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 The second I opened my eyes, I regretted it. My head was pounding seriously. The light filtering through the curtains only made things worse, making me feel like my brain was getting stabbed. Hard. My tongue felt heavy, and my stomach… Oh my God. I stumbled across the room, barely making it to the bathroom in time to throw up the remnants of last night’s horrible choices. Everything fucking burned. My chest. My throat. My pride. Pressing my forehead against the cold toilet seat, I tried to get myself together. Tried so hard not to cry. And I succeeded, for the most part. By the time I was done brushing my teeth and washing my face, I still felt like hell. But at least it was a bit more bearable. I was starving. Hadn’t eaten a single thing since last night. Not before I drank the wine, and not after. Though I would’ve if not for her. Layla. I stepped out of my room into the main suite, ready to order room service, when I froze. Right there, in the middle of the coffee
MAVERICK My father had crossed the fucking line. The moment I dropped Chelsea and Iris off at the hospital, I headed straight for work, the only thing on my mind being Quentin fucking Sinclair. There were a number of things I really wanted to do to him, and one of such things involved bashing his head into the wall. Hard. I punched the elevator button, reigning in my anger the entire ride up. Or at least trying to. I had no idea what he was planning to do, but I was going to find out. Today. The boardroom was full when I arrived at the top floor. Through the glass doors, I could see a bunch of people in suits, sitting around the table, my brother included. Quentin stood at the head, his hands linked together in front of him. I was never even informed about a fucking meeting. I didn't bother knocking. I shoved the doors open and walked right in. Everyone turned, including Sebastian and Quentin, but my father didn't miss a beat. It was as though he'd been expecting m
IRIS “She’s teething,” Megan said, dropping Amethyst onto the floor. “Explains why I haven’t had any sleep since Monday.”I grinned as I picked her up, taking her into my arms. “And she’s still the cutest thing ever,” I cooed. “Aren’t you, baby? I’m so proud of you.”Amethyst squealed, her tiny fists grabbing my hair as I peppered kisses along her chubby cheeks. Her eyes were grey and wide, her curls wild. I tightened my arms around her. Amethyst had no idea how much I needed this—her warmth, her laugh, the way her fingers curled around mine like I was her whole world.As much as I loved Megan for taking care of her, I couldn’t help feeling a little jealous of her. My daughter was growing attached to her in more ways than one. Megan had been there for her first words, her first steps…Made me wonder whether it really was a good idea to keep this from Maverick.“She’s really doing it,” Megan said softly. “She’s growing.”“Yeah, she is,” I replied, narrowing my eyes slightly. Megan had
IRIS Curling my hands into fists, I heaved a sigh, deciding to go find him in his bedroom. We weren’t kids, we were fully grown adults that could talk things out with each other instead of keeping malice and avoiding each other.Okay. Okay.Maybe I just wanted to apologize for being a total bitch to him. In all fairness, it was the alcohol.‘The fuck it wasn’t,’ my inner voice scoffed at me.“Shut up,” I muttered.I stood outside Maverick’s door for a full minute before raising my hand to knock on it. “Maverick?”No answer.I knocked three more times, pushing the door open when I still didn't get a response. The lights were turned off. I doubted that he had even been in here. Even the bathroom lights were turned off.So where the hell had he disappeared to?Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I shut his door behind me as I exited his room. I also checked a couple of other rooms upstairs, all to no avail. He wasn’t upstairs. He wasn’t in the living room. And I didn’t think he’d walked
IRIS The moment I whispered yes, everything shifted.“Strip,” Maverick ordered, stepping away from me. His voice was raspy and cold, lower than it had ever been before. Every fiber of my body knew that it was a command, and not just a statement. But something inside me still chose to be defiant.“What?” I’d heard him. I was just taunting him.Maverick took a deep breath, lowering himself onto the bench next to him. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Angel. The more you disobey me, the longer your punishment will be. Don’t test me.”Punishment being the fact that he wasn’t going to let me come. My body shivered at that thought, all the heat rushing towards my core.Keeping my eyes on Maverick’s now hooded, dark ones, I reached for the hem of my top, pulling it over my head slowly. If I was going to be tortured, then there was no harm in torturing him back.Maverick’s jaw clenched as he watched me unclasp my bra. His eyes followed my every move, only glancing at my face once in a while. I
