“Appearances are everything.”
My teeth grind together. I learned that lesson far too many times over the years after my mom died. Because while our house was nothing but chaos in private, to the rest of the world we were the ultimate American family. My private school teachers never questioned the random black eyes or bruises on my skin. They were easily bought like everyone else, feeding into the vicious cycle of my childhood. The one I did everything in my power to protect Cal and Rowan from, even if it meant taking my father on by myself.
“Thank you for coming. I wish we could stay longer and chat, but I want to introduce Declan to my cousin before she leaves.”
Iris tugs on the sleeve of my suit, and I follow her without bothering to look back at my father. I’m too lost in my thoughts to notice much else.
It’s not until Iris pushes me into a cramped room and flips the light switch that I notice the noise around us is turned down to a manageable level.
I check out our surroundings. “A supply closet?”
She laughs. “I’m sorry. It was the first unlocked door I could find.”
“Why are we hiding?”
“Because you looked about two seconds away from blowing up on your father. I thought you might like the idea of getting away from everyone for a few minutes.”
Iris always has a superpower of knowing what I need exactly when I need it. She truly is invaluable at her job.
“Thank you.” I lean against a shelf of cleaning supplies.
After hours of talking to people, I feel like I can finally breathe again. My temples still throb from overstimulation, but the ache has lessened drastically.
Iris jumps onto a washing machine and uses the lid as a seat. “Tonight has been…”
“Excruciating,” I finish for her.
She nods. “If this is the dinner party, I can only imagine how the wedding will go.”
“You’re the one who wanted a big wedding.”
“Only because my mother would kill me for excluding her.”
“Then let’s elope and invite her along. She can be our sole witness.” The statement bursts out of me faster than I can kill it.
Her laugh dies when she catches the look on my face. “You’re serious.”
I nod, liking the idea more by the second. “We could spin it as a whirlwind idea. I could have us in Vegas in four hours or less.”
“We did not go through all this pain to give up right before the finish line.”
“It’s not giving up. It’s changing routes.”
She presses her hand against her mouth to muffle her laughter. Her obvious denial of my idea makes me bolder, and I refuse to take her no as a final answer.
I encroach on her space, trapping her against the washing machine. Her eyes get a wild look in them as I step between her legs. The material of her long dress stretches enough to accommodate my size.
I grab her chin, forcing her to look up at me. “Think about it. You, me, and a drive-thru chapel. No press. No frills. No expectations.”
“The pinnacle of romance,” she replies with a dry voice.
My thumb clutching onto her chin presses a bit harder. “I’ll throw in another hundred million to make it happen.”
She breaks free of my hold as her head drops back. The laugh she unleashes does something abnormal to my heart rate, the steady beat turning erratic.
“No amount of money can change my mind seeing as my mother would kill me before I have a chance to enjoy it.”
My disappointed sigh makes her smile.
She gives my chest a reassuring pat. “If it’s any consolation, I hate the idea just as much as you.” Her palm burns a hole straight through my chest, directly above my heart.
Her lashes flutter as she blinks up at me, and my attention is split between staring into her eyes and looking down at her lips. Being this close to her does something catastrophic to my self-restraint. I’m not sure whether it’s the lack of human contact I’ve had or desiring something forbidden, but I keep being drawn to her.
“Did you leave the light on in the supply closet again? What did I tell you about wasting electricity?” The knob jangles, and Iris’s eyes widen as she looks at me.
“Tell me you locked—”
Iris’s hands sink into my hair as she shoves my head to the side. Her lips press against my neck, setting the blood in my veins on fire. She locks her legs around my waist and pulls me closer. Blood rushes from my head to my dick as Iris leaves a trail of kisses down my neck.
Keys rattle against one another as the doorknob twists. Light pours into the room as a couple of servers stare at us with open mouths.
One of them steps up. “I’m sorry—”
“Leave,” I lash out.
Iris chuckles against my skin, and I feel the sound straight to my cock.
Her laugh is a powerful aphrodisiac I don’t have any business relishing in.
The door slams. Iris shoves me away before slipping off the washer.
“Well, wasn’t that fun?”
My slacks seem to tighten as I consider just how much fun that was.
A deep brown hand lands on my arm. I look over to find Iris’s mom holding onto me with a shy smile.
“Hi.”
“Are you looking for Iris?” I scan the room for her.
“I actually came to talk to you.”
Do I have the option to politely decline?
Her smile falters. “I won’t take up more than a few minutes of your time.
I know you’re a busy man and everything.”
I see my reputation precedes me.
“Let’s go outside.” I motion toward the empty balcony and let her lead the way.
I take a deep breath as the doors shut behind us and silence settles in.
“Iris told me you hate these kinds of things.” She wrings her hands in front of her.
“Loathe is more like it.”
She laughs, and it reminds me of Iris’s wheezy one. Like oxygen can’t make it to her lungs fast enough.
“How are you holding up with all this?”
“As to be expected for an introvert who hates social gatherings, small talk, and people in general.”
“Then why do it in the first place?”
“Because it’s expected.”
Her braids shift as she tilts her head. “It must be exhausting putting on an image for the public.”
“You have no idea.”
“I might not know what it is like to grow up in the public eye like you, but I understand having to put on a face for everyone around you.”
“You do?” I find that hard to believe.
Her eyes dart toward the city skyline. “I’m sure Iris told you about my ex-husband and his very particular expectations.”
I open my mouth but think better of it. In reality, I don’t know much about Iris’s father besides the fact that he is a deadbeat.
She continues, saving me from having to come up with something to say.
“When she told me she was getting married to you, I was excited that she finally met someone who could treat her right. Someone who could prove that love can heal the soul as much as it can destroy it. I’ve heard the way she talks about you.”
Now I’m very curious about this conversation.
“How so?”