Iris

by Yolanda Sfetsos

  Goose bumps spread beneath her clothes. “You know who I am?”

  “I also know what you are.”

  “What do you mean?” Her throat dried up.

  He opened his mouth to answer but was yanked back. Fox pushed him away, a menacing look on his attractive features. “Stay away from her.”

  “Fox, it’s all right.”

  “No, Iris. It’s not.” He turned his attention back to the professor. “Leave us alone. We’ll rest for a while and track you down when we’re ready to talk.”

  He nodded. “Just step out into the corridor and ask the man I’ll post outside the door to bring you to me.”

  “I don’t want anyone posted outside the door.”

  “He’ll be down the corridor, then.”

  Fox nodded.

  Professor Spalding looked at her and stepped back. He met Honey in the doorway and offered her a smile. “I will make sure your friend has as much comfort available to her as you do.”

  Honey waved as they stepped out. “I need to speak to you about something very important, Professor,” Honey said just before the door was closed.

  Fox flipped the old lock. “That’ll keep everyone out for a while.”

  “Why don’t you trust him?” She continued to look out the window, staring at the many buildings around them. Lights blinked on and off everywhere she looked. Rain smeared the landscape, but she could still make out the largest tower in the city only a handful of buildings away. The second tallest appeared a little smaller, in the distant horizon.

  “I don’t trust him, because he doesn’t deserve anyone’s trust,” he replied.

  “How do you know him?” The sky was dark, but not the usual bruised and overcast sky this city knew. Another night had fallen on Nexus.

  “He… Spalding used to have the same boss I did.”

  “Neither one of you work for this boss anymore?” She turned her back on the city, ignoring the new call. This wasn’t from the rain or the lightning. It was something new.

  Fox avoided her eyes when he shook his head.

  “This guy sounds like a bad man.”

  “You have no idea.” Fox stared at the floor between them. “Anyway, we shouldn’t waste time talking about him when we could be resting.”

  “Do you really want to rest?” Her voice sounded breathless, unlike herself at all.

  That got his attention. He met her gaze from across the room. She wanted him closer, as close as they could get. Having him all to herself, after all of the chaos and craziness that swamped them, was a dream come true. She expected to wake up at any moment.

  “If you’re asking me whether I asked for a room with you just so I could take advantage of the situation, the answer is no. I meant what I said. I won’t let anyone get you.” His voice was low, husky.

  Tension thickened the air, and she struggled to suck in some air. “You wouldn’t be taking advantage.”

  He nodded, then shook his head. Fox ran a hand through his bushy hair, yanking the goggles off the top of his head. He seemed to be wrestling with the prospect of her suggestion, but she couldn’t keep her attraction in check anymore. If this turned out to be a one-time deal, she would deal with it. Right now, the only thing consuming her inside and out was being with him.

  Her skin itched for his touch more than it did for the feel of cool rain.

  Iris wanted Fox with all her heart.

  A dangerous and reckless notion, but she didn’t care. Until she’d started spending time with him, she’d felt hollow inside. Now, the lack of memory and knowledge of her former life didn’t hurt as much because he filled her up with hope. He’d already helped her make new memories to replace the ones she’d lost.

  Fox took a breath, released it, took a step, but headed for the bathroom, instead. “I need to cool down for a sec, get everything into perspective.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, but he’d already closed the door behind him.

  Iris wrapped her arms around her body and shivered with the confused sensations he’d roused by leaving her all alone, unsatisfied and on the verge of exploding.

  Right now, she needed his touch more than she needed to remember her past.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  What the hell are you doing?

  Fox punched the tiled wall around the shower cubicle with his sensitive fist. One of the tiles slid off the wall and collapsed on the floor, shattering in the corner. He kicked the bigger piece near his feet and stared at the hole he’d left behind.

  Who gives a shit about the damage? This was Spalding’s home. Maybe he should cause as much damage as he could to the entire room. It would make him feel a little better about their latest turn, in a succession of bad turns.

  Professor James Spalding used to be an intelligent man with too much power. His sadistic actions spoke louder than the results. Yet now he was playing host to a woman who’d lost her memory and killed whenever she felt threatened, as well as the son of the wealthiest, most corrupt man in Nexus. Not to mention Honey, the direct result of one of his projects gone haywire.

  Spalding was in control, and he could do whatever he wanted. He could contact his father and give him the direct location to Iris. He could dissect Honey and her child to figure out how they both ticked…

  Fox just couldn’t see past the memory he had of this man. He’d seemed civilized and even caring, willing to help keep them safe, but how could someone who’d spent so long torturing and screwing around with other people’s DNA truly change? From his experience, most people lived their entire lives being one way or another, never changing or being swayed by circumstance.

  His responsibility to keep Iris—also Honey and Basil—safe surpassed everything else.

  Fox opened and closed his hand. Surprised at the lack of pain, he pressed both palms against the tiles and lowered his head. The warm water fell over his hair and back. He stood like that for a while, trying hard not to think about anything until he got out of here. Lathering his hair, rinsing it, and then doing the same to his body, he allowed the water to wash away some of his uncertainty.

