Page 129 of Secrets (The Sins Trilogy 2)
“Every time I think I found somebody I want to date, Tony’s already dating them.” Harry throws his hand over his forehead. “And now, he’s taking it a step further and marrying you!”
I bite my lip. Iris actually giggles. “Well, Tony can’t marry all of them, so why don’t you go propose to one of his exes?”
Harry shoots her a look of utter horror.
“But not Audrey Duff. I’m afraid I’m not too crazy about having another wine fight with her.”
Edgar’s face has finally returned to its normal state.
“Edgar, stop Harry before he embarrasses all of us,” I say. “My fiancée is going to think my brothers are idiots.”
He turns to Iris. “The sad truth is, Harry sucks at flirting. I’m Edgar, the oldest brother. Welcome ba— Welcome to the family.” He hugs her, unshed tears glinting in his eyes. “I’m really happy for you and Tony.”
She hugs him back with a smile, but my heart is thumping erratically. Damn it, Edgar. I’m going to kill him if he slips up and spills the beans.
After he lets go, she looks at him quizzically. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little emotional.” He lets out a soft breath. “It’s so good to finally see Tony happy. I’m grateful.”
The irritation that’s been swelling inside me pops like a balloon. How can I stay angry with him after that? Besides, he was a rock when I was at my worst—after Katherine’s and Ivy’s deaths.
Flushing, Iris beams. “Tony makes me happy. I’m the one who’s grateful.” She squeezes my hand. “You know I don’t have any siblings, so I’m thrilled to get two handsome brothers like you through Tony. I feel like this is so one-sided.”
“Oh no,” Edgar says. “Trust me, you are everything we could want in a sister-in-law.”
Harry says something I don’t catch, and Iris laughs.
As happy as I am to see my brothers and Iris getting along, I can’t help but feel conflicted about my parents. As I’m disowned, they’ll never attend my wedding…and probably never care. Normally that wouldn’t bother me, but I wonder if it bothers Iris, even though she has to be aware of my circumstances. It’s not exactly a secret. We haven’t discussed it, mainly because I didn’t know how to bring it up, but Iris didn’t either. It’s as though she’s decided until I’m ready to talk about it, she won’t push.
For once, I wish she would. Just a little. But part of me is relieved. How do you tell your hard-won fiancée you got disowned because you shot your sister and let her bleed to death? Officially, I got cut off seven years ago. But in reality, I wasn’t ever part of the family after Katherine died.
Elizabeth and her husband Dominic King come over to congratulate us. I know of Dominic, although he and I aren’t close. He has a face pretty enough to suit a woman of taste like Elizabeth, with near-black hair and intense blue eyes that seem to miss nothing. He’s a newly minted billionaire, but unlike me, he didn’t come from old money. He made the news a little while back when he took a bullet for his wife.
Elizabeth hugs Iris, then me. He shakes hands with me, but hugs Iris lightly.
“I’m so happy for you two!” Elizabeth holds Iris’s hands. “And I owe you one for making Tony and Ryder reconcile.”
Ah, here we go,I think with affection. She’s still thrilled about that. It’s getting embarrassing.
“I didn’t do anything,” Iris says.
“Ha! I know it’s you. Tony wanted to run Ryder over with his Cullinan until you came into his life.”
I smirk at her exaggeration. She doesn’t know my target’s shifted to Byron. “I wouldn’t have done that. The car’s worth more than his sorry ass.”
“Hear that?” Elizabeth winks with a small smile. “Let’s get something to drink. This isn’t the kind of event you can do dry.” She loops an arm around Iris and takes her away.
I don’t want to share her, but I don’t object. Everyone seeing her being so friendly with Elizabeth is going to be good for Iris. People love Elizabeth and respect the endless charity work she’s done, and not that many are really close to her.
“Liza loves her,” Dominic says, watching his wife walk away. “And is very protective. She says Iris reminds her of her younger self.”
“Does she?” I can’t imagine why Elizabeth would think that. From background to personality, she’s nothing like Iris. But does it matter, so long as Iris is put under another layer of protection?
“Something about her being innocent. And youthful.”
I snort. “You’d think Elizabeth was in her sixties. Iris isn’t that much younger.”
Dominic shrugs. “I never contradict my wife unless there’s a very good reason.”
