Page 131 of Iris
All this is easy for her to say forge a new path, find a way, after all, she’s a rich Alpha woman, someone who has more power than I ever could. But as I head to the stairs she speaks.
“Miss Gardener.”
I turn to face her.
“The little girl’s gorgeous and the men…I see why you’re enamored.”
I bite my tongue and wait for her lecture.
“Though people might see me as past it now, I understand the call for change, but the thing is, there’s a chance it can go wrong. And Sophine can dig her heels in. I tell you this because, like it or not, she’s integral. But if you speak to her in the right way, use the ball, who knows what’ll happen.”
“She hates me,” I say.
Pen shakes her head. “She hates that gossiping Queen Bee that’s said terrible things about you and your family, gossiping all over the phone?—”
“Stitch—”
“Who would say such nasty things, especially about themselves?” she goes on as if I hadn’t said a thing. Then, she leans in close. “Which is exactly what I told her when she asked me if I thought you and her were one in the same.”
I smile. There she goes again, saving my ass. This time from the Monarch.
When she slides back into her chair, there’s an amused half-smile on her face. “You remind me a bit of me when I was younger.”
“I take it as a compliment.”
Pen’s rich, single—a widow, but still—and allowed to do whatever the hell she wants. She’s living the dream.
That half-smile blooms into a wide, genuine grin, and in that moment, I get a glimpse of a younger Pen underneath the wrinkles and graying hair. The version that may remind her of me.
Then, eyes sparkling with mischief, she chuckles. “I’m just not sure if that’s a good thing.”
My home is suddenly alien, oppressive, and my heart thuds hard in the silence. Not even the piano plays in the background.
In fact, it’s quiet. Too quiet.
I set the bag that Pen gave me down and clutch the mini. The only thing keeping me from passing out from the rising panic are the words on the screen.
Mr. Scarsby’s DM lights me up inside and makes my heart flutter.
Xavier
I’d love to dance with you under the trees.
It’s so silly, so romantic, but unexpected from a man who looks like him. But I know better. The man’s a softie inside. At least for his little girl and me.
“Iris!”
Heath’s shout shatters that moment. I tuck the mini away and hurry into his study where he’s set himself up behind the desk, computer open, leaning back in his seat.
Maybe most wouldn’t find it a power move, but I do. Because it’s like he’s mainlining Dad’s ghost, taking up the exact position Dad took when any of us was in trouble.
And it works.
A tremor runs through me, and I swallow past the tightness in my throat.
“We both know why you were at Penrith’s,” he starts, and for a moment, I wonder if heactuallyknows why I was at Pen’s. But then he says, “Why you would want to ride out your heat there instead of here…I don’t understand, but then again, I’m not an Omega. So I’ll let that slide.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes.How considerate of you.
