I nod. “For free. Of whatever you want.”“Why the hell would I want a portrait?”“Because a ‘Flora’ original is going to be worth a fortune someday,” I reply, not caring how haughty I sound at the moment.The Beta stares at me, clearly not buying it. I don’t blame him, of course; lying to Arthur is
Iris“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us, Ms. Tarrou?”Augustine glances up at the handsome male EMT as she lowers herself into her armchair and waves her hand dismissively. “No, no. I’m feeling much better now. You’ve been a great help.”The EMT looks at me, and I shrug, showing him to the
I blink, not sure what to say. I don’t know if I have the heart to tell her right now that we’re… not.But Augustine goes on, “Ever since you left, it became awfully quiet up there. I miss hearing the music late at night. And the sound of you two laughing.”My heart wrenches painfully at the reminde
IrisThe following day is the day of the exhibition, and I still don’t have anything suitable to wear. But after yesterday’s incident, I don’t exactly feel inclined to go out shopping. Plus, it’s pouring rain even harder than yesterday.The most obvious solution, of course, is to raid my old closet
And it smells like home.Before I can think twice, I’m suddenly pulling the sweater on over my head, drawing the thick fabric up to my nose and inhaling deeply. A sense of calm washes over me that I haven’t felt in years, and I allow myself a moment to enjoy the comfort. Just a moment, I tell myself
IrisI scramble to my feet, my face instantly heating beneath Arthur’s confused gaze. I quickly realize that I’m still wearing his sweater, and that I fell asleep in his closet while waiting for Selina to leave.“I… Um…” I glance around, looking for some kind of excuse. My eyes finally fall on the p
I can’t help but clutch at the pearls around my neck. “Alice, I really can’t thank you enough for this opportunity,” I say, turning to the curator. “It looks fabulous.”Alice grins and grabs two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, handing one to me. She clinks hers against mine and says with
IrisI turn, my drink still trembling slightly in my hand, and there he is—Arthur, standing right next to me, looking unfairly handsome in a tuxedo. The black fabric hugs his broad shoulders, the crisp white shirt beneath making his green eyes pop even more.I didn’t expect him to be here tonight, b
He shrugs and goes to pick up the glass again. “It’s just how it is.”I shake my head and move the glass out of his way. “No more of this tonight. You’ve had enough.”Arthur pouts, actually pouts, which confirms my suspicion that he’s drunker than he’s letting on. “But how will I sleep?”The questio
IrisThe baseball bat connects with the wall with a sickening crack as Arthur ducks just in time, letting out a surprised yelp.“Holy shit!” I shriek, the bat slipping from my hands and clattering to the floor. “Arthur! I almost took your head off!”Arthur straightens up, his eyes wide in the dim li
I glance at Arthur, who shrugs. “I’d love to,” he says, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “Just one story, though. It’s past your bedtime.”I leave them to it, Arthur’s deep voice following me down the hall as he begins to read one of Miles’ favorite books. Something warm unfurls in my chest at
IrisArthur turns to me as we pull up to my apartment building later. “They seemed to like you.”“Your parents?” I ask, glancing at him. “Yeah, they were nice. Especially after that awkward first meeting.”He makes a noncommittal sound, staring out the windshield for a moment before turning off the
I feel a flush of pleasure at his praise. “Thank you.”“And you have a son together,” Wendy states, leaving behind the subject of my career. “Miles, is it?”I nod, dragging my lower lip through my teeth. I feel like I’m being grilled, one question after another in quick succession.“He’s five,” I sa
Iris“You’re sure you can handle this?” Arthur asks, his hand resting on the small of my back. We’re standing just outside the ballroom entrance, about to make our reappearance.I take a deep breath, smoothing the front of my new black dress. It’s simpler than the emerald gown—a sleek, form-fitting
“I’ve missed you,” he breathes against my skin. “So much, Iris. You have no idea.”I thread my fingers through his hair, tugging him back up to my mouth. “Show me,” I whisper against his lips.His eyes darken further, and he captures my mouth again in a kiss that makes my eyes roll back with pleasur
IrisThe jacket slips from my shoulders, falling to the carpet with a soft thud. I feel my face heat as Arthur drags his gaze over the tattered remains of my dress, lingering briefly on my exposed breasts, hips, and belly, but I don’t try to cover myself again.“The scratches don’t look that bad,” h
“They marked your face,” he says quietly. “They were trying to—”“I know what they were trying to do,” I interrupt. “Make you not want me anymore. Make me too ugly or damaged for you to keep as your mate.” I laugh bitterly. “Like your attraction to me is solely based on my looks.”Arthur’s hands sti