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He tips down the waistband of his boxers and pulls out his hard length, fisting it quickly, his hand stroking from base to tip over and over. I stare, unable to look away from his movements. It takes only a few seconds for him to groan, his hips snapping forward.

‘Spread your legs,’ he snarls, ‘I want to see that pretty pink pussy that’s so wet for me... Paint it white.’

His words make me spread myself as wide as I can. I want him to be pleased with me. I want him to praise me. I love it.

My eyes become fixated on his face as he leans over me. His are on my core as he comes, ropes of white shooting from the tip. It’s hot as it lands on my clit and slides down between my pussy lips.

‘Stay still,’ he grunts, scooping it up and rubbing it into me.

I’m frozen in confusion, wondering what he’s doing and why.

He looks up at me and sees my expression.

‘I’d put it all over you if I could.’ He answers my unspoken question. ‘I’d cover you in it. Then everyone would know that you’re mine.’

It should scare me, this look in his eyes like I’m his. I don’t understand it. And yet I’m not afraid.

‘I don’t think I’d like it all over me,’ I whisper. ‘It’s cold and...sticky.’

He stops what he’s doing. ‘Is that your assessment from a sensory perspective?’

‘I’m afraid so,’ I say.

‘So, I can’t leave it on you?’

I wince, not liking the way it feels at all. ‘I’d rather you didn’t.’

He cups me with his hand again, massaging it into my skin for a few more seconds and lets out a sigh.

‘Okay. Just a sec.’

He grabs my damp towel off the floor, and I assume he’s going to use it to wipe the mess away with that, but instead he wraps it around his waist and leaves the room.

I lay on the bed, my mind whirling as I think about all the things he said, his actions, how they made me feel, how they made my body respond to him, why he marked me, and the fervor in his eyes when he did.

When he returns, I’m still in the same position, and getting more miserable by the second simply because of how uncomfortable and cold between my legs feels. I see with relief he’s brought a flannel... washcloth .

I hold out my hand for it, but he ignores me, instead raising my good leg up and bending my knee, opening me to his gaze again. Feeling suddenly bashful, I try to wriggle out of his hold and cover myself.

He pins me with a stare. ‘No, gorgeous. Hold still for me. I know you don’t like it. I’m sorry. Let me fix it.’

He swipes the hot washcloth up my slit, making me shudder. He cleans me methodically and thoroughly and, when he’s finished, he puts the cloth in the laundry hamper in my closet.

He gets in the bed with me and turns to face me.

‘Sorry about that last part,’ he says slowly. ‘I’m not sure what I was thinking. I just wanted me on you. I won’t do it again.’

I tilt my head to the side. ‘You can do it again if you want to, just let me clean it off before it starts to get dry and cold, okay?’

‘Yeah.’ He looks relieved. ‘Was the rest of it all right? Did you like it?’

I nod a little cautiously. ‘What else do you want to do?’

‘Tonight?’ he raises a brow.

‘Well, you said there were lots of bad things you wanted to do,’ I reply, a little confused again.

‘Not all at once, Daisy,’ he chuckles. ‘I meant over time.’

‘Oh. Okay. How long?’

He lays his head down on the pillow, watching me. ‘I don’t know. Do you have a preference? A timeframe?’

I think about that for a minute. ‘No,’ I say, finally. ‘I don’t think so as long as these bad things don’t interfere with my schoolwork and the lab.’

He gasps so dramatically that I know he’s pretending outrage. ‘I’d never interfere with your schoolwork, or the lab, Daisy. God! I’m offended you’d think that of me.’

I can’t help my laugh. ‘I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean it.’

He settles back down, looking almost…carefree.

‘Do you want to go to sleep, now?’ he asks.

‘I am kind of tired,’ I say, yawning at the thought.

‘I’ll stay with you tonight. Does Mav usually cuddle you at night?’

‘Sometimes,’ I answer, ‘but he’s been sleeping outside the covers with his clothes on.’

‘He’s dressed and he doesn’t even sleep in the bed with you?’ he scoffs loudly. ‘What a loser!’

