Page 87 of Always Mine

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Daisy was so tired.She had to read numbers.So many numbers.From Millie’s shipment of new toys, to all the orders.Today was her day at the toy shop, which was fine, but she was tired.

Lash had woken them up at three that morning.He wanted them all showered and down for breakfast within fifteen minutes.She and Anthony showered together and were still in the main clubhouse room with two minutes to spare.

Everyone looked tired.She didn’t know when the last time was that she got a full night’s sleep.She was exhausted, but she was also healed.The stitches were long gone, and other than the doctor telling her to take it easy, there was nothing wrong with her.

Once she healed, she was able to contribute as much as everyone else to the punishment.Early mornings, Lash even got them running and exercising, which hadn’t been fun.

He assigned them all jobs, and from that point, they had to move to where they were instructed.Their days were long, starting early, but they were never consistent.They started work at three this morning, the day before was five.There was no way of knowing when they would go to bed.None of them could go to bed until Lash dismissed them.

She didn’t know how he did it.The man was a machine.He made them stay up until all hours, working, waiting, and serving the club.It was tiring, but there was no stopping it.

Daisy kept doing it, though; she had no choice, even though she was starting to get a little agitated from lack of sleep.They all did the same.

Arriving at the clubhouse, she walked in to find Angel there, waiting with food.

Several of them had already returned from their trips.She looked for Anthony but didn’t see him.

“Hey,” Rachel said.

“Hey.”Daisy dropped into the space beside her friend, and Angel placed a plate of food right in front of her.

Her mother-in-law gripped her shoulder tightly.It was her way of being encouraging, but it didn’t matter.She could handle this.She tried to stifle a yawn, but there was no point in trying.

“Do you know where Anthony is?”There was no point in texting him.Their cell phones had been confiscated.Anything of any pleasure had been taken from them.

“He’s with Lash still,” Rachel said.

Even Rachel’s perky smile had dropped.The other woman looked just as tired as she did.Usually, Rachel had her hair perfectly styled, regardless if it was up in a bun, a twist, or down with curls and ringlets.A light touch of makeup, and she always looked so put together.Now, her hair was frizzy, no makeup, pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

“Are you regretting what we did?”Daisy asked, feeling concerned.She didn’t know if Lash was trying to break their resolve, shatter their nerve, or weaken them.

“Fuck, no,” Rachel said.“I’m glad we did what we did.I just wish I had the energy to comb my hair.”

Daisy smiled.

“Don’t laugh.”But there was a smile on her face as well.“Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve not washed it in over a week.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and trust me, it needs washing.”Rachel lifted up the end.“So much hard work gone to waste.”She took a deep breath.“But it is fine, as it will all be worth it.”

“Why?”

“Well, we’re going to earn our patches back someday.That’s the whole point of this, right?To prove our place once again within the club.”

Daisy nodded.“Yeah, it will all be worth it.”

“But it doesn’t stop me from being so tired.”

She reached out and put a hand on her arm.“We’ll get through it.”

Rachel took hold of her hand, and they just sat there in comfortable silence, but it was silence nonetheless.Daisy pulled her hand away and as she did, the main door swung open and she watched as Anthony stepped in.He didn’t say a word, just looked at her, and she knew she needed to go to their room.

“I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”Daisy asked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.I’m just going to sleep until one of those monsters dares to wake me up.”

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