Page 83 of Degradation
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.
