Breaking Her Rules(15)

A punch of adrenaline surged through Iris as she tackled the woman to the ground. The force of the landing almost knocked the breath out of her, but she was so pumped up now, not much could slow her down.

Faster than she’d anticipated, Fae turned underneath her, swiveling with her elbow as she tried to strike Iris in the temple. Jerking back out of pure instinct, Iris barely missed the blow. Iris used the opening to head-butt the woman in the nose. The crunching sound of bone breaking rent the air.

The move was dirty and almost always unexpected. Especially from a female. As the woman cried out in pain, blood gushed from her nose and down her face. Iris had no clue how well trained the woman was and wasn’t going to give her another opening. She slammed her fist across the woman’s jaw before twisting her onto her stomach. She leveled her knee into her back, digging in hard as she held her wrists tight together. Before she even had to ask, Jay was crouched next to her with flex-cuffs in his hands. He bound the woman’s feet as Iris secured her hands behind her back.

Iris looked up to find Forest’s guards all with their weapons drawn, but cautiously giving them a wide berth and thankfully, none of them were pointing their weapons at anyone.

Wyatt was rumpled with a bruise forming on his cheek while Keibler looked ten times worse. They stood on opposite sides of the table, but Wyatt looked ready to murder Keibler at any second.

“What the hell is going on?” Forest finally sputtered.

She ignored him and focused on Wyatt. “The cops on their way?”

“Yeah. You okay?” He looked as if he wanted to say more and he even made a move toward her, but then he looked at Keibler and remained still, watching the other man as if he’d kill him if Keibler made one wrong move.

Before she could say anything, the door opened and her guys along with the rest of Forest’s men spilled into the room. Of course Forest’s security had their weapons drawn. This was one giant clusterf*ck and while she hated involving the cops, it was definitely necessary. Everyone started talking at once, but she tuned everyone out and turned to Jay, who hadn’t moved either. “Did you secure that drink?”

“Yep.” His expression grim, he shot the woman on the ground an angry glare.

Fae wasn’t knocked out, but she also wasn’t struggling. Probably because she was in a shitload of pain and realized she’d never escape now.

Still, Iris didn’t move from her position on top of the murderous bitch. The police could sort everything out but until then, Iris was staying put.





Chapter 9



Wyatt wrapped his arm around Iris and pulled her close. She didn’t think of resisting that strong embrace. They were sitting on a bench seat in a quiet office at the police station. Outside noise filtered through the door, but they didn’t have to deal with the full brunt of ringing phones and criminals shouting at the police as they were hauled in to be booked. After spending the last few hours answering questions and filling out reports, her adrenaline surge had long since faded and she was coming down in a bad way. She’d already told Vincent he was temporarily in charge of the team and as of right now, she was simply Wyatt’s wife.

Wife.

God, the word scared the hell out of her. What the hell did she know about being a wife? Especially to a man like Wyatt. He had so much money she could barely comprehend it. The mansion in Miami was enough to make her break out in a cold sweat, but he also had one in Vegas—even if he lived at one of his hotels. That was another thing she could barely get a handle on. The man owned hotels. As in plural. One was crazy enough, but he was so diversified in his businesses, she was sure he owned more property and companies than she could imagine. If they did this marriage thing for real, would she be expected to fit a certain role? No doubt. And she wasn’t sure she could live up to whatever expectations he had in mind.

She closed her eyes and laid her head against his shoulder, trying to banish those insecure thoughts. She was more than tired and freaked out beyond belief that someone had gotten close enough to Wyatt to hurt him. The thought that she might have lost him had shredded up her insides and left her barely hanging on to her control.

Wyatt turned slightly and set his chin on her head. His warm breath teased her hair. “Have you heard anything?” he murmured.

“No.” She still had her earpiece in and while the team was standing outside the office, just she and Wyatt were inside waiting to be told they could go.

