Page 67 of Cruel Academy (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 2)

“I could if I wanted to,” Caleb says. He rises slowly, then turns to me and extends a hand, the distant smile I’ve grown used to on his face.

Caleb shakes his hand, and I take it, letting him pull me to my feet. He holds onto my hand as he starts walking towards the trees.

“I think it’s time I gave Haley a tour of the area,” he yells over his shoulder.

“Good idea,” J.C. calls back from where he is wrestling with his tent. “Make sure you give her avery thoroughtour.”

Noah shakes his head, obviously accustomed to J.C.’s sense of humor, but I have to stifle a laugh.

“Take it nice and slow,” J.C. continues. “Nothing disappoints a lady more than when a guy rushes to finish a tour. We want Haley to be satisfied with her camping experience.”

Caleb’s hand tightens on mine as he quickens our pace towards the trees. “Got it, J.C.Thanks.”

“And don’t be shy with the wildlife. There’s a lot to be scared of—you definitely have to take care to protect yourself—but there’s nothing more pleasurable than thrusting your entire hand into a bush and petting—”

Whatever innuendo J.C. had planned next is washed out in the thunderous rumble of a sudden noise.

Caleb turns around and squints in the direction of the dirt drive into the campground, but I don’t need to look to know what the sound is.

It’s the roar of motorcycle engines.

A lot of them.

25

Caleb

J.C.’s stupid joke is washed away in a tide of rumbling engines.

The Hell Princes have got to be compensating for something with their obnoxiously loud bikes.

Haley’s hand unconsciously squeezes mine, and I step closer to her.

She isn’t mine to protect. I know that. Though, admittedly, her hand massaging my cock through my shorts definitely muddied the waters on that debate a bit.

More to the point, Haley is bad news. Where she is involved, trouble follows.

“What the fuck are the Hell Princes doing here?” J.C. barks over the roar of the engines. He and Noah are standing next to the fire, arms crossed, legs spread in defensive stances.

The headlights are casting everything behind them into deep shadow, but it looks like at least five Hell Princes have come to face off. Five versus three aren’t terrible odds when I’m in the fight.

But if they have weapons, we don’t stand a chance.

I have a gun hidden under the driver’s seat of my truck, but it’s parked too far away to reach in time. My guess is that we are all unarmed and unsuspecting.

Not ideal.

“How did they even know where we were?” Noah asks.

Good question, but not one we have time to answer. The engines cut out and the lights flick off, plunging the campsite into silence and, aside from the low campfire, darkness.

“I’m so sorry.” Haley’s voice is low, almost like she is talking to herself, but at the same time, she grabs my arm with both of her hands. “Shit. I’m so sorry.”

I shake her off. Not because I’m upset, but because I can’t think when she is holding onto me like that. “This isn’t your fault.”

“But—”

I hold out a hand and shake my head. “Stay quiet. We’ll handle this.”

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