IRIS Maverick’s voice was ice. It wasn’t teasing like before, it was just cold. The kind of cold that burned me more than fire ever could. My fingers were still hooked in the elastic of my panties, but I froze when I saw the look in Maverick’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at me with wonder, like he often did whenever I was naked in front of him. He was looking at me with… nothing. There was nothing but darkness in his eyes. Cruel, cold darkness. Had I pushed him too far this time? His fingers tightened around my wrist for a moment before he let go. He didn’t want me to move, so I didn’t. Maverick pressed the vibrating gun to my skin again. “I think I’ve let you have your way for too long, Angel,” his voice rumbled. “But not anymore.” I whimpered, arching my back when he pressed the gun to the front of my panties. “Arghh…Maverick…” “Shhhh.” He pulled it away from me. “I need you to be still for me,” he whispered. “Otherwise, I’d have to start over.” “Okay,” I whispered airily, th
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
MAVERICK Dwayne wasn’t alone when I got to his club.Ryan Moss was with him in his office, arms crossed over his chest like he was bored of being here.“What the fuck’s going on?” I asked Dwayne.I hadn’t seen him since our fight two nights ago. We had a lot of shit to clear up, but right now, it seemed there was a bigger problem than that.Dwayne didn’t answer, but Ryan did.“Turns out Dwayne here, was wrong about the assumptions he made about Steven Walsh.”Steven Walsh was Megan’s ex-boyfriend who’d just gotten out of prison after being locked up for over three years for assaulting her.On the night of the fight, the last thing Dwayne had said before he left was that he was going to find out the truth.In other words, he was going to find Steven Walsh because he was convinced that he was the one who cut Megan’s brakes.“What do you mean?”Dwayne ran a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched hard. He shrugged exasperatedly. “Turns out Steve Walsh isn’t even in the country anymore.
MAVERICK I was hard as a rock.I couldn’t think. Couldn’t focus because my mind was on Iris. I craved her wet heat and I needed to be inside her.Right now.I adjusted my cock in my pants.The baker, whose name I’d never really learned, came out to meet me, a nervous smile on her face as her eyes darted around as if she was looking for Iris.“She had to leave…” I said, rising to my feet. “Emergency.”“Of course,” she let out an airy laugh even as she tried so hard to look at anything but my face. I wasn’t sure at what point she had noticed that something was going on between me and Iris, but she had. And I could tell how anxious and uncomfortable she felt being in my presence.I concealed my smile. “I also have to leave, so you’re going to have to discuss the details with the wedding planner. I’ll have her contact you.”She let out a sigh laced with relief. “Of course. It’s been a pleasure having you, Mr. Sinclair.”“I’m truly sorry you had to witness that,” I muttered before I coul
IRIS I froze in my seat.Stay?What the hell did he mean by “Stay?”The baker smiled politely. “Oh, of course, I can stay,” she said. She was completely unaware that Maverick had just issued a threat disguised as a request.“Oh, you don’t have to—” I started to say, but she cut me off.“Please. I’m usually nervous about watching my clients taste my cake, but I don’t mind being here as long as it’s what you want.”My eyes were wide as I stared at Maverick, and he had a smirk on his face. His stormy eyes twinkled with mischief.And the remote was completely out of sight.“It is,” he said curtly, his gaze pinned on me sharply, daring me to disagree.That wasn’t going to happen.“Okay, sure,” she replied, tucking her hair behind her ears nervously. “I’ll just… stand back and talk you through the flavors while you try them.”Maverick’s expression was unreadable as he reached for a mini red velvet cake from the platter. He stabbed it with his fork, holding it out to me.“Open,” he murmured
IRIS It wasn’t long before I was ready. I had on a lilac-colored sundress—yes, I picked it on purpose—and tied my hair up in a messy bun, letting a few stray curls dangling near my face.Maverick was already in the car when I slid into the passenger seat.He turned to look at me, his look appraising as he regarded my form.“You’re playing a dangerous game, Angel,” he said huskily, his gaze trained on my cleavage.I couldn’t help it—I stuck my chest out a little more, and Maverick’s jaw twitched.“When am I not?” I replied sassily, biting on my bottom lip.He looked away from me, tapped his fingers on the steering wheel once. Twice. Thrice.And when he looked back at me, there was anger swirling in his eyes. Anger and something else.Desire.“Let me make something clear to you, Iris,” he said in a deadly tone. I let out a soft gasp.He continued. “This doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you for what you did. I haven’t.”Maverick shook his head slowly even as my heart sank. “I don’t know if I’
