‘You and me both,’ I agree.
‘There’s more,’ Blake says very quietly.
‘Show us,’ Shade commands.
The next video appears. It’s a clip of Daisy being shocked in a hallway I recognize as the Novelle house. Her body shudders with electricity and she drops to the floor with a loud thump that’s audible over the speaker.
The next one is of her asleep in bed. It’s dark. The light snaps on and she wakes with a squeal, her body jumping as the nurse zaps her again. The bitch’s giggle makes me crazy with a need for vengeance that will never be realized. There’s no way either she or Joe will ever really pay for what they did.
‘His death was too quick,’ I hear Blake say.
‘His death was too quick,’ I echo.
Next to me, Shade nods. ‘There are pictures too.’
I nod at Blake, and a photo appears on the screen—Daisy naked again, looking away from the camera, her eyes blank. It’s in a text message thread.
How much more weight do u want the chunk to lose?
the nasty nurse’s message reads.
Joe responds:
Five more pounds at least. Why are her nips so red?
Pinched them a little for U
Naughty nurse
Thats y u love me
I feel sick.
Then there’s another photo. Joe, in Daisy’s room, she’s on the bed, her eyes closed, and his fingers are inside her.
‘What the fuck!’ I snarl.
Unable to watch anymore, I slam the laptop shut.
‘Those fuckers. They—’ My voice breaks.
My fists clench, knuckles cracking with the force of it.
I feel Shade’s hand on my shoulder. I guess he’s trying to comfort me, but I shake my head.
‘How could they have… How— We left her there. We didn’t even— We should’ve gotten her out of that fucking house. She was with them for days and days and they were doing that shit to her.’
My first thought is to blame myself. The second is to blame Shade. I turn on him.
‘How did you not know this was happening?’
He sits down in the nearest chair, hard. He doesn’t answer.
‘I think I understand why she didn’t want to talk about it,’ Blake whispers brokenly. ‘We keep failing her. We should have protected her.’
‘I can’t believe I gave her shit for going to Sauvage,’ Shade mutters, putting his head in his hands. ‘Of course he was the better option. All that stuff…in my dad’s house and I just let it… What a blind asshole.’
‘Never again,’ I say vehemently. ‘We can never fail her like this again!’
