Breaking Her Rules

chapter 2



Wyatt barely contained the primitive urge to chase after his wife, throw her over his shoulder and get the hell out of there. This was the last place he wanted to be. He avoided parties like this whenever possible, but he was out of patience where Iris was concerned. He’d waited a f*cking month for her to come to her senses—and come back to him. He wasn’t waiting anymore. Not when she belonged with him.

Always had.

He watched her walk away from him, her long, lean body moving with a liquid grace that got him impossibly hot. She’d done that to him since they were teenagers. They’d both grown up in a small Georgia town that might as well have been the middle of nowhere. He’d been the son of the town drunk and her mother had been one of the few Native Americans living there. Because of small-minded, ignorant a*sholes they’d both been looked down upon because of their families so they’d formed a fast friendship at a young age. When they’d been just ten-years-old he’d caught some redneck boys calling her racist slurs and bullying her on her way home from school. Well, trying to. Before he had a chance to step in and defend her, she decked one of the boys right across the face, breaking his nose and nailed the other in the groin.

F*cking tough.

She’d always been like that and he loved it. Hell, that day he’d fallen a little in love with her. Even if the job she worked now scared the hell out of him, he needed her in his life. Needed her more than his next breath. Wyatt didn’t want her protecting other people, putting herself in danger on a daily basis. He got hives just thinking about it.

Watching her in that skintight black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places as she held onto another man’s arm was making him crazy. She’d secured her silky dark hair back against her neck in a complicated looking twist. It wasn’t for fashion; Wyatt knew that much about his Iris. It was so her hair wouldn’t get in her way if she needed to move fast. But he’d seen it down, had felt it splayed against his bare chest as she slept on him. Dark brown hair that looked midnight black in the right lighting. He craved to run his fingers through it, to cup her head and pull her body tight against his. And what a body—long, lean and perfect. When she was younger she’d been self-conscious about being too thin, but she’d grown into her body and her breasts…he’d been fantasizing about them for a long damn time. A month ago he’d finally had one of his fantasy questions answered when he discovered the color of her nipples; dark brown. He’d also found out her favorite sexual positions and what she sounded and looked like when she came.

Even if he knew it was just part of her job, his possessive side didn’t want to listen to her order. And he actually liked Gene Berr. The man was smart and honest to deal with. The latter was something Wyatt considered very important. He dealt with a lot of sharks in his world—he could be one himself—but he wouldn’t deal with liars. Still, he didn’t like anyone touching Iris.

One of the men he’d noticed earlier, who was definitely part of Iris’s security team, no matter how much he was trying to blend in, eyed Wyatt suspiciously as he strode toward the stairs. The man’s pale blue eyes were a bright contrast against his dark skin. Wyatt guessed the man used that look to intimidate people when he wanted. It was a waste of time on him.

Ignoring him and the others he knew were with Iris, he headed for the stairs, following her and Berr at a distance that wouldn’t make the team feel threatened. He wasn’t interested in the three companies being sold off, but when he’d learned Iris would be here tonight, Wyatt had orchestrated an invite. It was time they figured things out between them.

Once inside the expansive conference room, their host, Palmer Oakes, liked to conduct business in, Wyatt’s gaze immediately tracked Iris. She stood by one of the wood-paneled walls, her alert espresso colored eyes taking in everything and everyone. Assessing and calculating, she was ready to move into action at a moment’s notice. She wavered when her gaze raked over him. Just for a moment, but he had no doubt that he unnerved her.

Good.

While he wanted her to acknowledge him a hell of a lot more than that, now wasn’t the time or the place. He gave her a look he hoped she understood. Soon they would talk and he’d have her flat on her back, underneath him, and crying out his name as she climaxed around his cock.

Very soon.

Her dark eyes widened as if she’d read his mind before she glanced away and he felt the loss immediately. Sighing, he rolled his shoulders once. Now he needed to act like the civilized businessman he was and get this shit over with. Nodding at Berr, Oakes and the fourth man joining them for the night, he sat with them at the end of the long, rectangular conference table and let the negotiations begin.

There were only two security personnel in the room, including Iris. Everyone else had been left outside. Wyatt had left his own men downstairs. The party was well guarded and he knew this room was military-level secure, having been in it more than once. Oakes dealt with various government contracts and though Wyatt preferred to deal with the private sector, he occasionally worked with the government. Hell, he had a huge deal lined up with a certain branch and negotiations were slated to start next month.

