Page 22 of Iris' Lying Eyes

“Right. Well,” I say, moving to pass, but he touches my shoulder, and I freeze.

Although John is a good-for-nothing piece of shit, he kept Roman at bay. Not so with many other characters in my shitty life, but he must have known I couldn’t survive Roman.

But John isn’t here, and I have no idea what Bastion would do. Before today, I would’ve said he’d do the same, but after our interaction in the car, I don’t know.

I’m not sure the Bastion I knew exists anymore.

“Not so fast. We need to catch up. Does John know you’re here?”

Clenching my fist, I pull away and say with a teasing lilt, “Does Bastion know about John?”

His black eyes narrow, and I turn my head when his heated breath skates across my skin. “Careful.”

It’s all I can do to nod, and I waste no time spinning for the door only to come face to face with Bastion.

His icy cold stare bores into mine, and I suck in a breath as he turns to Roman with a forbidding scowl. It’s like fucking déjà vu, and I shift under the resemblance I’ve never noticed between them before.

“Son, I see you have a new friend,” Roman says with an easy smile, but I see the calculation behind his eyes.

There’s no love lost between these two. So why is Roman here?

Putting on a sultry smile, I stop before Bastion and tap his chest playfully, “I was looking for you.”

He either can’t take a hint or doesn’t want to play along because he just grunts and grabs my hand, pulling me around.

When I glance back, Roman’s gazing after us steadily.

My stomach sinks at that, and I’m already contemplating my escape when Bastion leads me into a new room and closes the door behind him.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he leans against the wood. Since this position and his broody expression are nothing new, I ignore him.

I have money tucked away, but I really only wanted to use it in an emergency. Of course, this is an emergency. I need out before my worlds collide. Either that or Roman decides to kill me.

Shivering, I touch my wrist only to whip around when Bastion growls, “What the fuck was that?”

“What?” I’m buying myself time; he knows I know what he’s referring to, but whatever. How much do I tell him?

Enough to get out of this room because I’m leaving tonight. Beyond that, it’s none of his damn business.

“Roman,” Bastion says, standing from his lean. “Stay the fuck away from him.”

“Okay,” I agree. No issues there. I’d rather have a pap smear every day for a year than hang out with that monster.

Bastion’s brows slam over his eyes, and he stalks toward me.

Raising my chin, I curl my lips into a bitchy smile as he says, “What were you talking about? Need I remind you that you’re mine until this little charade is over?”

My limbs liquefy at his possessive words, but I shake it off, sort of, because it’s not fucking real. It never was.

“Who is he to you?” I ask, holding my breath, which leaks out in a fizzle when he says, “My dad.”

I guess I was hoping he’d say his second cousin once removed or some shit. Like it matters. I’m still stuck.

“Well?” He demands, and I arch a brow.

“Nothing. Castinetti. Happy now?” It’s a long shot but I have to assume that Bastion knows of his dad’s affiliation with the mafia dick.

His lips curve in a cold smile, and he grabs my hair. Although it barely stings, I jerk away. I’m tired of being manhandled.

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