Page 119 of Retribution

‘How do you know?'

Her lip curls. 'He'd be angry with her that she'd lost me. He takes chances when he’s angry. He gets cocky because he’s a Banderville.'

She looks away from the TV, frowning suddenly.

'It's not your fault she's dead, Tulip,’ Mav says gently.

'No,’ she agrees. ‘But do you think that it's okay that I'm sort of glad she's gone…and a little annoyed that I’ve lost out on revenge?'

We all glance at each other. I’ll bet some of what Daisy hasn’t told us yet has to do with that bitch of a nurse and I think we all sort of wish we'd been the ones to end her.

'Yeah, gorgeous,' I say. 'I think that's okay.'

12

DAISY

‘You know you were very bad, don’t you?’

I gasp as I feel teeth nip at my earlobe, but when I try to turn, I’m taken in a sure grip from behind.

‘Answer,’ he commands.

‘Yes,’ I reply, ‘but?—’

His fingers cover my lips and he tuts.

‘No, Daisy. You promised me in the pagoda. You said you’d let us know if things got to be too much. And you didn’t.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, you’re not.’ He chuckles low. ‘You’d do it the same all over again. You know you would.’

I shrug. ‘I might. I might not. It’s like on a case by case basis sort of thing.’

‘What are we going to do with you,gorgeous?’

I look over to see Blake leaning against the wall. Mav is sitting in the chair close by, his laptop out.

He notices me watching him and closes it gently, puts it on the coffee table in front of him, and gives me his full attention.

‘What is this, an intervention?’ I ask lightly, mostly to cover the way my heart is leaping uncomfortably in my chest.

‘No, Tulip,’ Mav murmurs. ‘This is the penalty for keeping us in the dark about what those assholes were doing to you for weeks.’

I wrinkle my nose at him, hating the reminder.

‘Do you want this?’ Shade asks, his arm tightening around me almost imperceptibly. ‘Will it make you feel better?’

Remembering the other times we’ve done this together, I nod, though a bit warily.

‘Good,’ he purrs. ‘What are your safe words for us to stop or slow down?’

‘Red and yellow.’

‘Put your arms over your head.’

I do it, and I feel him hold them together and tighten a zip-tie around my wrists. I look up at the black band and I’m whirled around to face him. My wide eyes lower to meet his.