Iris“Are you ok?”My eyes snapped to the man sitting opposite me. My date.Forcing myself to smile, I reached for the glass of water in front of me. The wine that sat alongside it remained untouched. The red liquid looked too much like blood. “Yeah.” I forced myself to smile at him. And I was. The date had started out a little uncomfortable, but I had just put that down to the fact it had been so long since I had been on one. But the man opposite me, a man who worked in insurance and had the kindest eyes I had ever seen, had been nothing but a perfect gentleman. The restaurant he had chosen was classy and romantic.Even if our table by the window made me feel like we were having a date in a fishbowl.“Yeah,” I mumbled again, wiping my hand across my lips. “Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts for a second.” Shaking myself, I crossed my legs, and my knee brushed his under the table. Scooting back, my chair rocked back on two legs as I let out a little scream. It wasn't like he had purpos
CyberI had never been happier that I had borrowed Maggie's truck instead of taking my bike in my life. There was absolutely no way that Iris could have ridden even the short distance back to the house in the state she was in.She didn't say a word the entire trip back. She just sat there and stared out the window, tears falling silently down her cheeks. I was a jerk for telling her in the restaurant, especially when I wasn't even sure that it was Violet. I should have thought before opening my mouth.Hell, there were a lot of things I should have done in hindsight.“Iris?” Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes glassy in the glow from Maggie's porch lights. She looked like a zombie, totally out of it. She was in shock. “We’re home.” She paled even more. Home. Where I would potentially shatter her entire world. Her eyes shifted up to the house. None of the lights were on, but I knew Maggie would be awake and waiting for us. “I don't know if I can go in…” Iris mumbled rubbing her ha
IrisIt was strange being in bed with Cyber, after all that time. But what was stranger was the fact that I wasn’t freaked out at all by his half naked body stretched out next to mine. Maybe I should have been more surprised that he hadn’t tried anything on. He just lay there, his arms crossed behind his head, snoring softly.It was me that wished something would happen. Me who wanted him to push me down onto the mattress and remind me of the woman I used to be. I hadn’t enjoyed sex in years. It was just something I had to endure to survive. But lying next to him, feeling the heat from his skin warming mine, rekindled something in me. Violet was alive.I was alive. And I would get her back. I would do whatever it took to get her back, but that didn't mean I had to stop living. I wanted to feel like me again. To heal.Huffing softly, I rolled onto my side. Sleep wouldn’t come no matter how hard I tried; I was like an elastic band that was stretched too tight.“Why are you moving away
Cyber“I don't have long.” Wearily, I took my seat at the table, eyeing my brothers each in turn as they turned their faces towards me. This wasn't church. This was just a set number of men who Fang trusted.I probably wouldn't have been one of them, but I was closer to Iris than any of the others, well, apart from Monster, and he was too much of a loose cannon to be involved. “You're going back to her then?”I shrugged. What kind of question was that? Of course I was going back. I wasn't going to let Iris out of my sight for long.“What have you found out?” Fang was straight down to business as always.“The kid that was found isn't Violet.” I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped my lips. Fang leant forward. “Monster filled us in last night when he came back here. You stayed the night with her, didn't you?”I shrugged again. “She needed someone.” Why did it feel like I was being interrogated? I wasn't on trial. “So, is Fang’s hunch right? Why is she really here?”Across t
IrisI expected to be shoved on the back of Cyber’s bike. What I didn't expect was for him to take my hand gently in his and lead me across the garden. I glanced back at the house. It was my safe place. My lifeline.Catching my worried look, Cyber’s steps slowed. “We aren't going far, Iris, you don't have to worry.”“Where are we going?” If he thought he could come waltzing into Maggie's kitchen and just drag me anywhere he wanted, he had another thing coming, and I opened my mouth to tell him so.Grumbling under his breath, Cyber spun me into his arms. My nose bumped into his chest, and tears sprang into my eyes.“Jesus, woman, do you ever stop talking?” Roughly his fingers tilted my chin up. “Did you just hurt yourself?” His eyes softened, and the pad of his thumb brushed away the tears.Mutely, I pointed at my nose.“It's not broken.” Firm fingers probed gently, but it still sent shockwaves of pain through me.I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him. It might not be broken, but it
CyberMaybe it was wrong of me. Maybe I was a damn selfish fool.I wanted to be close to her, even if she did end up being my enemy. I couldn't bring myself to push her away. Not when I had finally got her back. It was more than just lust, although there was plenty of that simmering between us. When it came to her, I felt the overwhelming urge to protect. It was a strange feeling for someone like me. I had gone through life caring as little as possible for the people who were in my life. Yes, I was loyal to my club brothers, and I had known Monster since we were both scrawny teenagers, so I was loyal to him as well. But Iris. I shouldn't have felt anything for her, especially once I knew she was up to something. But I just couldn't help myself.It wasn't even the fact that she was the mother of my kid. No, Iris had been the image of my ideal woman since the moment I had seen her picture flash up on the internet years ago. She had been different to the women I usually attracted. Swee
IrisPressing my hand to the lip he had bitten, my fingertip came away spotted with blood. They were almost mesmerising, those tiny beads of red.Cyber had made me bleed. It should have made me furious. But it wasn't anger that was warming my body. It was something just as primal, but it wasn't anger, or fear.Swinging my hand up, I caught him hard across the cheek, taking him by surprise. He caught my wrist easily, forcing it down to my side.“Will you fucking stop it and listen…” “I fucking hate you!” I clawed at him, my nails scraping down the hand that tightened around my throat. “I fucking hate...” As if my hand had a mind of its own, it gave up trying to get him to let go of me. Reaching up behind his head, I pulled his face down to mine.What the hell was wrong with me? I wanted him. Even when he was manhandling me, my body craved more. I wanted that hand around my throat while he stripped me naked and explored every crevice. I didn't want him to be loving or gentle. I wanted
Cyber“How did Iris take it?” Monster stretched his back, and the noise was loud even on the busy street. Shooting him a look, I arched an eyebrow. What kind of dumb ass question was that? “How do you think she took it?” I shook my head, sometimes he really was all looks and no brain. “She was happy.”“Happy?” he repeated, a frown creasing his smooth face. “She was just happy? That kind of goes against everything I know about her.”“Ok, maybe happy doesn't quite cover it.” And it didn't. Iris had not been happy. She had been ecstatic, bouncing off the bed and throwing herself at me without any hesitation. Which had been nice. “I'm surprised she didn't want to come today.” Monster’s eyes searched my face. He had known me long enough to realise when I was hiding something. “You didn't tell her where you were going, did you?”Sometimes I hated how easily he could read me.“Why the hell didn't you…?”I didn't let him finish. “Because I don't want her to get her hopes up. It's just a lea