When I woke up my head was pounding and there was a slight ringing in my ears. I pried my eyes open and blinked a few times before looking around. I was still in the van, but instead of the bench, I was on the floor. I tried to move, but it was then I realized that I was lying on my stomach and my arms and legs had been bound behind my back, my left ankle to my right wrist, and my right ankle to my left wrist. I twisted and turned, but the restraints were tight and there was no way I was getting out of them. I had also been gagged. A foul-tasting cloth had been shoved in my mouth and duct tape placed over my lips.
"Wakey wakey."
I glared when Blake smirked at me.
"Comfy?" Eli called and my glare intensified. "I told you I'd shut you up."
I wriggled around on the floor and tried my hardest to loosen the restraints, but they were done up expertly.
I'd expect nothing less from Eli Reynolds. At the Agency a few of us were "rising stars". We were the best of the best. It always came down to Eli and me. I had never met him until today, but it was always me and him competing for the top spot.
Until I ran away.
I had heard many stories about him, as I was sure he had heard stories about me.
I had heard that he was an extremely skilled fighter, emotionless, strong, fast, and overall... An excellent assassin.
It's what we were. The Agency trained teenagers like us to be highly skilled assassins.
"You won't get out," Eli said. "Stop trying."
I scowled at him, but he only stared back at me.
"You may as well relax and get comfy, we've still got a few hours before we get back to the Agency," Blake said.
I caught Jack's eye and then looked at the bottle of water that was between his legs. "She wants water," Jack said and he lifted the water bottle.
"I'll do it," Blake said taking the water from Jack and crouched down in front of me. "Don't you dare try and bite me?"
He ripped the duct tape off and I spat the cloth out. "Wouldn't dream of it," I said sarcastically and Blake lifted the water bottle to my lips. After I had a few gulps he threw the bottle on the floor and held the screwed-up cloth in his hand. "Open up."
"Come on, you don't need to gag me," I said.
"This isn't going to be the first time I've shoved something in your mouth," Blake warned and my eyes widened at his comment.
"Pig," I scowled and he smirked. "Wait, you can't gag me, what if I have a coughing fit? I'll choke."
"Jack gave you the antidote. You won't be coughing up blood anymore," Blake said. "Now open your mouth."
"You do not need to fucking gag me," I snapped and Blake smirked.
"But I love seeing you tied up and helpless, Dais," he whispered and grabbed my chin, forcing my mouth open and stuffing the cloth in my mouth. He placed the duct tape over my mouth and I scowled at him. "Don't frown," he chuckled, "only a few more hours, and then we'll be home."
*
I had fallen asleep again and I was roughly awoken by the duct tape being ripped off my mouth. My eyes flew open and I glared at Blake as I spat the cloth out. Eli crouched behind me and cut my restraints but as soon as I could move freely he and Blake grabbed my arms and yanked me to my feet.
"Don't try anything," Blake warned as he let go of one arm and grabbed the handcuffs on the floor. Eli grabbed my other arm and held me tightly against his chest. I could feel his cool breath on the back of my neck and I swallowed at our proximity.
I walked into the house I had lived in for the past year and sighed. I honestly thought I'd never come back.
"Hey, sweet cheeks!" Mason called and walked past me on his way to the kitchen. He slapped my ass and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Life on the road didn't suit you, huh?" He said and I followed him into the kitchen with a slight limp to my step.
"I couldn't see it working out," I said sarcastically and sat on the kitchen table. "How's life?"
"I've spent every minute since you decided to be a little pest and do a runner hearing about you. I'm sick of your name," Mason said searching through the cupboards that were most likely empty. I was the one who did the shopping.
I laughed. "You missed me though."
"I finally got a decent night's sleep," Mason said and closed the cupboard when his food search failed. He scratched his light brown stubble and looked at me. "It's been nice sleeping without hearing you and Blake going at"
I coughed and raised eyebrows at Mason. He smirked and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I'm ordering pizza and you're paying."
"Says who?"
"Says me," he shrugged. "You're the one who fucked off for two months. You've got a lot of groveling to do before we're on good terms again."
"Then what's this if not good terms?" I wondered, gesturing between the two of us.
"Me being nice because you look like absolute shit and I'm pretty sure Rob has already yelled at you, so I'll leave my yelling for another day," Mason said.
"Mason's happy really," Jack said, joining us in the kitchen. "He's glad you're back so he can stare at your ass every time you bend over."
Mason roughly shoved Jack and I kicked him in the side.
"Hey!" Jack yelled and backed up. "I'm just saying it how it is."
