IRIS After we landed, there was a car and a driver waiting to take us to our hotel.Keeping my gaze on the dark streets of Louisiana as we drove past, I tried to steady my raging nerves. My body still felt warm from the plane ride, but my mind was elsewhere.Tomorrow, I was going to meet my sister.I had no idea how to feel about it. A mix of excitement and anxiety pressed into my chest. My mother really had another daughter. Chelsea was real. And she was waiting for me.Words couldn’t express how grateful I was to Maverick Sinclair.He sat beside me, his hand rubbing circles on my thigh as he scrolled through his phone. He looked completely at ease, as if this was natural. As if it was just another night.My mind, on the other hand, was going in circles as I tried to process everything.I stole a glance at him, giving him a tired smile, because genuinely, I was tired.“You’re awfully quiet.”Maverick hummed, not looking up from his phone. “Just handling a few things.”“For work?”“F
MAVERICKI had to fight hard against my inner voices, because all they wanted was to thrust hard into Iris until she forgot her own damn name.But patience… That was the keyword, and I had to exercise it.Iris wasn’t a meal to be rushed. She was a meal to be enjoyed. To be savored. And I was going to savor every single taste and smell of her until I got my fill.“Hands back on the window, Angel,” I muttered into her hair, enjoying the way she shivered as she did what I said.“My obedient baby girl,” I said, and Iris arched her back in response, her ass grazing the front of my pants. Grazing my hard cock.I knew she would like that.I ran my middle finger along her slit, spreading her wetness over and around her clit. And then I began to massage it, circling around her pulsing clit as Iris’s shivering intensified.“Oh my God,” she moaned, her head falling back into my chest as I pushed two of my fingers into her dripping hole.“Always so damn wet for me,” I breathed as I fucked her wit
IRIS Nothing about the hospital calmed me. Not the smell of disinfectant or the distinct smell of air freshener in the air. Not the soft blue colored walls that had slight cracks in them. Not Maverick’s hand which was pressed against my lower back as we followed behind the nurse who had been assigned to take us to Chelsea’s room. My heart was pounding so hard and fast again my ribcage, I could barely hear anything over the sound of it. She was here. My baby sister, Chelsea. Every single step I took was heavier than the last and my pulse raced with a mix of anxiety and something else I couldn’t name. Fear? Anticipation? I had no idea. I could already feel the walls closing in. Could already feel the panic rising in my chest. With a jolt, I realized that it had been quite a while since my last panic attack. Maverick applied pressure to my lower back, leaning in so his mouth grazed my earlobe. “Iris.” His voice was low and steady, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned to
IRIS Maverick’s footsteps were quiet, but I still felt him before I saw him. I lifted my head, my vision still blurry from all the tears that I’d refused to wipe away. And there he was, standing in the doorway, his tall frame tense as he leaned against the doorpost. His sharp eyes were zeroed in on me, and in his eyes was an expression that I couldn’t quite place. And then, in a voice that I wasn’t even sure he was capable of, he said, “Hey, little one.” Chelsea turned her head slightly, her small body still curled against me. And when she saw him, she blinked up at him, her big blue eyes filled with curiosity. “Who are you?” She asked, glancing at me, and then, back at him. Maverick stepped forward, slowly and carefully, as if he didn’t want to startle her. And then bent at the knees, crouching beside the bed so they were almost at eye level. “I’m Maverick,” he said, offering her a small smile. “I’m a friend of your sister’s.” Chelsea’s hand tightened weakly around my fing
MAVERICK I was dreaming.I had to be.There was no other way to explain it. No fucking way this was real. No fucking way that people could rise up from the dead.If Iris couldn’t see her, I would have gotten myself checked into a mental facility for seeing things. But she could. She could see. She just didn't know who she was.But I did. Layla Moss was dead. I’d woken up in the hospital, barely breathing, with people telling me she didn't make it. That she was gone. That they couldn’t even find her body.So how… how the fuck was she standing right here in my penthouse suite?“Layla?” I didn't even recognize my own voice. My legs were working on their own, moving forward, moving towards Layla. “What…how…”She tilted her head, sipping from the champagne flute, that damn smirk on her face. That was always a sign that she was about to mess with my head. She hadn‘t changed.Not one bit.“Just thought I’d surprise you, darling,” she said, winking at me. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”I t
MAVERICK “I can’t do this anymore.”The words felt like gravel in my throat, but I said them anyway. Because it wasn’t a matter of how I felt, it was a matter of necessity.This had to be done. For her. For me. For both of us.Layla stood frozen in the middle of my room, arms tightly wrapped around herself like she was trying to physically stop herself from falling apart.Her eyes searched mine. Wide. Wet. Disbelieving.“You… you don’t mean that.”“I do,” I said, softer now, but more firm. “We’re not good for each other, Layla. We haven’t been for a while.”We were an unhealthy pair. A toxic pair. And with everything that was going on in my life. My father. My brother. My grandfather…It was all too much. I couldn’t be here anymore. I couldn’t do this.Her head shook violently, and she let out a sharp laugh. “You’re just mad. We had a fight. Couples fight—”“This isn’t about just a fight,” I cut in, running my hand through my hair as I paced around my dorm room. “It’s the lies. The w