‘He’s not a loser,’ I retort. ‘He’s just not an opportunistic blackmailer like you are.’

‘Even worse. He’s a morally uptight loser.’

‘I think the word is ‘gentleman’.’

‘Nope, the word is definitely ‘loser’.’

I roll my eyes and make sure my towel is straight on my pillow before I lay back down and close my eyes.

I hear him turn out the light and, a few minutes later, he shuffles closer to me, resting a hand on my middle under the covers .

‘We’ll figure this out, I promise,’ he murmurs. ‘I’ll keep you safe, Daisy. I’m sorry about everything before.’

‘Thanks again for the coat,’ I whisper, and he edges a little closer.

‘You’re welcome, beautiful.’

SHADE

I get back late after another shitshow day full of problems. It’s one thing after another right now and all I really want to do is fall into my bed and sleep for years.

My phone buzzes, but I don’t look at it.

Instead, I shuck my jacket. Sitting heavily at my desk, I let out the yawn that’s been hovering for the past few minutes.

My phone buzzes again and I let out a curse, ripping it out of my pants pocket.

It’s from my father. He wants to see me tomorrow.

Fuck.

That’s all I need. I frown as I stare at my phone, wondering if someone tattled about Daisy and Halloween. Is that why he wants to see me, and, if so, how am I going to spin it?

I get up and go across the hall to Daisy’s room, letting myself in with a silence and ease borne of experience. Inside is dark, but I can make out the shape of her in bed. My eyes narrow in the darkness. There’s someone else with her. The jealousy that grips me takes me by surprise. Who is she with? Someone from one of her classes? A coworker from the coffee shop? One of the guys from Dagorhir? My stomach clenches and so do my fists as I put on my phone’s light and shine it at the bed.

I almost drop it in panic when I see two eyes shining back at me and then I take a second look. The jealousy burns out and I’m left with confusion. If there was a list of everyone who might be in Daisy’s bed, Blake would be last on it. I don’t think he’s spent any longer with a girl than it took to get off since I’ve known him. What is he doing?

‘What is it?’ Blake whispers.

‘Nothing.’

He gets up, being careful not to wake Daisy as he does. He pads over to me, and I move back out into the hallway.

He steps out with me and pulls the door closed.

‘Just watching your sister sleep?’ he whispers with a smirk. ‘Yeah, that’s not creepy at all.’

‘I wasn’t– She’s not my sister and stop calling her that,’ I hiss. ‘It’s weird.’

‘Because you think she’s hot?’

Yes.

‘No.’ I sound petulant, even to myself, and he chuckles low.

‘You’re wondering why I’m in there.’

‘Yeah, I am.’ I lean back against the wall. ‘What do you want from her, Blake? You know she’s not like the other girls you usually go for.’

He gestures with his head in the direction she is. ‘She asked me.’

‘Have you fucked her?’ I grind out, not sure what I’m going to do if he has.

‘No,’ he replies after a moment. ‘And I’m not going to.’

I try to stifle my sigh of relief. Why I’m thankful, I don’t know. She’s a big girl and she can make her own decisions. But I sort of wish she’d choose...

‘Not until we get to know each other better.’

I break away from my out-of-control thoughts.

‘What?’ I mutter. ‘You don’t get to know girls. You just sleep with them and then show them the door, Blake.’

‘What do you want with her?’ I ask again.

‘None of your business,’ he shrugs.

Then, he surveys me with a knowing look. ‘Haven’t seen you in days. Where you been?’

I let out a long sigh. ‘Cops raided the club.’

‘Like we thought they would.’

I nod. ‘They didn’t find anything. Everything was moved out and the basement is secure, but they’re watching us. There are plain clothes in there every night. Sandy is pretty good at noticing them, so I keep putting her on the door.’

‘Good idea. Anything else?’

‘I haven’t had time to go see Sark and he’s been busy dealing with his own shit, but I will have to soon.’

I run a hand through my hair as Blake closes his eyes and tips his head toward the ceiling.

