Iris & ArthurIris“Who is Caleb?”Arthur sighs. “He’s Selina’s brother,” he says, sinking down into his chair. He looks more weary than he did a little while ago.I’m not surprised by that tidbit of information, though. Whoever Caleb is, he sounds as if he’s certainly in a position of power. If not
However, over the last five years, it feels as if Caleb and Selina and their entire family seem to have lost the memo somewhere along the way.I lean forward, pushing my fingers into the surface of the desk. “Caleb, this is a complete abuse of power. Regardless of my bond with my fated mate, you can
IrisI realize I haven’t felt genuine joy in days once I step into my cozy apartment back in Bo’Arrocan and hear the sound of Miles’ tiny voice. He comes barreling into the foyer, his dark hair flopping into his bright green eyes, and quite literally launches himself into my arms.“Mommy, you’re bac
I turn to Brian, who’s lingering nearby, and hand him the contract. He takes a look at it. “This is… huge,” he says, his eyes wide as he glances up at me. “This is, like, every artist’s dream.”He’s right, too. To have a patron basically means that you’ve made it as an artist. To be given money just
IrisI didn’t think I would feel this way, but after deciding to move Miles to Ordan with me, I suddenly feel a new sense of cheer wash over me. Maybe I’m going back to a city filled with old memories, but the promise of new opportunities, a new life, is enough to soften some of the bad things.Righ
Arthur & IrisOnce I learned that Iris actually agreed to the patronage, I decided to go to the gallery to tell her that it was my gift as an apology for everything that Selina and her brother did.I never intended to keep her in the dark for the entire year; I just didn’t want her to know that I wa
IrisThe moment I see Arthur standing over me, my entire body freezes up.As a human, I don’t have the werewolf instincts that innately make my body react to an Alpha’s presence, but it doesn’t matter. The cold authority in Arthur’s gaze is enough to make me stiffen, my mind, body, and heart all war
Questions that I’m not ready to answer. And maybe I never will be.To my surprise, Arthur has a kids’ car seat in the back of his car. It still has a tag on it.“You just bought this?” I ask, glancing up at him as Miles climbs in.Arthur simply shrugs, his gaze betraying nothing. I can’t help but wo
My blood runs cold. “Are you saying this wasn’t an accident?”Ezra’s expression hardens. “I’m saying it’s suspicious. Especially given the timing… with the custody battle just starting.”A murderous rage begins to build up inside of me. “Find out who did this,” I order, my voice dropping to a danger
Arthur & IrisArthurI check my watch for the third time in as many minutes as I sit in the conference room. The meeting was supposed to begin nearly twenty minutes ago, and Iris still isn’t here. Even her lawyer arrived before she did.Maybe she’s decided against this, a tiny voice in the back of m
“Iris! Iris, wait!”I don’t respond. I don’t look back. I don’t even look at his fading form in the rearview mirror.…The drive to our new apartment later that afternoon is silent. Miles sits in the backseat, his face pressed against the window. He hasn’t spoken to me in days—not since I told him w
IrisI can’t believe I’m doing this.Suing Arthur for custody feels wrong. Cruel, even—not just to him, but to myself and Miles as well. Each day since I took the lawyer’s offer, I feel as if I’ve made a grave mistake.And yet, at the same time, it feels like the only solution. The only way out from
Each accusation lands like a punch to the gut because they contain just enough truth to be damning. I look to Iris again, desperate for her to understand.“Iris, we can work this out. We don’t need lawyers. We can talk about this, just the two of us.”She shakes her head slightly. “There’s nothing t
ArthurThe email arrives while I’m getting ready for work.It’s from a law firm. Subject line: “Urgent Legal Matter: Your Presence Required.”My first thought is Selina. Perhaps she’s trying to sue me for breach of contract or public humiliation after I ended our engagement at the exhibition, not th
Is staying here, continuing this toxic dance with Arthur, really what’s best for Miles? Or am I just afraid of hurting him in the short term, even if leaving would be better for him in the long run?Biting my lip, I pull out my phone and send a text to Alice: “Can you come with me to look at an apar
IrisI’m staring at my phone in disbelief, reading the email for the third time to make sure I’m not hallucinating.“We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the Abbott Gallery residency. Your work demonstrated exceptional promise and artistic vision…”My fingers tremble as I scr
“As if it wasn’t bad enough that you thought I was a gold digger,” I say, shaking my head. “Did you think that from the beginning? When we were first dating, did you think I was just with you for your money?”Arthur’s silence is damning.“Answer me!” I demand, my voice rising.“I… thought you were h