MAVERICKThe house was quiet without her.So quiet, her absence was loud and glaring.It wasn’t like Iris walked around singing or slamming cabinets. But her presence had a weight. A rhythm. And without it, everything felt… off. Like the walls were holding their breath.And I was the biggest fucking idiot for not being able to find her.Amy had been fussy all night, so fussy that Megan had to stay the night so I could focus on finding Iris. Chelsea had barely said two words to anyone, let alone me.I knew she was worried sick. When she was in the living area, her eyes kept darting to the door every five minutes like Iris was just going to walk back in.She didn’t.I had to send her to her room last night, and then I stepped out of the house and drove for a really fucking long time like that was going to do anything. I knew I wasn’t going to find her, but I just didn’t want to go home.I rubbed the heel of my palm against my forehead, my entire body tense as I sat on the couch in my st
IRIS A laugh escaped me before I could stop myself. But it wasn’t a happy or amused laugh.It was a ‘what-the-fuck’ laughter.Because really… What the fuck?Ryan kidnapped me and brought me here to this twisted barbie dream house of a room, and now he wanted me to eat breakfast like nothing happened?My gaze followed the girls as they walked out of the room, but when I tried to follow, Ryan stretched his hand out to block me. And then he shut the door.So now we were the only ones in the room.“Why am I here?” I gritted out, stepping closer to him.Ryan’s gaze raked over my body, his eyes burning with amusement and something darker. As though it just occurred to me, I glanced down at the clothes I was wearing. A pink pair of pajama short with a pink tank top. Something roiled in my stomach. “Did you touch me?”Ryan narrowed his eyes at me like he was trying to figure out what I meant, and then he arched his brow. “Tempting, Iris,” he said smoothly. “But no. There are maids who were
IRISI woke up surrounded by softness.Yes. You heard that right. Softness.Pillows under my head, velvet sheets brushing against my skin. A mattress that felt almost as comfortable as the one at home or even more, and for a second. Just one second, I’d thought that I was back home with Maverick.I blinked my eyes open slowly as they tried to make sense of my surroundings. My head ached so fucking badly.There was beautiful wallpaper splattered across the walls, along with paintings, and a chandelier somewhere above me.Where the hell was I?The last thing I remembered was Ryan…I sat up quickly as a gasp tore from my throat.Ryan had stuck a needle into my neck, and he had kidnapped me.But why would he kidnap me and take me to a place that was the complete opposite of a prison?It smelled like roses in here, and I nearly threw up because of the amount of pink that was in the room.I kicked off the sheets and scrambled off the bed, staggering on steady legs. The rug beneath my feet w
MAVERICK I fucking hated cemeteries.Not because of how the entire atmosphere was filled with death, or the dead themselves, but because of the liars who showed up to bury them.I had no problem with Sebastian being here, since he barely caused any trouble on his own, but my father? He didn’t show up to honor the woman he helped destroy. He came here for one reason and one reason only—to remind us that he was still here.I was sick of this motherfucker’s mind games.The moment we were away from the crowd, I slammed him against the wall of a nearby building, fisting the collar of his shirt.“You’ve got balls,” I spat, “showing up here like you’re not partially responsible for this.”As usual, Quentin wasn’t fazed. He just tilted his head, letting out a hum. “When you say partially… does that mean you don’t think I killed her? Or because you’re the one who killed her?”A growl teared from my throat, and I pulled my fist back, ready to land a blow on his jaw to wipe that fucked up smirk
IRIS Quentin Sinclair was here, at my mother’s funeral. “I was under the impression that you hated your mother after all the terrible things she did to you,” he drawled, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I seethed, storming toward him. He just stood there, watching me approach him with an amused smile on his face. There he was—my mother’s murderer. And he had the fucking guts to show up at her funeral and mock me. I was going to fucking kill him. However, before I could reach Quentin, Maverick stepped in front of me. “Hey, hey, I’ve got this,” he said firmly, taking my hand in his. I snatched it away from him. “What the hell is he doing here? Did you invite him? Did you invite him to come here after he murdered my mother?” Maverick’s brows drew together and he swallowed. “Why would you think that? You know how he is, Iris. If he wanted to be here, nothing would’ve stopped him. Iris, look at me.” All this while, my eyes
IRIS I hated funerals.I hadn’t really been to any funeral before, if I was being honest. I barely had any friends, let alone dead ones.But now, I was at Rhoda’s funeral.And I never wanted to attend another one ever again.Chelsea leaned against my arm, clutching it tightly as we sat in front of the church. It wasn’t a big funeral—I wasn’t sure Rhoda had any friends either, and a few of the people whom I knew definitely hadn’t been invited.Sebastian and Eleanor, for one. I shot them a dirty look when I first saw them. Sebastian had an indifferent expression on his face while Eleanor, with her baby bump, looked at me with pity.God, I hated that look. I hated it so much and I wished I could wipe it off her face.Megan sat on the other side of me. Amethyst was at home with Tania because I absolutely could not being her here.It wasn’t lost on me that my mother never got to hold her grandchild in her arms. To be honest, it hadn’t even crossed my mind at the hospital that day.I wonde