‘What are you gonna tell him?’

‘What can I tell him?’ I whisper urgently. ‘Just wait longer? We need results and we need them quickly. They aren’t going to let us have any more time to give them what we promised.’

I clench my fists. ‘Fuck Angelo Giuliani for not keeping his mouth shut! If it wasn’t for him, the other juniors would never have had to take the fall for us last year, and we wouldn’t be in this position.’

Blake shrugs. ‘Well, he didn’t, and we are. Mav thinks we’re close though. You should go to the lab tomorrow and see if any lightbulbs turn on with a new pair of eyes on it.’

‘Yeah,’ I mutter. ‘I’ll try but I have to go see my father in the morning.’

He straightens a little, his eyes narrowing. ‘What about?’

‘Could be anything.’

‘Could be Daisy,’ he says.

I nod. ‘Could be Daisy,’ I agree.

‘If it is, can you spin it?’

‘Yeah, I’ll have to figure out what he knows first. Hopefully, he hasn’t heard about her change in majors, but she’s registered in her dad’s name, so it might be okay. I’m the one who's supposed to be keeping tabs on her, so I doubt he’s got anyone else watching her.’

Blake's concerned face stares at Daisy’s door, seemingly deep in thought for a few seconds. ‘What about Applegate? Would he have mentioned anything?’

I shake my head. ‘No, not to John Novelle. Applegate’s quiet about it, but they aren’t friends, and he seems sort of...protective of Daisy. It’s kind of weird. I can’t work out if it’s because she’s brilliant or if it’s something else. But, at the moment, he’s on her side and on ours.’

With a snort, Blake takes a step back toward Daisy’s room. ‘ At the moment is right. But we know how fast loyalties switch in Richmond, especially when there’s money involved. Applegate’s on our side so long as we’re lining his pockets. But if we can’t figure out how to make Envy work properly, our friends will start disappearing like shadows in the light.’

‘Yeah,’ I nod.

‘Go to bed. It’s late and you need to be able to think on your feet tomorrow if you’re dealing with John.’

He turns to go back into Daisy’s room, and I frown.

‘You’re going back in there?’

He snorts. ‘I told you; she asked me.’

‘Why?’ I ask, my gaze boring into his face.

‘What do you mean ‘why’?’

‘You forget, I know her better than you do. She wants you in her bed with her? Bullshit. I know for a fact that she prefers to sleep alone, with no one touching her.’

Blake smirks. ‘Maybe that was true when she was thirteen, but times have changed, bro. She’s all grown up and she wants me with her. Who am I to tell a beautiful woman ‘no’ when she makes that kind of request?’

My eyes narrow to slits. ‘There’s more going on here,’ I mutter. ‘I’m not an idiot. I will find out what it is.’

Blake looks bored and rolls his eyes back in my direction. ‘The only thing going on here is that you wish you were in my place. But she hasn’t asked you, has she, Shade? Nope, she’d rather have me and Mav .’

He gives me a wink and strolls back into Daisy’s room, shutting the door with a resounding click.

I’m pretty sure I feel my eye twitch.

‘Motherfucker,’ I mutter into the void.

I go back to my room and fall into my bed. That’s what I should have done instead of going to watch Daisy sleep. Blake is right. It is creepy.

But after Halloween, it’s like I need to make sure she’s still up here with us, that she’s safe. Especially since I can’t actually get rid of Marcus and the others yet - mostly because their dads are in my dad’s pocket. If anything happens to those fuckers on my watch, John Novelle’s punishment will be swift, and he’ll go right for the jugular. I don’t think he knows that I care about Daisy, but if he has any inkling, she’ll be gone in the blink of an eye.

I turn in my bed, trying to get comfortable. I just need to make sure she’s safe, and I need to do a better job than I did when we were kids.

For the first time in a long time, I think about how it was after April and Daisy moved in.

‘Where is she?’

My father storms into my room, his face red with fury. I already know he’s looking for Daisy. No one pisses him off the way she seems to be able to.

