Chapter 6 Testing The Cage

• Chapter 6: Testing the Cage
• Daisy was done feeling helpless.
• She sat on the edge of the bed in the luxurious prison the Devil brothers had locked her in, her fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. Every breath she took was filled with the scent of them—smoke, leather, danger.
• She hated it.
• Hated how her body still buzzed from Matteo’s kiss.
• Hated how Dante’s words still played in her mind.
• Hated how Kieran had barely spoken, yet the weight of his silent dominance made her skin prickle with awareness.
• They thought they had won.
• They thought they had her trapped.
• But Daisy was not broken. Not yet.
• She needed to test them. Find their weaknesses.
• And she knew exactly how to start.
• The door creaked open.
• She expected one of the guards. Maybe even Dante, coming to finish what he started.
• But it was Matteo.
• Dressed in all black, his silver eyes gleaming with something that made her stomach tighten. His lips curled into a smirk as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed.
• “Missed me already, sweetheart?”
• Daisy met his gaze, refusing to look away. “Not in the slightest.”
• Matteo chuckled. “Liar.”
• She stood slowly, every movement controlled, careful. “You’re right,” she murmured. “I did miss something.”
• He arched a brow. “Oh?”
• Daisy stepped forward.
• Matteo didn’t move. He let her come closer, watching her like a wolf watches its prey.
• Good. Let him think he had the upper hand.
• She stopped right in front of him, tilting her head slightly. “I missed seeing just how weak you are.”
• His smirk faltered for half a second.
• Then he laughed, low and dark. “Weak?”
• Daisy smiled. “You talk big. You play your little games. But let’s be honest.” She reached up, her fingers brushing the collar of his shirt, her nails lightly dragging down his chest. “You’re not nearly as terrifying as you pretend to be.”
• Matteo’s silver eyes darkened.
• Faster than she could react, he grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not painful. His other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
• Daisy inhaled sharply.
• He was warm. Solid. And entirely too close.
• His lips ghosted over her ear, his voice a whisper of pure temptation. “You really want to test me, little rogue?”
• Daisy’s pulse spiked. But she refused to back down.
• She tilted her head, letting her lips brush against his jaw, barely touching. “Maybe.”
• Matteo’s grip tightened. His breath hitched, just for a second.
• And then—
• He let go.
• Daisy stumbled back, blinking in shock.
• Matteo smirked. “Nice try, sweetheart.”
• She clenched her jaw. “What’s the matter? Scared you’d lose control?”
• Matteo chuckled, but there was something in his gaze—something almost dangerous. “Oh, I will lose control. Just not yet.”
• Daisy opened her mouth to snap back, but before she could, another voice cut through the room.
• “That’s enough.”
• Her stomach twisted.
• Dante.
• He stood in the doorway, his presence alone enough to make the air thick with tension. His dark eyes flicked between them, unreadable, before settling on Daisy.
• “You think you can play us against each other?” he murmured.
• Daisy didn’t move. Didn’t blink. “I think I can do whatever I want.”
• Dante smirked. But there was no amusement in it. Only something cold.
• “You’re going to regret that.”
• Daisy swallowed.
• Matteo stepped back, his usual lazy smirk returning. “This should be fun.”
• Dante didn’t look at him. His eyes stayed locked on Daisy, his gaze burning into her.
• She refused to show weakness.
• She refused to let them win.
• But as Dante took a slow, deliberate step forward, something deep inside her whispered a warning.
• She had pushed too far.
• And now, she was about to learn exactly what that meant.
• Daisy didn’t move as Dante closed the distance between them.
• The air in the room grew thick, suffocating, but she refused to look away. If he wanted to intimidate her, he would have to try harder.
• Dante’s fingers brushed over her jaw, tilting her chin up slightly. His touch was deceptively gentle, but there was nothing soft about the way his dark eyes studied her.
• “You think you’re in control, little rogue,” he murmured. “But you’re just poking at a beast that hasn’t decided if he wants to play with you… or devour you.”
• A shiver ran down Daisy’s spine, but she didn’t let him see it.
• She smirked instead. “Funny. I thought you were all bark.”
• Dante’s grip tightened just slightly, his thumb running over the pulse point in her throat. It was racing. She knew he felt it.
• “You’ve got fire,” he admitted, his lips brushing against the corner of her mouth. “But fire can be dangerous in the wrong hands.”
• Daisy inhaled sharply.
• She expected him to kiss her. To take what he wanted, like all the other monsters who had tried before.
• But he didn’t.
• Instead, he leaned in even closer, his breath hot against her skin. “You’re ours now,” he whispered. “And I think it’s time you learned what that really means.”
• Daisy’s stomach twisted.
• Then Dante let go, stepping back as if she was no longer worth his time.
• The loss of his warmth sent a rush of confusion through her.
• She wanted to slap him. To scream.
• Instead, she clenched her fists. “I’ll never be yours.”
• Dante smirked. “We’ll see.”
• He turned toward Matteo, who had been watching the exchange with open amusement.
• “She wants to play,” Dante said. “Let’s show her what happens when she loses.”
• Daisy’s pulse spiked.
• Matteo grinned. “I like the sound of that.”
• Before she could react, strong arms wrapped around her from behind.
• Her heart stopped.
• Kieran.
• She hadn’t even heard him move. Hadn’t noticed him enter the room.
• But now, his firm grip kept her locked in place, his body pressed flush against her back.
• His scent was different from the others—cool, crisp, yet somehow more dangerous.
• Daisy struggled, but Kieran didn’t budge. His grip was unbreakable.
• “Let me go,” she growled.
• Kieran said nothing.
• Dante tilted his head, watching her carefully. “You’ve been testing us since the moment you arrived.”
• Daisy’s breathing was uneven, but she glared at him. “Because I don’t belong here.”
• Dante’s smirk faded. “You do now.”
• Matteo stepped forward, his silver eyes gleaming. “The real question, sweetheart, is how long you can keep pretending you don’t want this.”
• Daisy’s stomach twisted.
• They were toying with her.
• And worse…
• Her body was betraying her.
• Kieran’s grip, Dante’s dominance, Matteo’s teasing smirk—it was too much. Too intense.
• She hated them.
• And yet…
• She had never felt so alive.
• Her blood burned, her skin tingling with every touch, every heated look.
• She needed to get out.
• Now.
• Daisy twisted violently, using all her strength. Kieran’s grip loosened just enough for her to slip free.
• She spun, ready to fight—
• But Kieran caught her wrist in an instant, pulling her right back against him.
• Daisy gasped, her body pressed against his.
• Kieran was silent as ever, but his gaze burned into hers, his fingers wrapping around her throat in a way that wasn’t painful… but made it very clear he could take her down in seconds if he wanted to.
• A warning.
• Daisy’s breath hitched.
• The air crackled between them.
• Then, without a word, Kieran released her.
• Daisy stumbled back, her heart pounding.
• Matteo chuckled. “You’re feisty. I like that.”
• Dante crossed his arms. “She’ll learn.”
• Daisy’s hands trembled at her sides.
• She was losing.
• She had thought she could play them, manipulate them, escape them.
• But she had underestimated them.
• And now, for the first time…
• She wasn’t sure if she could win.