IRIS I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting at the bar. Twenty minutes? An hour? I’d drank enough wine to last me the rest of the week. Hell, maybe even two weeks.I was more than tipsy. I was drunk.Funny how I was only impulsively drinking so I could try to forget what had happened in the suite, but now, that was all I could think about.I groaned, pressing a hand to my forehead.Layla.She was beautiful in a way that made me feel plain. More elegant than someone like me could ever be. She had captured Maverick’s heart once upon a time. And why wouldn’t she?All I could think about was her hand on his chest, on his jaw. The way Maverick looked at her. As if she was his whole world. Well, I mean, she had been at some point.But what if she still was?I didn’t know her, had never heard of her, but I could feel it. Maverick had once loved this woman. It made me think about him saying he doesn’t date. Was it because of her?Why the hell was she here? How on earth did she have access
IRIS The expression on Maverick’s face softened, and I felt my walls building up. “Iris—”The elevator dinged.I stepped out the second the doors opened, not waiting for him to follow. But I could feel him on my heels.Why the hell was I even feeling like this? Maverick and I weren’t a couple. Not in private, anyway.Deep down, I’d known that getting into a sexual relationship with him would ruin things. Make me get attached. Make me feel too much.But instead, I listened to my body. Not my mind.“I didn’t name the company after her,” Maverick said quietly. “Not like the way you think.”I scoffed. He really did think I was stupid. My hand on the door leading to my room, I started to twist the knob, but the next words that came out of Maverick’s mouth stopped me.“She died,” he said. “And I needed something that felt like purpose. I needed…” he trailed off, letting out a sharp breath.I tilted my head, unsure what I was hearing as I turned to face him. “What do you mean she died?”The
IRIS My throat dried instantly, and my body froze. Maverick’s eyes remained locked on me, unmoving, unreadable.Terrifyingly calm.My fingers trembled as I bent down to pick the papers up, stuffing them haphazardly into the envelope in my lap. There was really no need for this. I had been caught.But I was too afraid to look at him. Too terrified.What did he know? How much had he found out?“I–I–I was just…” I stuttered, getting out of the car slowly. “I saw the envelope earlier and I just… I got curious.”Maverick’s jaw ticked, and he stepped further into the garage. His hair was damp as though he’d just showered, and he had on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.And he had another envelope in his hand.“You got curious,” he repeated, coming to a stop in front of me.I leaned against the car, my hands shaking beside me. I felt so small, so guilty standing in front of the father of my child, afraid that he’d just found out the one thing I didn’t want him to.I swallowed. “Yeah.” My
IRIS My stomach twisted. Who was he talking about? And who was Owens?Just then, Maverick turned around and saw me standing there. The only evidence of his surprise was the sleek arch of his eyebrows. “Alright,” he said, his gaze not leaving mine. “Gotta go.”He hung up, slipping the phone into his pocket as he walked toward me. “Eavesdropping, Iris?” “Not intentionally,” I replied as he opened the passenger side door for me. “You just sounded…intense.”As I slid into the seat, I spotted a dark brown envelope on Maverick’s seat, a few papers were sticking out of it, and I was about to reach for it when Maverick suddenly appeared at the driver’s seat.And in one swift move, tossed the folder over his folder into the backseat like it was nothing.My brows furrowed. “What is that?”“Work,” he said simply, adjusting his seatbelt, but something told me he was avoiding my eyes. “Nothing important.”I tilted my head as he reversed out of the parking lot. “Didn’t look like nothing,” I coul
IRIS My knees no longer wanted any part of this.Maverick was thrusting into me with so much fervor, my knees were shaking, threatening to give way under me. I was delirious with pleasure, unable to even look at my reflection in the mirror.One of his hands came around my neck, pulling my upper body back toward him, so my back was arched. “Just look at you, Angel,” he hissed into my ear. “Look at how sexy you look taking my cock like a good girl.”I gasped as my eyes met his in the mirror. Maverick’s pupils were really dark now, dilated with lust. His hair, thick and messy, fell over his forehead, making him look like some kind of sex god.“Mmmhm—”“Such a good girl for me only when you want me inside you. You’ve got no sense of self-respect, have you?”I swallowed thickly as he applied pressure to my neck.“Maveri—”“Such a pretty slut for me,” he growled, increasing his pace. “A lying slut, that’s what you are. But you’re mine, aren’t you? You can’t get enough of me, can’t stay aw