I’m on my feet, standing up straight, hoping he doesn’t realize I’m playing video games when I haven’t done my homework yet. ‘I haven’t seen her, sir.’

He literally snarls, turns on his heel, and leaves my room with a bellow that reverberates through the hall. My door slams closed with a crash that makes plaster fall from the ceiling and I grimace.

I hear him stomp down the corridor and burst into April’s room. He’s shouting about Daisy not being fit for a school with normal kids, about how she needs to start thinking of how her behavior looks. That’s all he cares about. How does it look to people?

I hear April’s calm voice trying to reason with him. She usually gets him to back down once his anger has blown itself out.

‘Jesus, what did you do this time?’

Marguerite pokes her head out from under my bed and looks at me, eyes unblinking.

‘School.’

I let out a sigh, commiserating with her as much as I can. It’s been six months since she came here and it took a while, but one day she just started visiting my room. She plays video games and watches me like she’s trying to work me out. I talk to her a lot even though she doesn’t chat back much. One or two words. That’s all she gives me. But it’s more than anyone besides April gets.

The TV beeps and she copies the sound, pulling herself out from under the bed as she does.

‘Larson again?’

She says nothing, but I see her nose twitch and my eyes narrow on a piece of red skin I see poking out from the shirt she likes to wear.

What the hell...

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m grabbing her hand and pulling the sleeve up. There are three angry welts on her arm.

‘Did he do this?’ I hiss, but all she does is let out a small noise and steps back, her fingers straightening oddly.

I let go of her immediately. I know what it means, what I did wrong. But I couldn’t help it.

‘I’m sorry,’ I say, putting my hands up so she can see them. ‘But if he did that to you, you have to tell someone.’

She doesn’t look at me or say anything else. She goes and sits on my couch and picks up the second controller.

I sigh, sitting next to her, far away so I’m not touching her, and we start a new game.

Then my door bursts open. She’s on her feet, the controller thumping to the floor. She backs away.

‘I knew it! I knew you were in here.’

His accusing face finds me, and I try not to let him see my fear.

‘Pop,’ I begin, but he grabs me by my shirt and pushes me into the couch. ‘Stay! I’ll deal with you and your lies afterward.’

Marguerite stands where she is and my father stalks toward her, looming over her much closer than she likes anyone to be.

He doesn’t say a word, just screams in her face. She lets out a cry at the sudden noise and I look away. I know what he’s doing. He found her weaknesses early on. Touch. Loud noises. And he uses them. I don’t think he’s bothered to find any others, though. These ones do a good enough job to punish her.

I wish April would do something. She knows, but she won’t stand up to my dad the way she did at the beginning, not anymore.

‘You hit Michael Larson! He has a cracked nose. This is the last straw, Marguerite. Your mother agrees! If you refuse to learn to act like a respectable member of this family, we will send you somewhere that will teach you! I will not have any more of these embarrassing incidents.’

My fists clench. ‘He hit her with something, Dad. There’s welts all over her arm!’

He turns on me swiftly, eyes flashing. ‘She walked up to him at lunch and hit him. He had to grab a stick and fend her off because she knocked him down and tried to kick him.’

‘That isn’t true!’

My father rolls his eyes. ‘Michael already told his parents everything. Two other boys confirmed what happened. Thankfully, his father has agreed not to press charges, otherwise the police would have been called over this shit. Now, shut your mouth and sit DOWN!’

So, he’s paid off Mike’s father. I do as he says even though I know those two boys will be Dan Mathers and Fred Coppa. They’re Mike’s friends and they’d say anything he told them to. Marguerite isn’t cowering visibly. She’s stoic as usual. My father hates that she doesn’t quake and quiver the way he’s used to people doing when they’re faced with his temper, the way Andy and I do. The way I’ll bet April does behind closed doors.

He points at her, pushing her back with his finger. ‘One more chance, Marguerite. I mean it. No more incidents.’