"Speaking of groveling," I said and looked at Jack. "You better start if you want me to forgive you for poisoning me."
"I don't regret that," Jack shrugged. "If I hadn't you may not be sitting here right now."
"No, I'd be hundreds of miles away, making a new life," I said, scowling at him.
"Your life is here," Blake said and appeared in the doorway.
"Where do we all go around killing people?" I said.
"You never had a problem with it before, sweetheart," Mason shrugged and dialed his phone, he held it to his ear and waited for the pizza place to answer.
"Now I do," I shrugged. "You got a problem with that?"
"Yep," Blake nodded and I flipped him the bird.
"I don't care," I shrugged.
"Where's Oli?" Mason wondered. "Is he going to want pizza?"
"He's having a shit," Jack shrugged. "And of course, he will."
Mason listed off several different pizzas and then he proceeded to give my bank card details.
"Oi!" I yelled. "How do you know my card details!" I jumped off the table, forgetting about my leg again. I hissed in pain but headed for Mason who smirked at me.
"I told him," Blake said and grabbed my arm, pulling me back.
"And how do you know them?" I demanded.
"I stole your card," he shrugged and I jabbed him in the ribs.
"Ass," I scowled just as Oli joined us.
"Dude, your shit stinks, I can smell it from here," Blake muttered and scrunched his nose up.
Oli just smiled and he then wrapped his arm around my shoulder and rubbed his knuckles against my head. "Look what the cat dragged in!" He called and I groaned, trying to pull away from him.
"Get off me, you turd," I whined and Oli released me. I flattened out my hair and sighed, sitting back on the table. "Nice to see you too, Oli."
"Good to see you, Dais," he said sincerely. "You look like shit."
I turned to glare at Blake who just shrugged his shoulders. "You could've avoided all that pain if you had come willingly."
"You did this to her?" Oli wondered, taking in my bruised and cut face.
"Mostly," Blake nodded.
"Beth contributed," I said. "Got me right on the jaw."
"She was so pissed at you," Jack laughed. "I can't believe you shot her."
"My mind was a bit of a blur the night I ran," I admitted. "I made sure it was a clean shot. I knew she'd be fine."
Mason pocketed his phone. "Pizza will be here within the hour."
"I'm setting up a new bank account," I muttered.
"Okay, can we address the elephant in the room?" Oli asked and I gently eased myself off the table and walked over to the sink.
"Just get it over with," I muttered and filled a glass with water. I limped back to the table and sat back down.
"What's going to happen with Daisy? Is she back on the team or what?"
"Well, she is not leaving any of our sights for a while," Blake said. "I spoke with Rob while she was getting seen at medical. She will go back to her old routine pretty much, but she's not cleared for missions."
"Good," I muttered.
"Jack put a tracker in her so she knows it's useless to run," Blake said and I turned to glare at Jack who grinned at me. "She's not allowed to be unsupervised for long."
"So you're all my babysitters?" I said and rolled my eyes. "What if I need a really long shit?"
"I'm sure Mason would love to accompany you," Blake said and Mason shrugged.
"Seeing her naked would definitely speed up me forgiving her," he said and I shook my head.
"Such a perv," I muttered and took a sip of my water.
The guys all chuckled and I looked at Blake. "What's this I've heard about two teams becoming one?"
"Rob said he'd told you about it. He wants to see how two different teams work together. If it's successful he's going to start making bigger teams so they can perform larger assassinations," Blake said.
"So it's true," I groaned. "I'm going to have to see more of the bastard that bound and gagged me in the van."
"Someone explain," Oli said and Blake chuckled softly.
"Daisy was being herself," Blake said.
"Difficult?" Mason guessed and Blake nodded.
"Hey!" I frowned.
"She tried escaping and Eli got annoyed," Jack explained.
"Eli?" Oli said. "Nah, he's chill. Would not want to get on his bad side, but he's a laugh."
"He's an asshole and I'm going to shit on his bed," I scowled.
"You're just annoyed that he tied you up," Jack chuckled.
"We all get along fine with him, I think it's just you he has the problem with," Blake smirked. "You're such a delightful person, I don't see why he wouldn't like you."
"You better watch that sarcasm, Blake," I warned.
"Oh really? What are you going to do about it, cripple?" He smirked.
"Cripple?" I repeated. "If I wasn't feeling like shit I'd rip you limb from limb!"
"Sure you would," Blake scoffed and I scowled at him.
Oli's phone sounded and Oli read the text he received. "The other team is moving in today," he said.
"Moving in?" I asked.
"You're going to be living with your new best friend," Blake smirked.