Page 138 of Iris
“And this date has been as energizing as a lullaby.”
His lips twitch, but he manages to hold his stern look. “Just…behave.”
I roll my eyes.
The moment Heath looks away, I type out a quick response to Killian.
I’m wearing your grandma’s panties. And they’re dry as a bone.
Then I scoot a little closer and smile at Errol, the entire time praying for a falling meteor to strike the restaurant and kill me, just so I can escape this stupid date.
If only I were that lucky.
Heath’s been ranting for the past ten minutes.
Okay, maybe he’s not actually ranting, but he’s close…
I huff out a breath and fold my hands, smoothing down the pretty not-me red dress Mom chose. It might not be me, but I like it because everyone else seems to be taking the Dark is Night theme of the Season to extreme and a color actually pleases me.
“Are you finished?” I ask as silence finally meets my ears.
My brother pours himself a drink from Dad’s liquor cabinet in the office. “You’re driving me to drink, Iris.”
I sniff. “I think you drove the car there yourself, breaking all the speed limits.”
His eyes narrow. “Do you want me to tell Violet how you’re being?”
“Low blow,” I say, his words a slap. “And I didn’t do anything wrong tonight.”
“You,” he says, pointing, “were boring.”
“You didn’t want me to be me. You wanted me to be the girl who asks all the questions on that list you gave me. It’s not my fault they were all boring?—”
“I know you think I’m being a cruel bastard, but this is important. For you, for Mom, for your sisters.” He sighs, runs a hand through his hair, and I’m struck by the urge to call him Heather the way Quinn does. But I don’t think it’ll have the same effect it does when she does it. To poke fun and lighten the mood.
Heath’s stressed. And I remind myself about the debt Dad left us in. Left him with.
Christ. Am I being selfish wanting to make the Monarch see how things could be, that change is needed?
But if she finally listens, then she just might pave the way for me to live my truth, and for my family be free of scandal.
“I’ll try harder,” I say. “I thought?—”
“There’s still have a chance. Errol is desperately looking for a mate. He may still ask you.”
I swallow. “Oh.”
“Iris?”
I look up at my brother, and a whisper of a smile teases his lips. “Okay, maybe not Errol. You’re right. He’s as boring as fuck.”
I grin.
Then he waves me away, dismissing me, so I walk out. As I start to climb the stairs, I stop, remembering the texts.
When I take out my phone, I find that there are more from Killian.
My heart beats triple time. And I throb between my thighs.
