Page 30 of Raise Hell

“Felicia Nwosu.” Her smile is tentative, but it’s the first real one I’ve seen since I arrived at St. Bart’s. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

Felicia seems young, even for a freshman. At least she won’t question why I don’t seem to know this place as well as a returning student should.

“What do you think of St. Bart’s so far?”

“It’s strange,” she admits, lowering her voice. “I’m not sure I like it. Everyone seems to already know everyone else. I’m not used to feeling so outside of everything. But St. Bart’s has one of the highest job placement rates in the world. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to be here.

My interest is officially piqued. Nobody here talks about jobs. They already know there are numerous internships and career opportunities waiting for them upon graduation.

Thank you, nepotism.

Maybe Felicia is a scholarship student. Her appearance is just as polished as everyone else’s, and I immediately noticed that the diamond studs in her ears are at least a full carat each. At any other point, I’d be trying to figure out how to pocket them without her noticing.

“Are you here on scholarship?”

“Not exactly, no.”

Felicia doesn’t elaborate, and I get the impression she won’t even if I ask.

“Well, at least you have your brother.”

She swallows a bite of spaghetti. “Yes, I do.”

Her accent is faint, but a little confusing. “Are you British?”

“No. Back home I went to an international baccalaureate school. Most of the students were European, so I picked up the accent there. My mother hates it.”

“Where is home?”

She opens her mouth to answer just as a dark shadow falls over us.

“What the fuck is this?”

I look up to see Drake standing on the other side of our table, murder in his eyes.

The dining hall has basically emptied at this point. All the nearby tables are empty so no one is left to hear this conversation.

Pretending we’re anything but enemies is clearly no longer an option, so I don’t bother playing it cool.

“You’d think a guy as scholastically inclined as you are wouldn’t have a problem figuring that out.” I point to the poke bowl in front of me with my fork, voice caustic. “I’m not planning to starve over your juvenile little game.”

To my surprise, he completely ignores me and turns to Felicia, his voice pitched low but still harsh. “What are you doing with her?”

“Eating. Lunch.” I answer before Felicia can say anything. Drake can bully me if he wants to, but I won’t let him make collateral damage out of a girl who is just trying to be nice. “You think they’d have covered basic bodily functions at some point in the last three years you’ve been here.”

I might as well not exist for all the attention Drake pays me. His gaze doesn’t leave Felicia as he gestures for her to get up.

“Let’s go,” he snaps.

“Don’t let him talk to you like that.” My hand shoots out to grab Felicia’s arm as she rises to obey him. “Is he your abusive boyfriend now, or something?”

If her midnight skin were any lighter, there’d be a fiery blush on her cheeks. “Of course not, he’s my brother.”

Surprise loosens my grip, and she pulls away from me to gather her belongings.

Drake finally turns to me, the rage on his face like a fiery heat that is hot enough to burn. “You think it’s been bad until now, but you have no idea. Stay away from her, or I’ll make you regret it.”

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