes through me.

Caleb smirks again and moves to get out of the car, but I reach across the console and grab his arm.

When he turns back, his eyes land on where our skin is touching before he looks me in the eyes. “What did you tell your friends about why I’m here?”

I don’t want to blow our cover story and ruin my chance at learning to defend myself, but I also don’t want to look stupid.

Whatever the story is—whether I’m a girlfriend of sorts or just a fuck buddy—I want to look confident and in control of my role in the relationship.

I don’t want to be a mumbling, embarrassed idiot in front of the Golden Boys.

I already know J.C. likes me. He has sought me out at Ravenlake Prep enough times between classes that I know he doesn’t mind my company.

But I’m still working on winning Noah over.

I don’t know why it really matters to me what they think, but it does. As sad as it is, the Golden Boys are the closest thing I have to friends at the moment, and I don’t want to blow my chance.

Even though it likely won’t matter in a month or two when my deal with Caleb is done, I still want to make the most of the time I have to be a “normal” teenager. Whatever that means.

“Nothing.” Caleb pulls his arm away and opens his door. When his feet hit the ground, he turns around and winks at me, his smirk returning. “They don’t know you’re coming. Surprise.”

I wonder for a second whether Caleb is lying, but when I get out of the car and J.C. and Noah look at me like I have a second head and three boobs, I guess Caleb was telling the truth.

“Hi.” I lift my hand in a weak wave.

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your luxurious company?” J.C. asks warmly, though his eyes narrow as he turns towards Caleb. “We didn’t know to expect you.”

“I told you I’d bring along my own good time.” Caleb sidles up next to me and drops his arm over my shoulders, forcing me to sag against his side. “Couldn’t find anyone who matches that description, so I brought Haley instead.”

Fuck buddy it is, then.

I want to grind my teeth and dig an elbow in his ribs, but that would make it clear I’m not in on the joke.

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