Forfeit (Original Edit)

Chapter Twenty-One

With Nikita fed and turned out in record time, I kicked off my Hunter's and picked up my glass of Buck's Fizz - at nine o'clock in the morning, anything else would be wholly inappropriate. Xander had come up with the rather fabulous idea of spending the day DAF style and, since he'd already rolled a joint, clearly he was as keen as me to get the iniquity underway.

'Mail? On Boxing Day?' I asked, frowning at two envelopes bearing our names.

'Hand delivered. There's no stamp or address.' Xander ripped his open. 'Party?'

Let's hope so. The envelope, made of high quality paper, felt pleasingly rigid, like there was an invite inside. There was. Hurrah. The embossed text invited me to take part in stage three of Forfeit. Un-hurrah. But I'd said I didn't want to play again, not after what James did to that poor girl. We'd all agreed.

'And who do you think sent these?' I asked with bitter sarcasm. I'd bet ten grand James had.

'I'll ring the others.'

Yes, ring James. Let's see what he has to say. Drinks and dares Oscar's. Not a chance. But Xander didn't move. He looked as white as the piece of paper he was holding.

'What?' I asked.

'Don't you have a letter?' he asked, glancing down at his.

I hadn't noticed it but inside the envelope sat a folded sheet of paper.

Darling Daisy

You may have opted to end the game of Forfeit in October but I'm afraid the game hasn't ended. You will attend on New Year's Eve and you will do your dare.

Right now, twelve biographies teeter on publication, all concerning Antonio Bach. Eleven will tell the reader no more than they already know from newspapers, magazines and internet blogs. The twelfth biographer has found something worth publishing. The twelfth has found Yana.

The words blurred and I blinked to refocus. Oh God no.

Yana's divulged the details of the night at the ranch - your little red dress and the very high Jimmy Choo heels, the champagne and the cocaine.

Yana and the biographer will keep their mouths shut and the book private - large sums of money are ensuring that.

The money will cease to be paid on January 1st unless you take part in Stage Three.

Take care.

I walked on autopilot towards the wood-burner in the living room and without reading the letter again, I lit a corner, dropping the burning paper into the fire.

'Daze?' Xander crouched next to me.

The flames died and only ash remained. The words had gone. 'Who sent these?'

'I have no idea.'

'They're your friends.'

'Yes they are, and that's why I know they'd never do this. And you can stop thinking it's James. Do you really think he could be arsed to write a letter, just to wind you up?'

I shrugged. But it wasn't James, or any of them. It couldn't be. They couldn't possibly know about Yana.

Xander sat back against the sofa and lit a joint. 'What about someone who knows about Forfeit but isn't involved in it. Daniel Campbell?'

'Daniel? But he's nice-'

'No, Daisy, he's a complete bastard. You can't see it because he looks like the HMS and he's knows how to sweet-talk you.' Xander shook his head. 'I've tried to tell you.'