Barely two minutes into their negotiations, Berr received a phone call. From out of the corner of his eye, Wyatt noticed Iris touch her ear, clearly in contact with one of her security team. After a few moments of one word responses, Berr abruptly stood, shoving the chair back against the hardwood floor. “Gentlemen, I have to go. I apologize.”

Iris straightened and stepped toward him, her low heels clicking against the floor. She clearly knew what was going on because she gave Berr a brisk nod. “Let’s go.”

Worry for Iris built inside him. Even though he had no idea what was going on, Wyatt knew when she stepped outside that door she’d once again be putting herself in danger. Unable to stop himself, he stood and crossed the floor before they reached the door. “Iris,” he said quietly.

Her hand was gripping Berr’s upper arm as if she had to hold him up. The man’s face was pale and worried, but Wyatt ignored him.

Iris’s dark eyebrows rose slightly, her expression wary. “Yes?”

“Will you call me tonight?” God help him, he needed to know she was safe. Even if she only called and spoke to him for a few seconds, he just wanted to hear her voice.

She paused, the moment seeming to stretch on for an eternity. He hated making himself vulnerable in front of anyone, especially a room full of sharks who would rip apart any perceived weakness, but at the moment he didn’t care.

Iris was and always had been his weakness.

“Of course,” she murmured, her eyes softening for just a second before her familiar mask fell back into place.

Then she and Berr were gone.



* * * * *



Iris kept a firm grip on Berr’s upper arm as they headed down the stairs. This time the team didn’t bother trying to be invisible to the partygoers. In addition to her, they surrounded him in a tight circle as they hurried through the house.

“I’m not going to collapse,” Berr muttered as they eventually reached the waiting SUV. Vincent was already in the driver’s seat as she helped Berr into the backseat.

“I know.” But she figured he might need the support right now and didn’t want to admit it. “She’s fine, so you’ll be fine too.” Iris knew saying the words out loud would help him stay calm on the drive to Loretta’s house. They’d received word from one of her team that Loretta’s house had been broken into while Berr had been at the meeting tonight. Turns out Berr wasn’t the one being stalked, Loretta was. By one of Berr’s exes. The gunshot she’d suffered earlier in the week hadn’t been intended for Berr. Now Iris was incredibly thankful she’d left two extra men to guard Loretta.

It had saved the woman’s life tonight.

“I should have been there with her.” He glanced out the tinted window as they zoomed away.

“She insisted you go and Loretta is forceful.” The petite woman with flawless skin had been laid up with a gunshot wound and she’d still been a little terrifying.

“I should have—”

“There’s nothing you could have done. And she’s alive.” That was what mattered. According to her teammate, the woman who’d wanted to hurt Loretta was now dead, one of Red Stone’s guys having been forced to kill her in self-defense.

Iris figured that it might take Berr a while to come to terms with the fact that a woman he’d once been involved with had tried to kill someone important to him—and was now dead. She rubbed a hand over her face. What a mess.

There would be a whole lot of paperwork and a trip down to the police station tonight. She didn’t have to go, but if one of her men was filling out a report and being interviewed by the police, she wanted to be there with him. Iris also had a feeling that her boss, Harrison Caldwell, would show up too. And he’d bring a lawyer or two.

They drove in silence, taking only fifteen minutes to arrive at the quiet, middle class neighborhood on the outskirts of the downtown area. She could see the flashing blue and red lights bouncing off the trees of the dead end street before they’d reached the one-story cottage style home.

There were four police cars, two ambulances, a fire truck and two black SUVs Iris knew were owned by Red Stone. Oh yeah, total mess. Before Vincent had even parked, Berr had jumped from the backseat and was sprinting across the asphalt.

“Crap,” she muttered, unsnapping her own seat belt and following suit.

A police officer with blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun held up a hand as Berr neared the cordoned off area. The cops hadn’t taped anything off, but they’d set up small cones signaling where civilians weren’t allowed past and Berr didn’t look as if he planned to stop for anyone.

“Sir—” The woman stopped as Loretta cut her off with a shout.

“Gene!” Loretta sat on the back of one of the ambulances, a uniformed EMT in front of her. She waved a hand, swatting at the man who tried to stop her, and slid off her seat. Wearing a knee-length purple tube top-style dress, her bandaged shoulder was visible but she looked well enough considering everything. While her face was pale, she was definitely relieved to see Berr.