IRIS The first thing I perceived the moment I opened my door was the smell of pancakes. It wafted up the stairs and filled the entire corridor.I was a little shocked, because yesterday, Tania had said she wouldn't be coming in early, so all I knew was that I was going to be the one to make breakfast this morning.But the moment I went down the stairs, I got my answers.Maverick was in the kitchen, his back turned, muscles flexing as he worked on the stove.First of all, he was supposed to be at work. Second of all…Wow.But I wasn't the only one staring at him in admiration. Chelsea sat at the counter, engaging him in a conversation while looking at him like he created the damn world.And Amethyst…She sat in her high chair, smiling up at Maverick whenever he turned to look at her.Something lodged itself deep in my throat, and my vision turned cloudy. I wasn’t prepared to see Maverick being a dad.But here he was. And his daughter adored him.I wasn’t sure how long I stood there,
MAVERICK Iris was going to kill me.She was going to murder me without hesitation and bury me six feet under. “Fucking hell, Iris,” I gritted out, my eyes focusing on her wet pussy that was spread in front of me.“You’re so fucking needy. You’re a needy little slut, aren’t you?”My insults never got to her. Iris would never admit it, but she had a degradation kink. She was a proud, feisty woman, but when she wanted me, she was willing to push all that aside and submit to me in whatever way.And I fucking loved that about her.But right now, she was testing my limits, dangling bait in front of me.And I was a fish willing to catch that bait.Iris stuck her tongue out to lick her lips, nodding desperately. “I need you, Maverick. Whatever you want to do, just… give me something. Anything.”I stood quietly for a full minute, just watching Iris’s legs open and close. She was restless, aroused. I knew that if I touched her pink pussy, I would find it soaking wet.But I wasn’t going to tou
IRIS I had no idea what I was doing. No idea why I was doing it. No idea why I couldn’t help it.But when I saw Maverick watching me quietly through the small opening, I wanted to tease him.To make him want me.And I knew I didn’t have the right to do that. Not anymore.But all I’d done was ask him if he was coming. It was left for him to say yes or no.But as I stepped into the rainfall shower enclosure, I couldn’t help but wonder whether he would actually take the bait.I turned on the shower, sighing when the warm water sprayed down on my body.I released my hair from its bun, letting it fall over my shoulder and tossing the hair tie aside. And then I let the water do its work.I was anxious. It had been a little over five minutes and Maverick still hadn’t come in.Disappointment wrapped itself around me like a cold blanket.I guess… he didn’t want me.But what was that look I’d seen in his eyes then if it wasn’t desire? If it wasn't—The sound of the door to the enclosure slid o
MAVERICKI could’ve pushed her away from me. But I didn’t.I let Layla wrap her hands around my neck. Let her scent cloud my senses.She always used to smell like jasmine, and now?Now, it was no different.Layla was seated on my lap, a small smirk on her face as one hand left the back of my neck to trail down my chest.“Get off me,” I muttered.She didn't. Not that I was even expecting her to.“Why?” she whispered, leaning in close. “You didn’t used to mind. “You used to beg for it. For me to sit on your lap…” Layla ground her hips against my lap. “For me to ride you.”Her lips grazed my ear as she leaned in even closer. “Does Iris ride you the way I used to?”My nostrils flared. “Don’t say her name.”“With pleasure, baby. I don’t even like her. I just want you.”I placed my hand on her hips, starting to push her away, but I paused when her teeth grazed my earlobe.Not because I was aroused, but because a thought struck me. If I hadn’t broken up with Layla that faithful night, maybe
MAVERICK ‘Why the fuck am I doing this?’ I muttered to myself as I walked through the doors of a bar downtown. Inside was nearly empty, save for the owner of the bar, who had let me in.Just like she said it would be.I took a seat at a booth in the corner, checking the time on my wristwatch. She was running late.Not that I expected anything other than that.“Would you like anything, sir?” The owner, a tall, bald man asked as he walked up to me. I shook my head firmly. “No, I’m just here to meet someone.”“I’m aware of that,” he replied with a smirk.He walked away before I could say anything else. Good. Because I wasn’t here to strike up a conversation with anyone but her.I didn’t have to wait long, though, because it wasn’t up to a minute later when she stepped into the bar, silky dress hugging her body, her heels clicking against the floor as she strutted toward me with a smirk on her face.“You’re late,” I said curtly, keeping my tone blunt and formal.“Well, I’m here, aren’t