Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires, #2)(88)

“Well, this changes things.”

“How?”

“I thought you would make her fall in love with you, not the other way around.” His head drops back as he laughs, his voice hoarse.

“I never said anything about love.”

He only laughs.

My teeth grind together. “Are you done?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just too fucking good. You married her thinking she would make your life easier, only to realize you like her. A lot.”

Cal makes me feel like I’m the punchline of some joke.

“I don’t know why I thought coming here was a good idea.” I stand.

“Wait.” He holds up his hand. “I’m sorry. It was shitty for me to laugh at you when you’re obviously going through a hard time.”

Except his eyes twinkle from withheld laughter.

“I’m leaving.”

He blocks my exit. “Stop. I’ll help you.”

I raise a brow. “I’m starting to doubt you even know how.”

“You might not like my advice, but if you’re willing to try it, then I think you’ll be happy with the results.”

“I’m listening.” I sit back down.

“Iris isn’t much different from any other woman. She has wants, needs, and fears.”

“To think I thought you would be helpful.”

He glares. “If you want her to fall in love with you, you have to prove to her how you’re different from all the men she has dated before.”

“That can’t be too hard. They were all disgustingly average in every single way.”

“Unfortunately for you, you fall into the same category.”

My frown deepens. “I highly doubt that.”

“You can either argue every point I make or you can shut up and listen to someone else for once.”

I do one slow blink.

“There was always something that held her back from going all in, but the reasons all stemmed from the same issue.”

“Which was?”

“They never fully earned her trust.”

“All I’ve done is given her reasons to trust me.”

“Your whole relationship is a lie.”

I glare. “No, it’s not.”

“I’m not the one you need to convince.”

“What do you suggest I do?”

“Easy. Start with the truth and go from there.”

“What truth?”

“The fact that there is probably a part of you that has been in love with her for a long time, way before you ever signed a marriage contract.”

There he goes again with the L-word. It could explain my insane need to keep Iris close and protect her from harm’s way. The way my chest feels all tight when she is gone. How my heart beats faster whenever she is in the same room as me. My intense need to mind my words so I don’t hurt her.

Shit.

I am falling in love with Iris. The signs were all there, and I ignored them because I didn’t truly understand them.

Instead of an intense wave of panic at the idea of loving Iris, I feel calm.

Love I can work with. I might not know how, but I’m willing to learn. For her and only her.

I switch my water for the whiskey. “I feel like I’m going to need something stronger for the rest of this conversation.”

Whoever said the truth will set you free is a dumbass. My legs feel weighed down by invisible cement blocks as I walk inside the house. I throw the keys on the counter and make my way toward the stairs, only to change paths toward the bright light on the other side of the house.

A lamp in the corner of the living room basks the space in a low light.

Iris, still dressed in my T-shirt, lays sprawled out on the couch with a blanket covering the bottom half of her body. One of her hands still clutches onto her phone as if she is waiting for a call.

She stayed up for you.

I instantly regret my decision to turn off my phone after she called me the first time. It was a rash choice made in the heat of the moment, but it was clearly the wrong one.

I lift her carefully in my arms, being mindful not to wake her with any sudden movements. She mumbles something before snuggling up to my chest. My chest tightens as I look down at her, wondering how the hell I ended up married to a woman like her.

You know how.

My teeth grind together as I let out an agitated breath. Iris’s head bobs with the movement, but she doesn’t stir.

I carry her up the stairs and toward my room. Somehow, I’m able to get her tucked into bed without waking her up, although she mumbles a few things in her sleep about her mom.

I shower before crawling into bed and tugging Iris against me. I intertwine her legs with mine, securing her to my body so she isn’t able to escape in the morning.





34





IRIS


I wake up sweating and unable to move anything but my head. Somehow, I ended up in Declan’s bed, trapped by his arms and legs.

The audacity of this man is unrivaled. I try to escape his grasp, but it only seems to make things worse. His arms tighten around me as he mumbles something unintelligible into my hair.

“Declan.” I push against his chest.

“Shh.” He kisses the top of my forehead before releasing a soft sigh.