Page 107 of Daisy
I can't sit still. Haven't been able to for hours. My body thrums with restless energy, like electricity under my skin. But underneath that restlessness, cramps are starting—dull aches that make me want to curl up somewhere soft and safe.
I swallow it dry. The bitter taste lingers, but it doesn't matter anymore.
No more pills. No more hiding from what's coming.
My heat's going to happen whether I'm ready or not, and I've got maybe two days, three at most, before my body takes over completely. Already I'm fighting the urge to gather soft things, to build a nest. My fingers itch to arrange blankets and pillows into something that feels safe.
I catch myself in the mirror and barely recognize the woman staring back. A month ago, I couldn't even ask for what I wanted for breakfast without my voice shaking. I'd sit there like a perfect doll, hands folded, waiting for someone else to decide everything for me.
Now? I kissed Gunner by those trees. Watched August and Cassian together, intimate and beautiful in a way that made me feel things I didn't know I could feel. I can't believe I actually went down on Hawk yesterday. Just thinking about it makes my face burn.
But I'm still scared. What if I'm not as brave as I think? What if when it really matters, I turn back into that terrified girl who couldn't even speak above a whisper?
My scent's been getting stronger every day, richer despite the medication. This morning when I woke up pressed between August and Cassian, I could smell myself so clearly. Sweet and thick and needy. The way August's eyes went dark when he caught it, how Cassian's fists clenched... I liked their reactions. I craved more of them.
The restlessness is getting worse. I pace. I fidget. Two things I never would have done in the Omega House. Nothing feels comfortable. My skin burns for touch while being too sensitive for anything but the softest contact. Every breath has me drowning in need.
When Hawk held me afterward yesterday, whispering praise against my hair, it felt like coming home and catching fire all at once. The way he looked at me like I was something precious and completely his made something deep in my chest settle into place.
I need that sensation with all of them.
But needing something and being able to live with the consequences, that's two very different things.
My stomach twists thinking about Uncle. I know he won't stop looking. When he finds us—not if, when—what happens to them?
I find August's navy blue cardigan and pull it on, breathing him in. It helps, but not enough. I need more. Need them.
I head to the main room where Dante sits alone by the fireplace, reading his phone. When he looks up and smiles, my chest doesn't just get tight. Heat pools low in my belly.
"Hey, beautiful."
Instead of asking permission, I cross to him and settle myself in his lap, legs on either side of his thighs. His breath catches.
"Daisy—"
"I need to be close to you." My palms rest on his chest. "Please."
His hands settle on my waist, thumbs stroking the sensitive skin just under the sweater's hem. "Always."
The touch sends heat straight through me, and I have to bite back a whimper. Everything feels more intense now, like my nerve endings are on fire.
But I still can't relax. Can't stop thinking about Uncle. And underneath the fear, a cramp twists through my belly, making me shift restlessly in his lap.
"What if Uncle finds us?"
His hands still. "He won't."
"But what if he does?" I lean closer, letting my scent wrap around us both. "You don't understand what you're risking. Uncle won't just want me back—he'll want to destroy anyone who helped me. If he thinks you're more than just my kidnappers. If he thinks there's something between us."
"If he thinks we might claim you."
"He'll kill you. All of you. He won't just arrest you. He'll make you disappear." My voice breaks, but I don't pull away. "I needyou to understand what staying with me could mean. What my heat could lead to. I can get through it alone if I have to?—"
"Stop." He frames my face, pulling me closer until our foreheads touch. "Look at me."
I meet his fierce eyes.
"We chose to help you. When we rescued you. We knew there would be risks."