Luckily her boss had enough pull here at the station that they’d been afforded a little privacy. Hence the quiet waiting room of some sergeant’s office.

“I’m hoping they get a hit on that woman’s fingerprints,” she continued.

Wyatt grunted. “Me too. I can’t believe Keibler’s denying involvement. Stupid f*cker. He’s going down for this.”

Hell yeah, he was. Even if Iris had to do it herself. “I guess the good news is that Forest is selling to you.” Before they’d left with the police, the older man had pulled Wyatt aside and told him he’d have his lawyers draw up the paperwork. He just wanted to unload the software, the company, and be done with his games apparently. After tonight—well, last night—Iris understood why.

“Yeah, real great silver lining.” There was a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

Iris pushed back from him so she could see his face, though he didn’t loosen his grip on her shoulders. “I thought you’d be happy.”

His blue eyes darkened. “Seeing you fight that woman…” He shook his head as he trailed off. “I know you’re well trained and can take care of yourself, but nothing is worth you getting hurt. I’d sell everything I owned if you never had to go through that again.”

Her eyebrows rose at his words. She knew how much being successful mattered to him. She sometimes worried he was too consumed with the need to make money, but his drive in life was sexy as hell. “Wyatt—”

“I know it’s just words and doesn’t prove anything, but it’s how I feel. I…” Wyatt trailed off, not wanting to have this conversation now. He knew actions spoke louder than words. It was one of the reasons he’d come to Miami. To prove to Iris how much she mattered to him. He’d follow her to the ends of the earth if that’s what it took. But just saying pretty words wouldn’t mean shit to her.

Her brow furrowed when he didn’t continue. “What?”

“Why’d you marry me?” he asked abruptly, needing the answer more than his next breath.

Her gaze flicked to the side for a second, discomfort creeping into her posture. “Why’d you ask me?”

Not an answer. Damn it. He’d asked because he f*cking loved her, but he couldn’t find the words. He’d never told them to anyone before. Even thinking them felt foreign. If he told her and she didn’t return his feelings, or worse, tried to let him down gently…yeah, he couldn’t deal with that shit right now. Or ever. Luckily he didn’t have to because the door opened and Harrison Caldwell strode in.

Wearing a dark, custom-made suit, Iris’s boss looked as if he’d been at work for hours when in reality he’d probably just rolled out of bed not too long ago since it was three in the morning. Iris stood, smoothing down her wrinkled, ripped dress as she did. Wyatt kept his arm around her as he followed suit. Harrison knew they were married and Wyatt didn’t give a shit what anyone thought anyway. Right now he needed to touch his wife. To reassure himself she was unharmed.

“How are you two holding up?” Harrison asked.

Iris looked at Wyatt, eyebrows raised, and he could see the silent question in her eyes. She wanted to take over the conversation and right now he didn’t give a shit as long as they got answers. And as long as she didn’t pull away from him.

“We’re good. Pissed, but unharmed. Just waiting to hear what’s going on with the female and with Keibler and Thorton,” she said.

Harrison’s expression darkened for a moment as he shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “The woman isn’t talking, but they got a hit on her prints. Her real name is Sato Tora. She’s wanted by Interpol in connection with a hit from three years ago—two people died. Maybe she was sloppier back then, but either way, they’re picking her up this afternoon.”

“Miami PD is letting her go?” Wyatt’s blood pressure rose at the news. The woman had attempted to kill him. Twice. He knew she was just doing a job she’d been paid to do and that it was business for her, but he took his life very personally.

Iris let out an annoyed curse, which made him smile despite the situation.

“They’re not letting her go. She’s going to be in prison for life, but yes, they’re giving her up to Interpol because they don’t want to deal with jurisdictional bullshit and because Interpol has a better chance of charging her with two murders than we do on attempted murder. There’s not much proof of who poisoned your drink other than Iris’s eyewitness account. Even though we know it’s true, a good defense attorney could get her off at a pre-trial.”