Page 127 of Cruel Elite (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 3)

I groan and double over.

He laughs before facing forward again and carrying on.

It doesn’t matter. Whether Penny meant to do this or not, it’s happening.

I have to figure out a way to get out of here.

I have to try and escape.

Not only for my own sake, but for my mom’s. I’m the only family she has left.

Without me, what’s stopping her from drinking herself to death?

And Delanie.

I told Penny I didn’t care about Delanie, but it’s not true.

I’ve wanted to know her since the moment I saw a picture of her birth announcement. Her green eyes the same color as Penny’s, her curly head of hair.

She’s my blood, and I want to be in her life.

I want her to know me.

She won’t have that chance if I’m killed by these Hell Prince assholes.

Looking ahead, I can see more light coming through the trees.

If my sense of direction hasn’t been knocked loose from the beating, I think we’re walking towards the road.

Which means they’re going to load me into a car. If there’s anything I’ve learned from years of watching true crime shows with Caleb, it’s that you should never go to a second location if you can help it.

My chances of escape are much better now—before they take me to wherever the fuck they have in mind.

The two guys holding me have loosened their grip the longer we’ve been walking. They are growing complacent. They think I’m too beat down to try anything.

I’m going to fully take advantage of that stupidity.

I sag down like I’m losing consciousness, my legs in a crouch.

Then, before they can regain their grip, I push off with all the power in my legs and throw myself backwards out of the hold of the two guys on guard duty.

My head is spinning from all the drinking, but adrenaline is working to cut through the fog.

There are shouts and scrambling to catch me as I stumble backwards and fall.

I roll over my shoulder, jump to my feet, and take off running.

I haven’t even made it twenty feet before I slam into a tree.

When the tree curses at me, however, I realize it’s not a tree at all.

It’s Caleb.

“Caleb?”

“Noah? Fuck!” He grabs his nose and then looks around, eyes wide. “We were coming to get you. We were sneaking up on you all.”

“So much for that,” J.C. says, pointing over Caleb’s shoulder.

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