He turns around to leave but when he gets to the door, he turns back with a smirk. ‘Oh, I almost forgot, you’re cleaning the bathrooms all week, Marguerite. The staff have been informed. Also, dinner tonight is shrimp followed by beef and no dessert. If you don’t eat it, you can have it for breakfast and then dinner tomorrow night and every night until you do eat it! No more video games either.’ His eyes narrow on me. ‘For either of you. For a month!’

Daisy doesn’t move after he leaves. I turn off the video game because I know he’ll send someone in to check.

We’re still in the same places, wondering what to do, when there’s a knock.

‘Is Marguerite in there?’

April.

I say that she is, and Marguerite’s mom opens the door. ‘Can I come in?’

I nod.

April enters. She’s dressed in a crisp pantsuit with her hair up, looking every inch the Novelle wife my father wanted.

She stands in front of her daughter, looking tired. ‘This can’t keep happening, sweetheart. This is John’s home and his world. He’s let us come and be a part of it after your dad... He’s helped us a lot and he didn’t have to. Appearances are very important here.’

She sighs, putting her head to Marguerite’s lightly. ‘I know you don’t understand, but you don’t really need to. What you do need to know is that you’re starting to get a reputation at this school as a troublemaker. If you don’t turn it around, John is going to send you away. I don’t want him to, but you’re getting worse, my little Daisy. I won’t be able to stop him if things go bad. Your dad wouldn’t want that for you and neither do I, but we’re part of a family now. It isn’t just about you anymore. You have two brothers too.’

She gives Marguerite a kiss on the head.

‘I’m sorry. I wish I hadn’t brought us here, but it’s too late now,’ she whispers so low that I don’t think I was supposed to hear.

She turns to go, giving me a small smile. ‘Get your homework done, Jack, sweetie, and I’ll do some laps with you in the pool later if you want.’

I nod, watching as she leaves. I like April a lot. She’s always trying to make sure we all spend time together, although my father is usually not around.

‘Sorry about dinner,’ I say quietly to Marguerite. ‘I know you hate shrimp and beef. My dad knows too. You get that, right? Don’t show him stuff like that. Sometimes you have to pretend so people don’t know stuff you don’t want them to.’

I glance over at her. ‘And stay away from Mike Larson. He’s an asshole.’

She comes and sits down on the couch with me, staring straight ahead and heaving a sigh.

And then I feel the merest brush of her hand against mine. I look down, wondering if it’s an accident, but she’s looking down at our touching hands. She’s doing it on purpose.

‘You’re my friend. I’ll protect you, Marguerite.’

The memory fades and I finally succumb to sleep.

My dreams are filled with running and falling, of not being fast enough, of being swallowed by some faceless darkness.

When my alarm goes off, I’m relieved that the night is over, though I feel like I got practically no sleep at all.

I go into the bathroom and take a hot shower, letting the water pelt my shoulders for much longer than usual, so I know I need to hurry when I finally turn it off and step out.

I wrap a towel around my waist and open the door, striding into the hall.

I hear a small gasp and realize Daisy is right there.

She’s frozen, her wide eyes trailing down my body. Her mouth hangs open a little and she seems to have forgotten what she was doing, and then her gaze falls to my chest and her brow furrows.

I wince. I know what she’s looking at and it takes everything in me not to cover the tattoo that I know has grabbed her attention.

The white daisy that rests over my heart.

‘You... Why...?’

I shrug a little, wondering how I can downplay this.

‘They were...April’s favorite flower,’ I mutter.

She buys it. Her face doesn’t show it, but her posture relaxes, and she nods a little sagely. ‘Of course.’

She turns away, but not before I notice her eyes quickly move down and up my body once more.

She likes what she sees, I realize, swallowing hard.

With that bombshell, I go into my room almost in a daze. I get ready, putting on some dark jeans and a black shirt and blazer. When you visit John Novelle, it’s important to look the part. Starting off on the wrong foot with my father means the conversation won’t be going my way no matter what I say.

I grab the keys to the Jag and leave my room, seeing Mav in the hall.

I frown at him a little, remembering what Blake said last night.

‘Are you sharing her?’ I blurt before I can think the better of it and I cringe when he freezes mid-stride, turning to face me.

