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My phone’s buzzing on the floor somewhere under a hoodie. I fish it out. Sixty-two missed calls and more texts than I can count.

Jessie: BITCH YOU BETTER BE ALIVE

Jessie: it’s been THREE DAYS kisha

Jessie: ok I’m not mad. I can’t even sit down rn so I’m in no position to judge anybody

Jessie: don’t ask why I can’t sit down

What?

Kaylie: girl he was under my BED. like UNDER it. and then he wasn’t

Kaylie: I’m fine btw. I’m more than fine. call me

There’s nothing from Avery for two whole days. Then, this morning:

Avery: The Oni carried me home.

Avery: I’m not talking about it.

And one more from Jessie, sent an hour ago:

Jessie: girl. they knew about Tyler. they knew EVERYTHING.

I’m staring at my phone with my mouth hanging open when the arm around my waist tightens.

“No,” he rumbles.

“I need to pee.”

“Hold it.”

“That’s not how bladders work, sir!” I elbow him in the stomach. It’s like elbowing a wall, but he grunts and finally lets me go.

I stumble to the bathroom on legs that don’t work right. Everything hurts in the best fucking way. The mirror shows the full extent of the damage: bite marks everywhere, on my neck, my shoulders, my breasts, the insides of my thighs. My lips are swollen. My hair is a whole disaster. There’s still a faint handprint on my ass. And right on the side of my throat, dark and perfect, is his mark.

I touch it, and the second my fingers brush it, I feel him in my chest, warm and smug as hell.

Shadow Daddy did all that.

“Stop admiring my work and come back to bed.”

I jump. He’s leaning in the doorway, naked and not even a little bit ashamed of it. In the daylight, I can see him clearly for the first time, and he’s still huge and so damn gorgeous it’s rude, his shadows clinging to him lazy and slow, curling around his shoulders.

“I need to call my friends,” I tell him. “They think I’m dead.”

“They know you’re not dead.” He walks toward me. “Your little friends are busy getting punished too.”

“What?” I spin around. “What do you mean, punished? Is that what happened to Jessie?!”

His grin is pure evil. “I’m not telling you a damn thing about anybody else’s night, Red.”

He cages me against the sink, his cock already hard against my belly.

“Nik, no. I’m so sore.”

“I’ll be gentle, baby.” He lifts me onto the counter and spreads my legs. “Ish.”