  He hoped any traces of the water Iris had forced him to touch earlier would also fade.

  His mind was lulled and so close to sleep that when a touch to his shoulder brought him back into the moment, he turned sharply and grabbed a hold of the hand before it could slip away. With another quick turn, he had the culprit pinned between his body and the cubicle wall.

  “Fox, it’s me.”

  The anger and alertness slid from his mind. All he could do was stare at her. He had Iris’s wrists pinned above her head, and pressed against the wet wall behind her. She looked so helpless and fragile, beautiful and alluring, without a stitch of clothing on.

  He slipped his hands from the grasp and prepared to take a step back, but Iris stopped him and placed his hands on her waist.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Iris,” Fox murmured with a small shake of his head. “What are you doing in here?”

  She didn’t respond. There was no need to. Every new breath seemed harder, faster. Exhilaration filled her with an indescribable sense of happiness. She needed to be in here, to be doing this.

  The water flattened his bouncy hair, and it looked longer, skimming the tops of his broad shoulders. They were corded with muscle, which continued down the circular top of his arms. The scent of his clean skin made her sniff the air and relax. He was luscious and fresh—ready for the taking—and she wasn’t about to let him slip away. Not now.

  He tightened his grip on her waist, fingers gently digging into her skin. She closed her eyes, not wanting to miss a single sensation between them.

  “Iris, this might not be a good idea. Not with everything that’s going on at—”

  She rose on her tiptoes and kissed him. All words faltered as she molded the front of her naked body to his. They seemed to fit so well together. With eyes closed and heartbeat erratic, Iris opened her mouth to his need.

  Slow, long kisse
s evolved into frantic movements of their lips. His tongue entered her mouth, sweeping inside and forcing a satisfied murmur from her when it connected with hers. Electric shocks of excitement tingled along her body, and the storm inside her ignited further. An uncontrollable thunderstorm raged inside her very soul, as fierce as the erratic effect the outside had on her.

  The shower nozzle released a steady gush of water, similar to the rain that wanted to touch her so badly. Their intimacy left her charged with an electric current she couldn’t control. Thunder resulted with every beat of her heart, echoed by his against her skin.

  He pulled back enough to whisper near her lips. “Damn it, Iris.”

  She opened her eyes and stared into his. Fox pressed his forehead against hers. His blue eyes were shiny, pupils dilated, and arousal obvious between them. It only excited her, moved her forward.

  “Isn’t this something you want?” She ran her hands up and down his firm arms. His white skin seemed to glow inside the tight walls of the shower cubicle.

  He released a warm breath. “Of course it’s something I want. I’ve wanted you…”

  “Then, touch me. Give in to the moment. You know we both want this. It was bound to happen.” She caressed his cheek with the back of her hand. The stubble felt good and real. So much had felt unreal for too long. Every movement forced the sexual tension to tighten her gut. “Besides, it was you who said that next time we would finish this.”

  He kissed her forehead and eyelids and found his way back to her mouth. Fox didn’t hold back. His hands moved up and down the sides of her body, leaving a hot trail wherever he touched her. His mouth devoured hers as if he needed her to survive.

  “Turn around.”

  Iris raised an eyebrow.

  “Trust me,” he whispered near her ear.

  She turned, slowly, wondering what he would do to her. A dull throb began between her thighs, begging for his attention. She hoped he would soon quench her need.

  Slow strokes of his fingers along her spine made her shiver. He moved the soap bar up and down her body, cleaning her from head to toe, being so gentle. Still, he managed to avoid the one spot that begged for him.

  “Fox,” she whispered. Every bit of her skin felt tight and clean, yet unsatisfied.

  “Shhh.” His hands massaged her scalp next, bunching the long length of her hair into his hands. It took a couple of seconds for Iris to realize he was washing her hair.

  She closed her eyes as every new touch to her scalp made her intentions heat further.

  “Rinse it out,” he instructed.

  Iris turned around to allow the steady stream of water to cleanse away the sweet scent of the shampoo. He stood close, watching her closely, his eyes filled with the same desire she felt. She wanted him so much, it was suffocating.

  When her hair lay against her body, as free of shampoo as her body was of soap, Fox took a step closer. She backed up until her spine pressed against the cold tiles. He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her wildly. Both hands roamed all over her body, under her chin, down her arms, cupping her breasts, running down her stomach, along the sides of her waist and hips.

  When he finally stopped between her legs, his breath was ragged and swayed her wet hair.

  She released a shaky breath, her hips involuntarily moving.

  “Oh, Iris. You’re so beautiful.” His mouth traced the line of her jaw. He followed it down under her chin and collarbone, continuing lower until he’d sucked in one of her puckered nipples.

  A gasp of pleasure escaped her when his finger pushed inside her. The movement of his tongue over her nipple made the heat inside the bathroom rise to fuming hot. His finger worked its way inside her before it slipped to stimulate her clitoris. She placed her hands on his shoulders, afraid she’d collapse at any moment.

  Iris had never felt so alive.

  Fox moved to her other breast, slowly but surely sucking that one into his mouth. Every twirl of his tongue over her sensitive nipple aroused her.

