Page 1 of Plucking His Daisy

CHAPTER 1

DAISY

A gilded cage is still a cage, don’t let anyone tell you differently. I should know because I’ve been living in one for 18 years and I’ve been sick of it for as long as I can remember. The things which keep me locked up tight are simple—fear and love.

I fear what might happen to me if I step outside of the walls of my cage because I know my brothers, like my father before he died, work damn hard to keep me safe. If the enemies of the Agosti family knew I was, somehow, free, I would be used to make my brothers fall to their knees. Elio, my brother who is now head of the Agosti family, should never be on his knees. Not when he sits on the throne.

The love I have for one man has kept me trapped in this cage just as much as the fear has, but he’s a man I can never have. It doesn’t matter that I loved him before I understood what the word meant outside of family. It doesn’t matter that sometimes he looks at me as if I’m his entire world.

All that does matter is his position in this family as Elio’s right hand means the spark between us must be ignored and extinguished. If only my body got the memo because all Lorenzo Vitale needs to do is walk into the room and I become a puddle of need and desire. It’s embarrassing and it’s only gotten worse in the last six months since my 18thbirthday.

I don’t know what I thought was going to happen. That I was going to turn 18 and suddenly he was going to declare his undying love for me? Even with the women I’ve seen him parade around throughout the years as I pined for him?

It was stupid and naïve of me to believe he was going to throw away his entire world and the life he lives for me. For a long time, I was able to tell myself he stayed away from me because of my age. It was a lie I told myself when I should have been trying to squash the crush I have on him.

The more time that has passed since I became legal, the more I realize how foolish it was to believe it could be anything more than it is now. He must still look at me like a little kid, just the little sister of his best friends and the men he grew up with.

I’ve tried to tell myself he’s too old for me for so damn long. I’m more aware of our 17-year age gap than anyone else. Too bad him being older does it for me. I want his experienced hands all over my body and showing me exactly what pleasure means.

Being the protected princess of the Agosti empire means I’ve never even been kissed. Which is probably why Hyacinth, my best friend, is looking at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. I don’t blame her. I’ve presented a wild idea, but I don’t know what else to do.

I want to get out of this damn cage and the only way for me to do it is to break out.

Hyacinth is the sister of Tazio D’Angeli, one of the guys who grew up with Lorenzo and my brothers. He’s an enforcer for the family and I wouldn’t want to cross him. He’s been tasked to protect me and Hy more than once when all we’ve wanted to do was go shopping. The way people scatter out of his way is almost comical.

“Let me get this straight,” her words are slow and measured, as if she’s feeling them out as she says them. “You’re going to auction off your virginity? To the highest bidder?”

“Yeah,” I roll my eyes, “that is usually how an auction works.”

“I know how an auction works,” she snaps. She always gets a little impatient when she feels like someone is being stupid or isn’t listening to her. I narrow my eyes at her, not prepared to take her shit today and she softens her tone, “What I’m having a hard time with is the fact that you’re going to auction off your virginity. To a stranger.”

I shrug one shoulder and try to hide how my heart is breaking at the thought. It’s not the stranger part, not even a little bit. It’s because I’ve been saving myself for one man. It’s obvious he doesn’t want me and I’m not going to throw myself at him, I have too much fucking pride to allow it, I’m an Agosti through and through. I’m also not going to wait around for him to get his head out of his ass.

There’s nothing I can do if he doesn’t feel the connection between us. I’m not going to continue to put my life on hold. I’ve waited. I thought it was for something, but now I realize it was for nothing.

Lorenzo doesn’t want me, and he never will. It’s time to move on.

“Why shouldn’t I?” I huff, “It’s not like any guys can get close to me considering who my brothers are. What am I going to wait for? Some guy to try and break me out of here like Rapunzel? This isn’tTangled, Hy. It’s time for me to take my own life in my hands and do something I want. For me.”

Her eyes are shrewd as she looks at me. I can’t blame her for it. This is completely out of character for me. It wasn’t long ago that we were in this same spot, on my bed, chatting about how I couldn’t wait for Lorenzo to claim me when I turned 18. It all seems like the dream of a little girl now.

“What about,” she pauses, “you know?”

“No,” I sneer at her, “I don’t know.”

She lowers her voice and leans toward me, “Lorenzo.”

I scoff, “I’m not going to keep waiting around for a man who doesn’t want me.”

“Oh, Daisy,” she sighs. I know the moment she realizes she’s not going to be able to talk me out of my plan because her shoulders slump and she gets a look of resignation on her face. “How did you find this auction?”

“Oh, you know, I know people who know people,” I say in a breezy voice.

It’s true, I do which is why I’m helping Lily Scavo plan her wedding to my brother, Constantino. I know who to go to about getting things done quickly, especially when money is no object. In this case, I found the auction when I was running down a venue option and the manager of the hotel let it slip about certain dates being reserved.

It took a little cash, but then he spilled all about the auction they housed and how often they happen. He looked surprised when I asked for contact information, and I sweetened the transaction. Money doesn’t only get people to talk, but keep their mouths shut as well.

“Right,” Hyacinth draws out the word.

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