“To think I thought you would be helpful.”
He glares. “If you want her to fall in love with you, you have to prove to her how you’re different from all the men she has dated before.”
“That can’t be too hard. They were all disgustingly average in every single way.”
“Unfortunately for you, you fall into the same category.”
My frown deepens. “I highly doubt that.”
“You can either argue every point I make or you can shut up and listen to someone else for once.”
I do one slow blink.
“There was always something that held her back from going all in, but the reasons all stemmed from the same issue.”
“Which was?”
“They never fully earned her trust.”
“All I’ve done is given her reasons to trust me.”
“Your whole relationship is a lie.”
I glare. “No, it’s not.”
“I’m not the one you need to convince.”
“What do you suggest I do?”
“Easy. Start with the truth and go from there.”
“What truth?”
“The fact that there is probably a part of you that has been in love with her for a long time, way before you ever signed a marriage contract.”
There he goes again with the L-word. It could explain my insane need to keep Iris close and protect her from harm’s way. The way my chest feels all tight when she is gone. How my heart beats faster whenever she is in the same room as me. My intense need to mind my words so I don’t hurt her.
Shit.
I am falling in love with Iris. The signs were all there, and I ignored them because I didn’t truly understand them.
Instead of an intense wave of panic at the idea of loving Iris, I feel calm.
Love I can work with. I might not know how, but I’m willing to learn. For her and only her.
I switch my water for the whiskey. “I feel like I’m going to need something stronger for the rest of this conversation.”
Whoever said the truth will set you free is a dumbass. My legs feel weighed down by invisible cement blocks as I walk inside the house. I throw the keys on the counter and make my way toward the stairs, only to change paths toward the bright light on the other side of the house.
A lamp in the corner of the living room basks the space in a low light.
Iris, still dressed in my T-shirt, lays sprawled out on the couch with a blanket covering the bottom half of her body. One of her hands still clutches onto her phone as if she is waiting for a call.
She stayed up for you.
I instantly regret my decision to turn off my phone after she called me the first time. It was a rash choice made in the heat of the moment, but it was clearly the wrong one.
I lift her carefully in my arms, being mindful not to wake her with any sudden movements. She mumbles something before snuggling up to my chest. My chest tightens as I look down at her, wondering how the hell I ended up married to a woman like her.
You know how.
My teeth grind together as I let out an agitated breath. Iris’s head bobs with the movement, but she doesn’t stir.
I carry her up the stairs and toward my room. Somehow, I’m able to get her tucked into bed without waking her up, although she mumbles a few things in her sleep about her mom.
I shower before crawling into bed and tugging Iris against me. I intertwine her legs with mine, securing her to my body so she isn’t able to escape in the morning.
34
IRIS
I wake up sweating and unable to move anything but my head. Somehow, I ended up in Declan’s bed, trapped by his arms and legs.
The audacity of this man is unrivaled. I try to escape his grasp, but it only seems to make things worse. His arms tighten around me as he mumbles something unintelligible into my hair.
“Declan.” I push against his chest.
“Shh.” He kisses the top of my forehead before releasing a soft sigh.
“Wake up.” I shove him a bit harder, and that seems to do the trick.
He blinks up at the ceiling before looking at me. “Good morning.” His arms remain locked around me, equally as irritating as his legs securing me to his side.
“You can take your good morning and shove it up your ass.”
He laughs, and I’m instantly peeved from the way the sound warms my insides like alcohol in the dead of winter.
“Is there a reason I’m in your bed?”
“Because I wanted to be able to do this.”
My back hits the mattress right before his lips press against mine. The kiss is a complete contrast from yesterday’s desperation, and I find myself growing frustrated with how controlled Declan appears. It’s soft, sweet, and far too tame after the kind of sex we had.
How can he kiss me like that after walking out on me? Blood rushes through my ears, making the tips hot.
I shove at his chest. “Get off.”
“No can do.”
“What?”
“I’m holding you hostage until you hear me out.”
My mouth drops open. I try to budge, but he created a cage with his limbs.
You fell for the oldest trick in the book.
Instead of kissing him, I should have been trying to get out from under him. Declan had me completely dickmatized, goddammit.
“Stop fighting and give me ten minutes.”
“You don’t deserve ten seconds, let alone ten minutes of my time.”
“How about ten words then?”
I laugh. “I’d like to see you try.”
“I am falling in love with you, Iris Elizabeth Kane.”
I blink up at him. Either I am still sleeping or I must have not heard him correctly because there is no way Declan Kane just admitted that he is falling in love with me.
Absolutely no fucking way.
Right?
I squeeze my eyes shut as if that can erase the words from my memory.
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
“This is just another part of your game.” I try to push him away, but he doesn’t budge.
“It stopped being a game for me a long time ago.”
“You’re lying.”
His brows pull together. “Ask me why I hate when people use Times New Roman instead of Arial.”
“Are you serious right now? What does that have to do with any of this?”
“Because I chose it for you.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I read somewhere online that sans serif fonts are easier for people with dyslexia to read, so I changed my requirements. Forced everyone else I oversee to switch with me or else they would face my wrath. All because I wanted to help you.”
Emotions clog my throat, preventing my ability to reply. What can I possibly say that could compare to that?
Declan doesn’t give me an option as he continues. “Want to know why I kept the cactus?”
I nod.
“Because it was the first time someone got me a present that made me laugh.”
If hearts could melt into puddles, mine would be liquified right about now.
His eyes dart away from my face. “Ask me why you were denied the job transfer.”
No.
There’s absolutely no freaking way.
“Tell me you didn’t.”
His lips press into a thin white line. “I couldn’t let you go.”
“I can’t believe you right now.” I push at his shoulders but it’s as effective as moving a boulder.
“For what it’s worth, I’m not proud of it.”
“You sabotaged me.” My voice cracks.