tepped backward herself, pulling the stranger with her by the lapels she still gripped from moments b

rom the light of the first floor. She measured her breathing, steady and calculated,

ther shoes hitting the wooden staircase e

. Her palms remained dry against the stranger's jacket. S

. She looked like a general surveying a battlefield. A low, rumbling vibrat

u didn't finish your question, little doll," he whispered, his tone dripping with provocatio

hrough the air. Angus stepped onto the balcony,

damn nun. Shame, really-she's got a face that could launch a thousand ships, but absolutely

Iris's brain. Years of trust-fund gaslighting, years of being paraded as a bargaining

ire. Her fingers, already tangled in his lapels from their earlier exchange, tightened and pulled

back at him," she breathed, her voice barely a w

lated revenge, she pressed her vintag

footsteps stopped. He was lo

s large hand moved up to grip the back of her head. His fing

iss anymore. It wa

ealing all the oxygen from her lungs. She gasped, trying to pull back, but h

r. He saw a couple aggressively making out ag

h the stranger's massive frame completely swallowing her smaller figure-left no

ice full of entitled arrogance. "Mo

ransaction piece was standing three feet away, ordering her around without even knowing

down to the back of her neck, squeezing the tense musc

e man turn

s gaze locked onto Angus. It was the look of a pred

man hit Angus like a physical blow. Angus's arrogant sneer vanished. H

voice was a low, chilling rumble

g aura of the man made his knees weak. He didn't dare say another word. H

door cli

ing of her own heart, the lingering burn of the man's mouth on hers, the faint tremor running throug

ep back. He loomed over her, that slow

his gravelly voice rich with amu

name for the Venetian mask covering half her face. "I wasn't trying to impress

But I find myself curious. Earlier, you asked me two questions. Whether I was single. Whether I'd

lipped. "That's

hly, his gaze dropping deliberately to

mond. "I'm engaged. You just witnessed the entire hu

e to retreat. "But that wasn't my second question." His voice dropped, low and intimate,

ing for a deflection, a sharp retort, anythin

mining it with lazy curiosity. "You know, for someone who initiated that kiss with such bravado, you froze the moment I kissed you b

s clenched her jaw so hard her teeth ached. "You're delusional," she ma

r arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "You play the part of the wor

ring a mask," Iris hissed, grasping desper

don't. But you might want to fix your lipstick before y

one he had used to wipe his fingers earlier. He offered it to her

e cool silk to her lips, and her reflection in the dark glass of the balcony door stared back at her-eyes too bri

embarrassed. Everyone's first kiss is terrible. Though I must say, most people

ss," Iris snapped, crumpling

laughter in his voice was

tongue. He was watching her with an expression she couldn't quite read-amusem

austion crept in at the edges. She just wanted to escape this b

r right now, you'll run s

bably pacing and muttering complaints about her into his phone. Walking back into the gala wit

of the balcony-a door that blended so perfectly with the architecture she hadn't noticed it bef

rk. He pushed the door open t

tilting his chin toward the

hidden passageway. But the alternative-facing Angus, facing her mother

d with secret exits?" she as

autiful heiresses decid

spite herself.

as slow and dark. "A

her gown and walked toward the unk

m, the man's eyes drop

was her thick, gold-em

corridor. As the heavy wooden door slowly closed behind them, shutting