Page 119 of Devil's Iris
“I’m not making it to the bedroom,” I mutter against her skin, already tasting her. “Wall. Floor. I don’t give a fuck where.”
She laughs breathlessly, dragging her mouth across my jaw. “Countertop. I want the kitchen countertop.”
“Done.”
I reach the front door and shoulder it open, my mindalready cataloging exactly how I’m going to spread her across that marble surface, just barely registering the familiar sound of approaching footsteps before two people burst into the foyer.
“Leni!” Amelia shouts, Ethan right beside her.
I stop dead in the doorway, feeling Leni’s body go rigid in my arms. Her head snaps back, her eyes going wide as her arms slip from around my neck like I’ve suddenly turned radioactive. I glance at her mother and brother with barely concealed annoyance.
Ethan’s face is ghost-pale, clearly still shaken from everything that went down earlier, and Amelia’s expression morphs from relief to shock as she takes us in—me, aroused and ready to devour her daughter, and Leni, disheveled and breathless in my arms.
Right. I’d asked one of my men to bring Amelia here to meet Ethan. I thought Leni might need comfort from someone who isn’t me. Support from her family. I sure as shit didn’t expect to be carrying her in like this, ready to fuck her against the nearest flat surface.
Fuck my life.
Slowly, using every ounce of self-control I have left, I let her slide out of my arms and back to her feet. My cock throbs in protest, stiff and angry in my pants, and I have to turn slightly, one hand casually pulling my jacket forward to hide my obvious hard-on.
My wife doesn’t notice my predicament. As soon as her feet touch the floor, she’s rushing across the room straight into Ethan’s arms. He catches her tight, his whole body shaking with relief. Amelia joins their embrace, wrapping her arms around both her children as tears stream down her cheeks.
“You’re safe,” she whispers, holding them like she’s afraid they might disappear. “Oh my baby, you’re really safe.”
I watch them from the doorway, jaw clenched, my body stillthrumming with need and frustrated energy. I was so fucking close to having her, goddamn it.
But this matters too. They need each other—this family that’s been through hell and back. And as much as I want to drag my wife to the kitchen and show her exactly how much I love her, I can wait.
Hell, for her I’d wait forever if I had to.
“I’m so sorry, Leni. I’m so sorry,” Ethan chokes out. “I shouldn’t have left you alone with that psycho.”
“Hey.” Leni pulls back to look at him. “I asked you to leave. We’re both safe because you left. Don’t feel guilty about doing exactly what I needed you to do.”
“I’m so sorry too, Leni,” Amelia says, her voice thick with emotion. “For everything I put you through. Both of you. All the pain I caused with my addiction, the danger I brought?—”
They cycle through several rounds of apologies and declarations of love, and I start to feel like I’m intruding on something sacred. I turn towards the door, ready to walk back out to give them some privacy, when?—
“You scoundrel!”
I pause, glancing back, certain she can’t possibly be addressing me. But Amelia is glaring at me with pure venom.
“Shame on you for taking advantage of my girl.”
“Mom!” Leni snaps, shooting me an apologetic glance. “Don’t talk to him like that.”
But Amelia is on a roll now, beyond listening to reason. “We want a divorce. You’re going to release my daughter from whatever hold you have on her, and I’m going to return every penny you’ve spent on us. Every single one.”
“Yes.” Ethan jumps in. “I’m dropping out of NYU immediately. I’ll get a job and pay back everything you've spent on my education so far.”
My brows hike up as I stare at the pair of them, now standing protectively in front of Leni. It’s admirable, really. Butthey don’t need to shield her from me. And more importantly, “I’m never letting her go.”
Amelia’s hands ball into fists at her sides as she takes a threatening step towards me. “I killed my own husband in cold blood. Don’t you dare underestimate me. You’re going to let my daughter go, or I'll?—”
“Mom!” Leni cuts off whatever creative threat was about to emerge, grabbing Amelia’s arm. “Stop. I don’t know what Ethan told you, but it’s not true. It’snottrue,” she repeats, glancing at her brother. “I only said those things because of the dangerous situation we were in. I love Romero, and he loves me too.”
My lips curve into a satisfied smile, and I cross my arms, watching with fascination as color floods Leni’s cheeks while she declares her love for me to her family. Will I ever get tired of hearing her say those words? Doubtful.
“What?” Amelia eyes her daughter skeptically.
