Page 40 of Raise Hell

Eight

I am goingto this damn party.

It’s the best chance I have of getting inside Havoc House to search for some kind of evidence. I need proof that Olivia was there — pictures, scraps of clothing that were torn off her body, anything.

Once I figure out who attacked her, I can make sure they get what’s coming to them.

Just getting the guy arrested won’t be good enough. Forcible castration might satisfy me, but only if I get to do it myself.

No, I want the guy to be humiliated with his life destroyed. Just like Olivia has been.

Then I want him to spend the rest of his life rotting behind bars.

Prison isn’t a pretty place for sex offenders.

Drake Van Koch isn’t enough to stop me. If I discover it was him, there will be a smile on my face when I rip off his balls and shove them down his throat.

“We should go to the Havoc party tonight.”

We had been talking about something totally unrelated over lunch. Clearly, my mind was elsewhere.

Felicia looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. Her soup spoon is halfway to her mouth. “We’re not invited.”

The Havoc Boys like to eat late, so she and I have our meals early. The cafeteria is quieter, and we have a much smaller chance of being seen together. Drake can threaten me all he wants, but if he steps to us in public, then people will wonder why.

He’ll have to publicly acknowledge Felicia is his sister, which he clearly doesn’t want to do.

“Party crashing is basically my middle name. And what kind of guy doesn’t give his own sister an invitation?”

She shakes her head. “The kind that knows what kind of stuff will happen there. Drake would kill me.”

“Pretty much the entire student body will be there, so he won’t even notice you. And if he does, just tell him you’re there to borrow a cup of sugar.”

She laughs, but her expression is uncertain. “I’m only at St. Bart’s because of him. I really don’t want to make him mad.”

I’d managed to glean a few more details about their history from her, though I wasn’t exactly subtle about it. I’m sure Felicia assumes I have a major crush on her brother, just like every other girl at this school.

That’s better than her figuring out the truth.

Drake’s father is paying for her tuition. Not only does she feel obligated to her big brother, Felicia also doesn’t want to step out of line in any way that might embarrass the Van Kochs.

Everyone knows how great the uber rich are about doing favors without expecting anything in return.

I know there has to be more to the story, but I haven’t figured out what it is.

Yet.

“We’re almost two weeks into the semester,” I point out. “Do you really want to spend the next months packaged in bubble wrap because your brother is overprotective? You deserve to have fun, too.”

Felicia shakes her head, but the look on her face is a little uncertain. “Not that kind of fun.”

“You’re really not at all curious what goes on inside Havoc House?” I lean forward and lower my voice a touch, even though the cafeteria is practically deserted. “How are you going to feel on Monday morning when everyone is talking about the kick-ass party you don’t know anything about? Your brother wants to make you a social leper so you won’t get hurt, but that also means you’ll never get the chance for anything else to happen.” Sensing her defenses are weakening, I go in for the kill. “Look at me. I’ve seen the worst this place has to offer, so if I’m not scared, then you shouldn’t be, either. Unless you’re planning on taking vows to the nunnery, this party is your best chance of showing everyone here exactly who you are.”

At first, I don’t think my little speech has worked. Then her expression changes. There is a sense of determination there I’ve never seen before.

“You know, I think you’re right,” she says. Her gaze moves to the only other table with people sitting at it. A group of freshman girls are laughing over some inside joke. By rights, Felicia should be sitting with them and not the newly appointed campus reject also known as Olivia Pratt.

“I didn’t come here to be a social outcast. Drake is just going to have to deal with it.”

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