Iris’s POV
The deep vibration of his voice went straight down my spine.
I was so startled I sat bolt upright in bed, the duvet slipping off my shoulders.
“Ryder,” I breathed out, my whisper sharp in the dark room.
Why won’t he just leave me alone!
I really thought it was over between us this time.
“Sweetheart, I’m waiting for you. Come down,” he said, his voice calm and almost teasing.
Come down?
Come down where!
“Are you insane?
What do you mean come down?
It’s the middle of the fucking night.”
”I’m trying to be nice, sweetheart.
Do you know that?”
I threw off the covers and ran across the cold floor to the balcony doors.
My hands shook slightly as I unlocked the glass and stepped out into the cool night air, gripping the iron railing.
I leaned over the edge, scanning the dark driveway.
Sure enough, parked right outside the front gates under the shadow of the tall trees, was a massive, pitch-black Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
He was actually here.
Right outside, when my husband was at home!
Did he even remember I was still a married woman?
I pressed the phone closer to my ear, my chest heaving with a mix of anger and sheer panic.
“I’m looking right at you, Ryder. And I’m telling you, I am not going down there. Go away.”
A low chuckle rumbled through the speaker.
Ryder murmured, his voice dropping to a dangerous, playful whisper.
“So here’s the deal, sweetheart. If you’re not down by my car in exactly five minutes… I’m coming up to your front door.”
I squeezed the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Something stopped me right there.
He wouldn’t?
Ryder Lancaster?
“Wait!” I screamed out, because he was already walking away from his car, towards the front door.
Damian was already a paranoid mess after his fight with Julian; if he saw his powerful uncle standing on the porch at midnight demanding to see his wife, everything would be ruined.
“Just..stand right there where I can see you!” I hissed into the phone, my voice trembling with pure rage.
“I’m coming down now. Don’t you dare move from that car, Ryder.”
I quickly hung up, not bothering to wait for his reply.
In what looked like a quick mess, I threw off my pajamas, grabbed a dark oversized hoodie and a mini skirt, then pulled my hair back in a low ponytail.
I had just reached the top of the stairs, my hand resting on the wooden banister, when a sharp click shattered the silence behind me.
The door to the master bedroom swung open.
I froze solid, my breath catching in my throat.
Damian stepped out into the dim hallway light, wearing his gray silk pajamas.
The thick, angry red scratches across his face looked even more horrifying under the hallway bulb.
He blinked at me, his eyes landing on my outdoor clothes.
“Iris?” he asked, his voice rough and suspicious.
“Where are you going in the middle of the night?”
A cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck.
Why couldn’t this man sleep like a normal person?
I forced my muscles to relax, turning around slowly to face him.
I had to summon every ounce of my acting skills to keep my voice steady and casual.
With a fake yawn I rubbed at my eyes.
“I’m just heading to the 24-hour drugstore down the street,”
Damian frowned.
“At this hour?”
”Yes.”
His gaze traveled over my hoodie, my skirt, watching me all dressed up.
“Can’t it wait until morning?”
”No.” The answer came out a little too quickly, thick brows furrowing.
I immediately lowered my eyes and shifted uncomfortably.
“Um…actually…” I paused, putting on a slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable expression.
“I just realized… I ran out of sanitary pads.”
Damian’s suspicion instantly melted into awkward discomfort.
Men like him always shrank back the moment women brought up anything related to menstruation.
He cleared his throat nervously, looking anywhere but my face.
“Oh,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. Get faster updates on g.com.
His guilt from earlier seemed to kick in, and he forced a tight, polite smile.
“Look, it’s late and it’s dark outside. You shouldn’t be going around alone. Just stay here. I can drive over and get them for you.”
Panic settled in my chest.
No way in hell.
If he drove down that driveway, he would run straight into Ryder’s massive black Cullinan waiting at the gates.
“No!” I refused immediately, shaking my head with a firm with a hurried wave of my hand that Damian’s brows creased.” I instantly forced out a laugh.
“I mean, no. That’s ridiculous.”
He folded his hands beneath his chest.
“Well, why? I can go get it for you, Iris.”
Why?
Because your psychotic uncle is currently parked outside waiting for me!
And if the two of you see each other, my life will become significantly worse.
Instead, I smiled.
“You’re hurt, Damian. Look at your face. If anyone sees you at the register looking like that, they’ll think you got mugged. Just stay in bed and rest. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
Damian winced, his vanity taking another hit as he touched his scratched cheek.
“Yeah… you’re probably right. Just…be careful, okay?”
He turned and walked back into his room, shutting the door behind him.
The moment the latch clicked, I flew down the stairs, opened the heavy front door, and slipped out into the cool night air, sprinting down to meet Ryder.
The second I stepped outside, my phone vibrated.
It was a message from Ryder.
I frowned as I went through it.
Just a simple three word message.
Four minutes left.
I nearly tripped on the front steps.
“Arrogant bastard.”
Another message came through.
Three minutes and thirty-eight seconds.
My eyes twitched.
“What the fuck!” I quickened my pacing.
Was he seriously timing me?