Page 55 of Electric Kiss

Daisy noticed the women stayed quiet, offering silence and sympathy with their expressions. But none of them moved to her. They stayed with their husbands and fiance.Never had she felt more on the outside than right then. Nate moved to her side and held her hand. She wanted to tell her second piece of news, but her brothers wouldn’t let her off easily.

“You need to explain yourself, Daisy,” Archer said, using his no-nonsense tone.

Daisy nodded, tears streaming down her face now. “I’ve been in her life since I was two. I know I should’ve told you all, but Dad and Mum said it was better this way.”

“You’ve been in contact with our mum for twenty-eight years? And Dad knew? That’s a hell of a fucking secret, Daisy.”

It was Luke who shot out the questions.

He was off the bench, staring her down.

Nate smoothly stood in front of Daisy, facing Luke head-on. She dropped her head to his back and held onto his hips, fisting his jumper in her hands.

“Easy, Luke. It took her a lot to do this today. Remember one of the questions I asked you in the pub? Go easy.”

“Why do you care all of a sudden?” he barked.

“Someone has to,” Nate roared at him.

Daisy steeled herself and looked around Nate’s stone-like body. He stood like nothing was going to get to her.

Luke took a step back. Freya came to his side and pulled him away and back to the bench.

“Look at you all with your judgement. Cynthia Turner will be so proud of the way you’ve behaved. Well done, congratulations.”

Sarcasm dripped off his words, and Daisy held back a sob. She wouldn’t have told them if she knew they would react that way. But Nate had counselled her that to get her memories out, to rid her mind that history would repeat itself, she needed to unburden her secrets.

Not for a secret did she regret taking Nate’s advice, but the reality was hard to swallow.

Archer pulled his hand away from Erica’s, his face contorted with anger.

“Dad knew,” he said brokenly. “He didn’t tell us, but he told you?”

She could hear his feelings of betrayal, not just from her but from a father he loved and respected.

Taking a deep breath, Daisy began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. “Mum can explain it better than me. She has told me pieces over the years, but I tune out every time she broaches the subject. I’d rather not know. I told myself it would be better that way, but now I’m learning, with Nate’s help, better out than in.”

Archer’s expression turned serious as he leaned in, giving Daisy his full attention. “What is it? What about Mum? Why did she abandon us?”

Daisy hesitated, her heart racing. “Cynthia was poisoning her.”

Archer’s eyes widened in shock, his grip tightening around the edge of the bench.

“What? Daisy, how could you keep something like that from all of us?” Jason said.

Heidi held him back from approaching.

“I didn’t mean to,” Daisy replied, tears streaming down her face. “I was just so lonely, and she was the only one who understood. She’s always been there for me.”

Archer stood up, releasing Erica’s hand. “I can’t believe you just said you were lonely. You had all of us.”

“Not really. I just had to get on with things. You all left one by one, and I was on my own in that awful house at the hands of Cynthia.”

Luke winced and looked away. She kept her gaze on him. “You had it out with Jennifer on the lawns, and it brought back memories of something she did to me. I don’t know what it is yet. Do any of you know?”

She saw a sea of blank faces. They all shook their heads one by one.

“I was so lonely,” Daisy repeated, pleading with them.

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