Page 9 of Raise Hell

“She never made a statement to the police,” I point out. “Maybe she just came back in a sorry attempt to pick up the pieces. I don’t see why that should matter to us.”

Vaughn stares at me like I just grew a second head out of my neck and started practicing ventriloquy with it.

“It doesn’t matter why she came back.” The gaze he turns on all of us is heavy with things better left unsaid. “She should have stayed gone.”

I know what he’s thinking, like we share the same mind.

We’re Havoc Boys. If one of us was responsible for what happened to Olivia, then all of us will suffer the consequences.

I’d like to think that none of us did it.

I’d also like to think that unicorns exist and girls can’t get pregnant if it’s their first time.

Some things are simply fantasy.

Maybe some random guy from town did sneak onto campus and took advantage of the chaos to get his rocks off.

Maybe Olivia was attacked somewhere else and her body just happened to be dumped in our backyard.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter.

We can’t take the risk of this coming back on us.

I feel a stab of unease at the thought, but only for a minute.

My loyalty has to remain with Havoc House.

Though that doesn’t mean I’m completely without a conscience. “What makes you think she won’t keep her mouth shut?”

“Doesn’t matter what we think she might do.” Nolan crosses his arms over his chest and leans back far enough that the front legs of his chair come off the ground. The chair is perilously close to tipping over, but he manages to stay perfectly balanced. “As long as the bitch is here, she’s a threat. There is only one way to respond to a threat like this.”

Cole nods in agreement, talking with his mouth full. “We need to make sure she knows that coming back here was a bad idea. If she won’t go away on her own, then we’ll have to make her.”

Vaughn raises an eyebrow. “Aggravated rape and assault didn’t do the trick. You think something else will?”

Last year, we’d bribed a nurse at the hospital for a copy of Olivia’s admitting report from the emergency room. They’d done a rape kit, but the results were inconclusive. I would have preferred to have us all exonerated, but lack of any solid evidence is the next best thing. Whoever attacked Olivia worked her over in every way that is humanly possible. It’s a small miracle she survived at all.

Something about this isn’t right.

None of them saw what I did and I haven’t shared much of the gory details.

“It’s only been a few months. How is she already recovered?”

I don’t realize I’ve said it out loud until Nolan answers.

“I guess her luck didn’t manage to run out until now.” The chair comes crashing down to the floor with a loud bang. A few people glance our way, but he ignores them. “The only reason this chick would come back is because she wants to cause problems. I don’t know if it’s money or status she’s after, but I don’t care. She has to go.”

We’re in a public place, which is not exactly an appropriate venue for this discussion.

The dining hall is full, but no one would dare sit at any of the empty seats at our table. Our table is in the middle of the room and we’re surrounded on all sides by other students, but they might as well not be there at all. We exist in our own bubble, though I don’t have to look to know that furtive eyes watch our every move.

Havoc Boys are always the center of attention, but right now the spotlight is more than a little blinding.

I pitch my voice a touch lower. “And what are you suggesting that we do, exactly?”

Cole and Vaughn exchange a glance as Nolan smiles. That smile has always been scarier than any other expression he wears. He tips his chair back again and regards the ceiling with a menacing smirk.

“A campaign of utter terror, of course.”

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