Page 45 of Retribution

John puts up a hand, staying her protests. ‘She won’t leave the Novelle estate without the bodyguard the Bandervilles have employed. But she will have use of my car and my driver. Understood? As I said, I will be clearing this with her fiancé in a moment.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Nasty Nurse says quietly. ‘I understand.’

‘Good. Now, give Marguerite back her laptop, and I don’t want to be bothered with this again. I’m a busy man.’

He waves us both out, and I turn, leaving the room with the nurse hot on my heels.

‘You little bitch!’ she hisses as soon as the door is closed.

I glance at Stephens who’s still standing by the wall. He stares straight ahead, pretending not to listen.

I turn toward her, regarding her impassively. ‘That’s not a very nice thing to say,’ I remark.

‘I’m telling Joe about this!’

‘Joe, is it?’ I raise a brow. ‘Are you fucking my fiancé, Nurse Smith?’

Her mouth opens and closes. Like a fish drowning in air.

I laugh.

‘I don’t care if you are,sweetie,’ I say, echoing her little pet name for me. ‘And you should be thanking me. If anything, I’ve made your job here easier. I’ll be extra careful with the windows, so I don’t fall out. Oh, and please make sure my laptop is on my desk later. There is some work I’d like to complete while it’s on my mind.’

With that, I turn away, feeling like a million dollars, and I see Stephens fighting a smile out of the corner of my eye as the nurse just stands there gaping like a trout.

I go into the library and sit in one of the high-backed seats facing the garden. With Nasty Nurse taken care of for now, I think hard.

I have a little breathing room for the moment, but what I just did wasn’t part of any real plan.

What is it that I want and need? One. The Stalker taken care of. Two. Autonomy and freedom. My life back. Three. To be with Shade, Mav, and Blake whenever I desire. That should probably be Number One, actually. Four. Not to marry Joe. Five. Information about my mother, my past, my father’s death, the stalker, probably other stuff too. Six. Money.

Okay. That gangster, Sauvage, has promised to take care of the stalker, which could help with Number One and Five, but not if he kills him before I can get the information I want. Money is sort of taken care of with Envy, though I’d still rather be more hands-on with producing it. That leaves Number Two: autonomy, freedom, and getting my life back, as well as Three and Four. Maybe Number Five, too.

I can’t do all this myself, however much I want to be Daisy the Destroyer. I don’t have the freedom and autonomy. Without those, everything else is a lot more difficult.

I sigh, turning it around in my head for a long time as I stare out the window at the hedges below and the lake beyond.

It gradually gets dark, and I hear someone come into the library. I peer around the back of the chair and see Stephens bringing me a tray.

‘The pie that was promised?’ I ask hopefully.

He nods. ‘Just so, Miss Marguerite. I’ve also brought you this.’

He takes my phone out of his pocket.

‘Been looking through my room?’ I ask with raised eyebrows.

‘I’m afraidthat womanenlisted my help to do just that.’

I frown. I thought I’d taken care of her, but it looks like she’s still going to be a thorn in my side.

‘Did she find anything?’

‘No, Miss Marguerite. She was called away on a phone call. Samantha and I found nothing at all of note. However, I took the liberty of charging this for you. Perhaps, now that you are able to roam the house, it would be wise to leave it in the library. Perhaps behind the Encyclopedias. I can easily charge it overnight and put it back while I go about my duties each morning.’

I nod. ‘That’s a good idea, Stephens. Thank you.’

‘Indeed, Miss Marguerite. Also, I believethat womanhas been invited to dine with the staff this evening. They’re having amovie night, I’m told.’