Page 105 of Provocation
She considers my words. ‘No, I guess I don’t. I think I haven’t for a while. It’s just that it’s here wherestalkeris watching, or the Novelle house whereJohnis. I didn’t think about it because there was nothing to think about, nothing I could change, and both were just as bad as each other. Now that I can go to Wrath… I feel so much more relaxed there, Mav. It sort of makes me realize howonI am everywhere else, you know? It’s exhausting.’
‘I get it,’ I say. 'Come on. Let’s get out of here.'
I take her bag for her. We go downstairs and get in the truck, and I drive us over to the club, parking in our usual spot in the alleyway.
The club is closed tonight, since we knew it would be slow. Most of the students are gone for the holiday, and the locals will be doing family stuff.
I'm kind of glad that we're all going to be here together. Just us. We probably should have figured something out for dinner. I frown, wondering if anywhere decent will be open besides the Chinese place just off campus. Does Daisy even like Chinese food?
We go in the side door and find the place completely deserted. Even Dom isn’t here. I vaguely remember him telling me something about meeting some buddies, now I think about it. I leave Daisy at the bar with a Seabreeze I quickly throw together for her and I run up to the office, but the guys aren’t there either.
I go back down, taking out my phone, and I see Daisy slipping into the basement without a word. I send a quick message and follow, watching as she goes straight into the lab. I peer into the Dark Lounge and the adjoining bedroom, but can't find them down here either. My phone buzzes with a cryptic message from Shade to say that they'll be back soon.
I relax, only just realizing that I was growing concerned. But they’re fine. Everyone’s safe.
I stand at the door watching Daisy. She's going through the motions, checking the levels for the latest batch she's making. She puts it in the mixer, and then she sits at the table, and she stares listlessly at the shiny surface.
She doesn't move or speak. She doesn't look at me. It's like she's in a totally different world than the one she was in this morning, and she's completely closed off.
Because of them. Whatever those rich assholes did to her at their house.
'Daisy?' I ask.
She blinks and looks up at me.
'Come on.'
I reach for her, and she takes my hand. I bring her across the cellar to the Dark Lounge. She doesn't say a word as we go inside, and I flick on the lights.
I look around and realize quickly that it's not really in here that I want to be, so I pull her through the room to the bedroom we all share.
‘Wait here,’ I say at the door.
I leave her at the threshold and close it, looking around and wondering how I can make it special somehow. There are decorative candles that I’ve only vaguely noticed before. Probably part of the interior designer’s ‘vision’. I don’t know if they’re meant to be lit but fuck it. I see one of Blake’s lighters on the side and light them all, turning off the lights.
The candles give the room a warm glow. Satisfied, I turn down the bedcovers and make sure there’s no clutter on the sides.
Everything tidy, I open the door and lead her in. She looks around, giving me a small smile, the first real one I've seen since she got back.
'What's this?' she asks.
I cup her face and kiss her gently.
'Us,’ I say, looking into her eyes uncertainly. ‘Only if you want.'
I leave it there, and she blinks up at me, then she begins to unbutton my shirt.
'Are you sure you want this?' I ask, covering her small hands with my enormous ones. ‘After today? We don’t have to.’
She nods a little timidly. ‘I want you.’
Thank God.
I pull her oversized sweater off her body and follow it quickly with her tank top. I unbutton her jeans, and she takes them off. I allow myself a few seconds to stare at her. Her cheeks redden as I do, and she hides herself, turning her body away from my eyes.
I take off the rest of my clothes and I let her look her fill of me all at once. Her eyes flick down to what's between my legs, rapidly hardening at just her stare.
She looks curious as she watches me.