  A thousand tiny shocks emanated around her body. The heated blast stemming from between her legs every time he rubbed her, made her legs wobbly. She panted as a wave of pleasure like nothing she’d ever felt surpassed everything else. Iris rode the new feeling for every second it provided, enjoying the way Fox made her climax with the touch of his fingers.

  Her vision wavered, and for a maddening second, she thought she might blackout. Everything returned to focus when he slid his finger from inside her and straightened to kiss her.

  “That was amazing,” she breathed. Her heart filled with joy, feeling like a balloon inflated beyond capacity as love swept inside her. I love this man.

  “You’re amazing.” He reached around her to switch off the water and lifted her off the floor.

  Her legs naturally wrapped around his waist as he held onto her and walked out of the bathroom. With their bodies still moist but on fire for each other, they fell back onto the bed.

  “I want to satisfy you forever, Iris.” He licked her lips, his tongue probing inside to meet hers.

  His fingers trailed up and down her abdomen, around her nipples, and in between her legs. He managed to rouse every bit of her body with the feathery touch of his fingertips. She wanted to return the favor, to touch every inch of his lean and muscled body. Wanted to caress the one place she still hadn’t, but before she could, Fox readjusted himself and pressed his body above hers.

  “Fox.” She ran her fingers over his biceps and forearms, as the anticipation of feeling him inside her burned within. “Don’t hold back…”

  He looked into her eyes, and entered her in one swift motion. Her body tensed and she gasped. Fox leaned over her body. “This feels like heaven,” he moaned in her ear, with every new thrust.

  She kept her legs wrapped tightly around him, her pelvis slightly raised to meet every one of his movements. The rhythm of their bodies seemed to come naturally. His long, lean body pressed down on hers, and she never wanted this connection to end. Her soul cried out for his, feeling as if they were spiritually caressing each other.

  An orgasm tore through her, with as much intensity as the one she’d experienced in the shower.

  Fox panted, his frantic movements abruptly stopping at the same time. A satisfied growl left his mouth as he pressed his chest down against hers, both of their hearts beating equally fast.

  He kissed her cheek, lips, and forehead. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced.”

  “I bet you say that to all the girls.” The words sounded jealous and wounded. A little cold, too, and Iris didn’t understand where they’d come from. Why would she ruin the most perfect moment she could remember?

  His eyes widened in response. Fox shook his head and kissed her again, slow and deliberate, before pulling away. “No, I don’t. I wouldn’t lie about something as intimate as this.”

  He slowly pulled back and lay down beside her. Fox wrapped his arms around her body, holding her to his chest as his eyes closed. “I’ve never felt anything remotely close to what I feel for you. There’s never been any other woman. Not in my heart.”

  Iris released a heavy breath, wishing she could say the same thing to him, but she couldn’t. As amazing and exciting as being with him, and finally experiencing the full extent of their physical attraction felt, she just didn’t know what she’d done during her life. Maybe she did belong to the man who claimed she was his. Maybe she’d had a string of lovers, or maybe she had never been with anyone.

  She didn’t know, but she had the here and now.

  “I think I’m in love with you, Fox.” The admission surprised her. She looked back, over her shoulder. He hadn’t heard. His silence and steady breathing confirmed he’d already fallen asleep.

  She closed her eyes. Pleasure and exhaustion swept over her body before every thought slid from her brain.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Iris’s smile widened. Her beauty struck him so hard, Fox couldn’t control the stir of lust.r />
  He looked away, slid the top of his one-piece outfit over his shoulders, and started to button it up. His gaze returned to scan her petite body almost immediately. She pulled a different black shirt over her head and pushed it down her taut abdomen. It sat just above the top of her black pants. Unlike him, she’d had no choice but to take a new piece of clothing she’d found in one of the drawers. Her other one was torn and bloody.

  “You never did tell me what happened back at the auction,” he said, tightening the belt around his waist. It was easier for him to keep this outfit, anyway. Each pocket was still filled with things he’d eventually need.

  Iris shrugged. “I was holding your hand one minute, and the next, some tall guy claimed I was going to be his new pet.”

  Rage boiled his blood. People here believed in taking what wasn’t theirs. It sickened him to think of just how many predators were willing to take her, including his own father.

  Well, his new mission in life had just become to unconditionally protect her. Fox didn’t want to possess or own her. He liked the way she made him feel, as if nothing else in life mattered. Iris gave him a reason to want to be here.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, pushing her glossy, ebony hair behind her ears. The long length fell behind her shoulders, shiny even in the dim light.

  “I’ve never been better.”

  She flashed a gorgeous smile, and her eyes twinkled. “What do we do, now?”

  “Now, we confront Spalding and find out what the hell he’s really up to.” He strapped the gun holster around his thigh and inserted the gun.

  “Are you sure he’s up to something?” She turned and casually strolled over to the window.

  He still couldn’t quite understand her fascination with what lay outside. As far as he was concerned, anything in the city streets or beyond was a wasteland. Their habitable world was nothing more than a cluster of interconnected buildings. Sometimes, it didn’t seem fair, but he’d been born into this. He didn’t know anything else, so there was nothing to compare it to.