Berr didn’t pause as he crossed the distance between them. Loretta looked like she was about to say something, but Berr kissed her hard. Even though he was Iris’s client and she was supposed to be watching him at all times, Iris turned to the side to give them a little privacy. She ruthlessly buried the unwanted emotions that built inside her as she thought of the closeness she’d shared with Wyatt only a month ago. He’d kissed her the same way Berr was kissing Loretta now. The need and hunger emanating off both of them was almost palpable. And she so did not need to see that. Not when she was already a conflicting mess of emotions.

She found Vincent hovering behind her. Kell and another Red Stone agent were talking to the female officer, no doubt letting her know who they were and why they were there.

For the next few minutes Iris and Vincent kept an eye on Berr and Loretta who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Eventually Vincent opened his big mouth, just like she knew he would. “How is it that you’re married, Iris? And how come none of us know about it? And why weren’t we invited to the wedding?”

“Seriously?” Her head snapped up and she glared at him. He wanted to talk about this in front of a client? Well, Berr wasn’t exactly in hearing range, but the timing was inappropriate. Besides, she couldn’t find the right words to tell her coworkers that she’d had a quickie marriage in Vegas a month ago but now wanted a divorce without sounding like a flake. It was too personal and she didn’t want others knowing all about her business. Her private life was just that. Private.

Kell tried to smother a laugh with a cough as he strode up to them. It was a pathetic attempt.

“What? I’m curious.” Vincent shrugged, those pale eyes of his flashing with amusement.

She half nodded in Berr’s direction, hoping Vincent would get the hint, but the client was now feet away from them and looking at her. Iris glanced over his shoulder to find Loretta talking to a police officer and an EMT.

“I’m curious too. Wyatt Christiansen…” Berr trailed off, shaking his head, his gaze growing speculative. “It makes sense that he’d end up with a woman like you.”

Despite her desire to end this conversation immediately, a spark of anger popped inside her. What was up with a relative stranger talking to her like that? “Like me?”

He held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I just meant…bad ass. Harrison gave me your resume. It’s impressive. You and Christiansen fit, that’s all I’m saying.” Berr turned back to watch Loretta. “She said to give her a few minutes while she packs a bag. They wanted to take her to the hospital but she’s not injured and she refuses to go so we’re taking her to my house.”

Iris nodded at him then looked at Vincent and Kell. “You two escort them back to his house. I’m going to the station. Are the cops okay with our presence?” Depending upon who was on duty made a difference for Red Stone’s reception anywhere.

“Yeah,” Kell said. “And Harrison’s on his way to the station. I figured you’d be going so he’s meeting you there instead of coming here.”

“Good. Call me if there’s a problem.” Iris said a polite goodbye to Berr, then headed toward the closest police officer.

She tried to clear her head of all thoughts Wyatt, but couldn’t get his sexy image out of her head. And she wanted to throttle Vincent for bringing up her marriage. She still couldn’t believe she’d married Wyatt and she certainly didn’t want to talk about it when her husband refused to divorce her. Stubborn ass.

A month ago she’d had to take her vacation time or lose it and had no clue where to go when Wyatt had asked her to visit Vegas for the week. He’d just bought another hotel out there and she’d needed the break so she’d gone. They’d been friends for a long damn time, but they’d somehow ended up married her second night there. Okay, there was no ‘somehow’ about it. She’d been completely sober, unless you counted being high from the most addictive sex she’d ever had. After making the jump from friends to lovers so quickly they’d spent the next week practically naked the entire time, and f*cking on any surface they could. Wyatt had been adamant that she wear his ring, that she show she was his. God, the man was so possessive and with anyone else it would annoy the shit of her. But with him, it terrified her because she felt possessive about him too. Always had. But what chance did they have of making things work?

She felt her cheeks heating up as she thought about those nights—and days—wrapped up in his strong arms. Damn Wyatt for being so sexy and stubborn. All it had taken was one look at him tonight and she’d wanted to run her hands through his jet black hair and pull his mouth to hers. Then rip his clothes off and let him completely dominate her. She’d never been like that with anyone else, but letting Wyatt take control came so naturally it made her want to run far and fast from him.

Mentally shaking herself, Iris forced thoughts of him from her head. Berr’s threat might be eliminated, but she wasn’t going to be distracted. Until this job was officially over, she had to stay focused. She hadn’t gotten to where she was by letting her emotions rule her and she wasn’t about to start tonight. Something Wyatt should be aware of by now.