Page 133 of Cruel Elite (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 3)

“Of course, I did. I’ll always come back.”

He tips his head down and kisses me, and the coppery taste of blood fills my mouth. “You’re bleeding.”

“I know.”

“Does it hurt?”

His eyebrow arches. “That depends. Are you going to nurse me back to health?”

“Yes.”

Immediately, he groans and sags on his bones. “Then I’m in miserable, terrible, horrible pain. It may take many days of nonstop care before I’m well again. Lots of long nights.”

I laugh and Noah smiles at me. A genuine, true blue, Noah Boone smile.

It’s so big the cut in his lip splits a bit further and blood drips down his chin.

Before I can reach up and wipe it away, he doubles over in a cough and grabs his rib with a grimace.

I help Noah back over to where everyone else is standing.

Haley is pushing Caleb’s shirt up so she can see the bruises forming on his midsection, and Noah is leaning on me more and more heavily with every passing second.

He’s putting on a brave face, but I know he’s hurting.

“What a raw deal,” J.C. grumbles. “Not a soul here to tend to and kiss my boo-boos.”

Caleb puckers up and waves J.C. over. “I’ll do it.”

“You joke because you have someone,” J.C. says bitterly. “You both do.”

Noah pulls me closer against his chest and presses a kiss to my temple. “Is he right? Do I have you, Penn?”

I nuzzle into him and nod. “Always.”

Epilogue

Noah

Three Months Later

The gymnasium is a sea of black caps and gowns. It’s impossible to tell anyone apart.

Caleb texted everyone to meet under the score board, so I wade in that direction and hope for the best.

People stop me along the way to say hello and reminisce.

I try to look unapproachable—a look I had mastered for years—but going with Penny has ruined that part of my reputation.

We are the “it” couple, according to Anika and Jennifer, and even though we are done with school and moving on with our lives, they are still trying to become part of the in-crowd.

To what end, I can’t pretend to understand.

Still, I do my best to be pleasant.

To a point.

Where’s Penny?

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