Chapter 8 Playing With Fire

• Chapter 8: Playing with Fire
• Daisy sat at the edge of the massive bed, staring at the door like it was her sworn enemy.
• She was still trapped. Still theirs.
• But she wasn’t broken.
• Not yet.
• Her body still burned from their touches, her skin tingling in ways that made her furious. She hated that they had this effect on her. Hated that every time one of them got too close, her breath would hitch, her pulse would race, and some twisted part of her would crave more.
• No.
• She wouldn’t let them win.
• The sound of footsteps echoed outside the room.
• Daisy straightened, her entire body tensing.
• The door swung open.
• Matteo strolled inside, smirking like he owned the world.
• "Miss me, sweetheart?"
• Daisy rolled her eyes. "You really need to work on new lines. The old ones are getting boring."
• Matteo chuckled. "And yet, you still respond to them."
• She scoffed. "You came here just to annoy me, didn’t you?"
• He grinned. "Mostly."
• Daisy folded her arms. "What do you want?"
• Matteo’s eyes gleamed. "I figured you’d be hungry. Thought I’d take you for breakfast."
• She narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like there’s a catch?"
• He shrugged. "Because you’re smart."
• Daisy sighed. "I can eat by myself, you know."
• Matteo leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "Oh, I know. But where’s the fun in that?"
• Daisy clenched her jaw.
• She didn’t want to go anywhere with him.
• But she also knew that refusing wouldn’t get her any closer to escaping.
• Fine.
• She’d play along. For now.
• "Whatever," she muttered, standing up.
• Matteo smirked, stepping aside to let her pass.
• The hallway was eerily quiet as they walked, the grand estate stretching around her like a maze of gold and shadows.
• Daisy kept her guard up, even as the scent of fresh food wafted through the air.
• When they reached the dining hall, she stopped short.
• Dante and Kieran were already there.
• Dante sat at the head of the long, dark table, sipping his coffee like a king on his throne. Kieran was beside him, silent, brooding, his ice-blue eyes flicking to her the moment she entered.
• Daisy swallowed.
• The tension in the room was thick.
• "Look who finally decided to join us," Dante mused, setting his cup down.
• Matteo nudged her forward. "She was playing hard to get."
• Daisy shot him a glare before marching to the table and dropping into the seat farthest from all of them.
• A plate of food was already set in front of her—eggs, toast, fruit.
• Her stomach growled.
• D*mn it.
• She didn’t want to take anything from them, but her body betrayed her.
• She picked up the fork and took a bite, refusing to acknowledge how good it tasted.
• Matteo sat beside her, grinning. "See? This isn’t so bad."
• Daisy ignored him.
• Dante tilted his head. "You know, for someone who acts so tough, you sure seem comfortable in our house."
• Daisy stabbed a piece of fruit. "I just figured I’d eat before I kill you all."
• Matteo laughed. "That’s adorable."
• Dante smirked. "We’ll see who kills who first, little rogue."
• Kieran finally spoke, his voice low and unreadable. "You should eat more."
• Daisy blinked at him.
• Of all the things she expected, that wasn’t it.
• She wasn’t sure how to respond, so she shoved another bite of food into her mouth instead.
• The air was thick with tension, but it wasn’t just anger anymore.
• It was something else.
• Something dangerous.
• Something intoxicating.
• And as much as she hated them, as much as she wanted to fight…
• Some twisted part of her was starting to like the game.
• Daisy kept her gaze on her plate, refusing to acknowledge the weight of their stares. The food was good, but every bite felt like a battle. A silent war between her pride and her survival.
• She hated that they made her eat with them, hated how they acted like this was normal. Like she belonged here.
• She didn’t.
• And she never would.
• The air was thick with tension, the kind that made her skin prickle. Dante leaned back in his chair, watching her with that infuriating smirk. Matteo twirled a knife between his fingers, his silver eyes glinting with amusement.
• And Kieran—Kieran was the worst.
• He didn’t smirk. Didn’t tease.
• He just watched.
• Like he was trying to unravel her, piece by piece.
• Daisy stabbed her fork into a piece of fruit. "Are you going to stare at me all day, or do you actually have something to say?"
• Matteo chuckled. "Fiery first thing in the morning. I love it."
• Dante smirked. "Careful, little rogue. You keep talking back, and we’ll have to teach you some manners."
• Daisy rolled her eyes. "You’re all so obsessed with me, it’s embarrassing."
• Matteo grinned. "Can you blame us?"
• Daisy opened her mouth to snap back—
• Then the door swung open.
• A new figure stepped into the room, their presence cutting through the tension like a knife.
• A woman.
• Tall, curvy, dressed in all black with dark auburn hair cascading down her back. She moved like a predator, her emerald-green eyes locking onto Daisy the second she entered.
• "Well, well," the woman mused, a smirk playing on her lips. "So this is the infamous rogue everyone’s been whispering about."
• Daisy stiffened, every instinct screaming at her to be ready.
• Who was she?
• And why did she look like she belonged here?
• Dante sighed. "Raven. You’re early."
• The woman—Raven—arched a brow. "Am I interrupting breakfast?"
• Matteo grinned. "You’re always welcome to join us, sweetheart."
• Raven rolled her eyes. "You wish, Matteo."
• Daisy narrowed her gaze. She didn’t like this woman already. Something about the way she moved, the confidence in her voice.
• She had power here.
• Which meant she was dangerous.
• Dante gestured lazily toward Daisy. "Our little rogue here was just getting comfortable."
• Daisy scoffed. "Hardly."
• Raven smirked, taking a slow step closer. "You’re braver than I expected. Most girls in your position would be begging by now."
• Daisy met her gaze, refusing to back down. "I’m not most girls."
• Raven chuckled. "No. I suppose you’re not."
• Then, before Daisy could react, Raven moved.
• Fast.
• Too fast.
• One second she was across the room, and the next—
• She was in front of Daisy, gripping her chin between two fingers.
• Daisy’s entire body locked up.
• Raven’s touch wasn’t painful. It was almost playful. But there was something behind her eyes. Something sharp, calculating.
• Dante, Matteo, and Kieran didn’t move.
• They were watching.
• Testing.
• Waiting.
• Daisy clenched her jaw, refusing to flinch. "Do you have a death wish?"
• Raven smirked. "Oh, I like you."
• Then she let go, stepping back as if nothing had happened.
• Daisy’s pulse thundered in her ears, but she masked it with a slow, steady breath.
• Matteo chuckled. "See, this is why we keep you around, Raven. You make things fun."
• Raven rolled her eyes. "Please. You boys wouldn’t last a day without me."
• Daisy swallowed her irritation. "Who are you?"
• Raven tilted her head. "I should be asking you that, little rogue. You’re the one making trouble in my house."
• Daisy blinked. "Your house?"
• Dante finally spoke, his voice lazy but sharp. "Raven works for us."
• Raven smirked. "That’s one way to put it."
• Matteo grinned. "She keeps us from murdering people we shouldn’t."
• Daisy frowned. "Shouldn’t?"
• Raven chuckled. "Exactly."
• Daisy’s stomach twisted. This woman wasn’t just an ally.
• She was one of them.
• A different kind of dangerous.
• And now, Daisy had a new problem.
• Because if the Devil brothers weren’t bad enough—
• Raven had just made things worse.