Page 49 of Provocation
I don’t, I realize. Not even a little.
‘If setting your girl up for the day with some breakfast in bed makes me whipped then I guess I am,’ I shrug. ‘But maybe you should mind your own fucking business.’
‘I didn’t mean anything by it,’ he backpedals. ‘It’s just… What makes this one so special?’
My eyes narrow. This doesn’t seem like a guy question. I stop what I’m doing and face him head-on, watching him closely and giving him my full attention.
‘Who’s asking, Jackson? It sure as shit ain’t you.’
He shifts, stepping back and looking uncomfortable. ‘Billing asked me. He said… He said Jolie asked him to ask you.’
‘Jesus,’ I mutter. ‘What is this, middle school?’
I pull out my phone and I message the bitch directly.
Stop bothering the KIP bros with ur BS or u won’t like what happens
‘Sorry, Captain,’ Jackson mutters.
‘Whatever,’ I mutter. ‘But you see Jolie in the house, you tell me or one of the others, understand? She’s banned.’
He nods.
‘Good. We’re having a party at Wrath on Saturday night. You and the guys are organizing. Make sure everyone knows there’s going to be a surprise product available.’
‘Yes, sir!’
He sounds so excited that I’ve given him a job to do. I snort and leave the room.
I take the tea and muffin up to Daisy’s room just in time to see Shade quietly departing.
He leaves the door open for me and I put Daisy’s breakfast on her desk. I know she has to be up in about ten minutes, so the tea should be just about the right temperature for her by then.
She stirs as I glance over at her but doesn’t wake, and I exit the room.
Shade’s waiting for me out in the hall.
‘Bad night?’
I snort. ‘That obvious, huh? Yeah, it wasn’t great.’
‘You might need to tell Daisy something,’ he says quietly.
‘Why, what did she say?’ I ask, my heart skipping a beat.
I don’t want her to know about this. I don’t want to see that look in her eyes like I’m some kind of monster when she finds out about the shit I have to do to work off my father’s debt.
‘She didn’t really say anything, and that’s what makes me think she’s wondering. Probably coming to the wrong conclusions.’
I sigh.
‘Oh, and you got mail yesterday.’
‘Mail? I never get mail.’
Shade hands me a small, brown envelope and I let out a groan when I recognize the paper and the handwriting. But I dutifully open it and read the familiar, slanted script.
‘My dad wants to see me,’ I mutter, crumpling up the note.