But he’s not mad. Instead, he looks thoughtful.

‘If she wants to be shared, I don’t have a problem with it. I doubt Blake will either.’

My frown deepens. ‘Does she?’

Mav looks a little wistful as he glances at Daisy’s door. ‘A girl like that...you have to ask.’ Then he looks back at me and his gaze sharpens. ‘You want in when we do?’

I’m not sure and yet find myself nodding. ‘Yeah. I want in. She was mine before she was yours and Blake’s.’

Mav snorts. ‘Does she know that?’

I don’t answer and he walks away with a laugh.

‘See you in the lab later,’ he calls behind him.

I stare at Daisy’s door. Mav doesn’t seem to think she’d object to all three of us being with her. But I’m not sure. I don’t know her as well as I’d like to. Blake was right about what he said regarding her being a grown up. I’ve spent the weeks since she got here assuming she was the same as she was before, but of course she isn’t any more than I’m still the gangly teenager who loved playing video games with my quiet best friend.

Still thinking, I go down to the kitchen. I hear the laugh before I see her, and I frown. What the fuck is she doing here?

I round the corner and find Laurie sitting on Marcus’ lap at the table. Her shirt is half unbuttoned. A couple of the other guys are watching with unconcealed interest like they’re at a peep show.

‘What the fuck is this?’ I growl.

A couple of the guys look at her and then at me nervously. Maybe they didn’t get the memo that Laurie isn’t my girl and never was.

Marcus smirks at me as if he thinks he’s won something. I ignore him completely.

‘Pussy in the house is for parties in the house,’ I say. ‘That’s the rule. Always has been. Now,’ I glance at the other guys, ‘it couldn’t have been changed because all rule amendments and additions have to go through the committee of seniors, and I haven’t been to one of those meetings this year yet.’

Marcus laughs. ‘You broke the rules when you brought the retard to live here.’

I look him up and down, a faint smile turning my lips upward as I imagine breaking his jaw. He looks a little uncomfortable.

‘Actually,’ I reply, ‘I didn’t break any rules. Bylaws state that if an alumni makes a request of the current members of the house, the seniors can choose to overrule any rules necessary. John Novelle requested; we acquiesced.’

Marcus’ eyes narrow. Laurie is ignoring the exchange. She’s kissing his neck. He pulls her hair sharply and she hisses.

‘C’mon, baby, I know a place we can go.’

They get up and she gives me a pouty smile. I move in close to her and her expression turns seductive.

‘It could still be you,’ she whispers as Marcus collects his belongings from the counter.

‘Oh, Laurie,’ I groan and watch as her eyes light up in triumph, ‘get the fuck out and don’t come back, or I’ll call campus security.’

She practically bares her teeth at me as she turns away, looking every inch the scorned woman.

‘You’re going to regret ever meeting me,’ she says sweetly.

‘I already do,’ I mutter, turning my back on them.

I leave my house and get in my car, heaving a sigh.

Time to get this over with.

The drive to my father’s doesn’t take long and I pull up in the semi-circle driveway of the house, taking in the grand manor’s facade. How is it that I grew up here and it still doesn’t feel like home. It might as well be a rental in a place I never go to. Whatever value it holds for me are the memories of April and how she tried to make this place happy for Andy and me over the years. She ultimately failed of course. My father would never allow that kind of softness in his sons.

I glance in the sun visor’s mirror and make sure my hair is combed.

‘Old habits die hard,’ I mutter with a roll of my eyes.

Exiting the car, I take in the house again, feeling the loss of April a little more keenly than I have recently. As I get to the top of the marble steps, the door opens and Stevens gives a short bow. ‘Master Jack.’

‘Morning, Stevens. How are you?’

‘Very well as always, sir. And you?’

I shrug at him as he closes the door and shuck my coat. He takes it from me, but instead of bowing and going off to do whatever butlers do with coats as he normally would, he stands in front of me.

‘Was there something else?’

‘Indeed, sir. If I might have a moment.’

I nod.