IRIS I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Didn’t know why all of a sudden, I was needy for Maverick when I was supposed to be hating him for what he did to me. But there was nothing else that I could do. Except show him how much I needed his cock right this moment. This wasn’t exactly the ideal place to fuck, but who cares? He was Maverick fucking Sinclair. He could do whatever he wanted. “It’s not exactly a big deal, Maverick,” I said, heaving a sigh. “There’s not an exact reason. And it’s just a casual dinner party. You don’t really need an excuse to throw one, do you?” Maverick tightened his grip around me. “No, I don’t.” I wanted to confess that it was Ryan who had put me up to this, but I wasn’t sure how that would go. And I had a feeling that I wasn't supposed to. Not when my daughter was involved. “Also,” I murmured. “It’ll be held in the Sinclair estate, right?” “Yeah.” Maverick tilted his head. “That’s where most parties are held.” He was hesitating. He really did
MAVERICK It was all I could do not to rush over to Iris, yank that sexy wedding dress up, shift her panties to the side and slide into her wet heat. My hands were curled into fists, and my jaw was clenched hard, but I didn’t take my eyes off her.She looked… exquisite.“Mr. Sinclair,” Chloe, Iris’s assistant for the day, announced heartily. “We were just finishing up. Do you—”“Leave us,” I cut in, still keeping my eyes fixed on my fiance’s through the mirror. Her own expression was defiant, eyes looking into mine like she wanted to kill me.Well, if looks could kill…The two women scurried out of the dressing room, leaving me and Iris all alone. This close, I could feel the anger radiating off her body, taking up the space in the room.“What are you doing here?” She snapped.My lips pulled down in a frown. “You said we needed to talk,” I said. “I’m here now.”Iris scoffed, finally turning around to look at me. Her hair was curled in waves that fell over her right shoulder, and she
IRIS The moment I stepped back into the building, Chloe was all over me. “Oh my gosh, Miss Blake!” she breathed. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I thought I lost you.” I narrowed my eyes at her. She seemed too worried. Way too worried. “I’m not a child, Chloe. You can’t ‘lose me.’” Something about the wild look in her eyes made me a little wary. Why the hell was she so worried that I would disappear? That I would… run away? What did Maverick put her up to? “Are you alright, Chloe?” I asked, observing the red tinting her cheeks. “You seem a little flustered.” Chloe shook her head aggressively. “No—I mean, yes, I’m alright. It’s just… I was asked to watch you closely, and when I came out of the bathroom and didn’t see you anywhere, I thought the worst. I’m sorry.” She bowed her head as she confessed, embarrassed. I ground my teeth together so hard, they could chip away. Chloe had just confessed to being my babysitter—as directed by Maverick. The sly bastard. He’d treated
IRIS My skin tingled, I wasn’t sure whether it was from the unfinished massage or Eleanor’s presence. But whatever it was, I was ready to leave.However, as I walked through the hallway, my phone buzzed in my hand. I quickly took it out, expecting to see a text from Maverick because he hadn’t replied, but what I saw had me halting on the spot.‘Hope you’re enjoying your spa day, Iris Blake.’My heart dropped into my stomach. It was a text from the same unknown number that had messaged me weeks ago.Another text came in.‘I think we’re long overdue for a talk, aren’t we? I’m in a black car across the street. Meet me there.’‘Make sure your pretty little assistant is unaware. You don’t want your fiance finding out, do you?.’My ears rang as sweat began to break out of my skin. Whoever this stranger was, he wanted to speak to me. And as wary as I was of the situation, I wanted to know what this person wanted to say.And even more important, I wanted to know who it was.“Chloe,” I called
IRIS “So you’re stalking me now?”Eleanor shrugged, strutting into the room and dropping her bag beside mine. She had on a blue maxi-dress that clung to her body, her blond hair was curled in waves and she had a pair of sunglasses perched on her head.My eyes darted to her stomach. She hadn’t started showing yet. But her skin was glowing and she had a wicked smile on her face. This would be her second child with Sebastian. “Who’s to say I am?” she replied, looking around the room. “Wedding preparations?”“What the hell are you doing here, Eleanor?” I asked, folding my arms.She tilted her head, tapping her finger to her chin as though she was considering my question. “Couple massage, obviously.”“What?” My brows shot up. “We’re not a couple.”She smirked. “Oh, I know. That’s what makes it fun.”I narrowed my eyes at her, ready to ask the masseuse to send Eleanor out, but on a second thought, I let her be. Eleanor was always planning something. Always up to something. Maybe this time
IRIS Every single step I took downstairs was a reminder of the night Maverick and I had. And with that, came the reminder of him abandoning me on the gym floor. I didn’t know how long I stayed there.An hour? Maybe two?All I knew was that Maverick wasn’t in the house when I finally found the strength to get up. And he wasn’t around right now.I didn’t have a shred of dignity left in me. Maverick had taken it, snatched it from me in the most brutal way ever, and I’d let him without even questioning him.“Lovely morning, Iris,” Tania’s cheery voice greeted me from the kitchen. She was pouring herself a cup of coffee. “Mav said you might sleep in today. Want some coffee?”“Thanks,” I muttered when she slid the mug in front of me. Well, at least he had the guts to mention me to Tania.‘Might sleep in today.’ The thought made me scoff.“Are you alright?” she asked, studying the expression on my face. “Need me to whip you up some breakfast? You look exhausted.”I raised my eyes to meet Ta