Page 105 of Secrets (The Sins Trilogy 2)
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Anthony
The penthouse feels empty. Cold. But nothing has changed, except Iris isn’t here.
Bobbi already texted me that Iris is going to be spending the evening with Yuna. I want to go bring her back, but Bobbi added, I think she needs time.
If she needs time, she needs time. I know hurrying her or trying to force things won’t solve the problem.
Without bothering to turn on the lights, I sit on the couch that faces the Steinway and stare at it. In my mind’s eyes, I can see her at the piano, dazzling me with a brilliant Chopin or Liszt. “Bravo,” I whisper.
I need to get off the couch and eat something. At some point, my body’s going to give out. But I can’t seem to muster the energy.
My cold, barren home feels like an omen. Should I have pushed Iris to share what’s bothering her? Should I have forced Bobbi to tell me anyway? There are other bodyguards available if Iris gets mad at Bobbi for caving in to my demands.
Don’t be an idiot. Iris will never trust anybody on your payroll.
Right. She’ll hate me.
My phone buzzes. A text from Yuna.
Iris fell asleep. Probably best if she spends the night here.
It’s not even nine, but she hasn’t been sleeping well. She must’ve been exhausted. It’s logical to let her get what rest she can instead of waking her up and bringing her back home.
But dread inside me grows like cancer. During the weekend, even though we weren’t talking or touching, at least we were sharing the same bed. Now…
I hurl my phone. It dents the wall and drops to the floor.
Panic digs its talons into my heart. Is this the end? Is she going to leave me? I don’t even know how I screwed up. Was it something subtle, something I didn’t even realize would be a problem? If I ask, will Iris tell me?
Suddenly, my bitter confrontation with Mother floods my mind. I begged her to tell me how I could earn her forgiveness. She wouldn’t. Said if I had to be told, it wouldn’t count. I needed to figure out what I needed to do on my own to be truly forgiven. Then she delivered the final blow—and made it clear how much she despised me.
If Iris ever looks at me the way Mother looked at me then…my heart will literally cease beating.
Give her time.Maybe she just needs to think about the proposal. It was spur of the moment and badly done. Who the hell just yanks out a ring? I should’ve reserved an entire restaurant and filled it with tiger lilies. Then hired a quartet to play something lovely while I told her how much I adored her.
Besides, I trust Yuna to keep Iris safe. Maybe talking to a friend will be a good thing. Yuna is sensible, wants us to be together and knows what’s really going on with Iris.
I make my way upstairs. Iris is going to need to toiletries, makeup and clothes for tomorrow. Yuna could buy some for her, but Iris wouldn’t be comfortable with that. I run shaky hands over Iris’s things, praying with all the desperation in my heart that she realizes we can overcome anything so long as we’re together.
I pack her a bag and debate going to Yuna’s hotel myself, then change my mind. If I’m there, I’m not going to leave without Iris. Even now, every wild instinct in me is screaming to drag her back here, whether she likes it or not—she belongs with me, and no one else.
I go to the living room and pick up my phone. It’s cracked, but still working. I call TJ. “I need you to come get a bag for Iris.”
He comes up to the penthouse a few minutes later. I tell him to take the bag to Yuna’s hotel, and he grunts and leaves.
I stay unmoving on the cold floor of the living room long after.
