Chapter 5 Iris's POV

Marry me. Ten million dollars.

Those words had scraped their way into my head, playing over and over on a constant replay throughout the night.

There was no getting away, no matter how many times I flipped my pillow or shifted under the covers.

Sleep had been a joke, I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, my heart pounding, my whole life teetering on the edge of one little word.

Yes. Or no. I had to choose.

Malcolm had made it sound so clean. Six months, no love, no real relationship. Simply a contract. You do this, and you walk away with ten million dollars.

I could pretend, couldn't I? Just a business deal. A six-month charade, and then I'd be gone-out of this city, out of his life. I'd fix my knee. Start fresh.

I massaged my temples with my fingers, exhaling. God, why does it sound so easy in my head when everything in me is screaming that it's not?

The real terror wasn't the contract. It was him.

I wasn't dumb. Malcolm Slade was bad news. He was the kind of guy you didn't just walk away from, no matter what he offered.

And the worst part? Somewhere inside, I was scared I wouldn't want to walk away.

I shook my head, forcing myself to stand up from the couch. Enough thinking. I needed to work.

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How I was able to make it through the front doors of Bliss of Seduction was a wonder.

It was as though my body was on autopilot, yet my mind was stuck in another realm, one where Malcolm's voice continued to resonate in my ear, daring me to take the offer.

I found myself looking toward his office every other minute, my gut clenching as if I expected him to burst down and request my response.

The stress adhered to me like a second layer of skin, and I was aware that Lura had picked up on it.

"Hey, Iris." She slid into my space behind the bar, her sharp eyes scanning me.

"What's up with you? You've been quiet all night, and not in a leave-me-alone kind of way. More like a someone's-got-a-gun-to-my-head kind of way."

I forced a weak smile. "Just... thinking."

"Thinking?" She lifted an eyebrow. "It had better not be about Pamela. What did she even need with you last night, anyway?"

I swallowed. Pamela was the least of my worries.

"It's nothing," I lied, shaking my head. "I'm just-" I didn't get to finish, as a voice cut through the noise behind me.

"The boss wants to see you."

I jerked back, turning to find Nicholas standing there, his eyes unreadable. Lura sucked in a breath beside me. "Right now?"

Nicholas didn't hesitate. "Right now."

My heart pounded. This was it. I wiped my hands on my skirt, glancing at Lura, who was a single heartbeat from slamming me to the floor and begging me not to go.

I smiled reassuringly at her, even while my own nerves ate away at me.

Nicholas led me down the hall, past Pamela, who shot me a look so sharp it could've sliced skin.

What's her problem? I ignored her, too preoccupied with the weight on my chest.

At Malcolm's office, Nicholas opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

I did. And the moment I heard the click of the door shutting behind me, I knew I was trapped.

Malcolm had his back to me, phone at his ear, his voice low and silky as he finished up whatever call he was on. And then, in one smooth motion, he spun his chair around. And smiled.

"Hello, Iris."

The way my name sounded in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. Like he already knew why I was there. Like he'd already won.

I clenched my fists. He doesn't own me. Not yet.

"Sit, come on," he said, flashing that infuriating smirk. "I don't bite-" He paused, eyes glinting. "Not yet, anyway."

I eye-rolled but sat. "Why am I here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as level as possible.

Malcolm leaned back, watching me like I was some fascinating puzzle he'd already figured out. "I think you do. You haven't forgotten our discussion now, have you?"

I swallowed. Six months. Just six months.

"Six months," I echoed, searching his face for any sign of deception. "Nothing more?"

"Nothing more, nothing less," he promised. "And then you walk away. No strings. Ten million dollars richer."

There was silence between us. I drew a sharp breath. The weight of my entire existence pressed down upon me.

The bills unpaid, the insidious fear of a future unknown, the feeling of standing on the precipice of a cliff with no way to go back.

And Malcolm Slade, there, holding out a parachute. I was tired of falling.

"Fine," I muttered, my voice little more than a whisper.

Malcolm's smirk grew. "What was that?"

I glared. He wanted to hear me say it. To acknowledge that I was conceding.

"I said yes," I spat. "I'll do it."

His grin grew wider as he rubbed his hands together. "Good. Very good, Iris. You've made the right choice."

He slid a document toward me. "All that's left is the paperwork."

I picked up the contract, scanning it. No way in hell I'm signing something without reading it first.

Then-my eyes stopped on a line. "Moving in with you?" My head snapped up.

Malcolm nodded, completely unfazed. "Of course."

"And..." My stomach twisted. "Public displays of affection?"

A lazy smile spread across his lips. "Oh, come on, Iris. You don't seriously expect people to believe we're madly in love if we act like strangers, do you?"

I clenched my teeth.

"So," he continued, "a few kisses, a bit of hand-holding, the occasional touch. Only in public, of course. I won't touch you in private." His smile widened. "You're not really my type."

Heat surged into my cheeks. What the hell is that supposed to mean?

I huffed, flipping to the last page and grabbing the pen. My hands shook as I scrawled my signature, sealing my destiny.

"There," I spat, pushing it back.

Malcolm's eyes darkened with satisfaction. "Mrs. Iris Slade."

A shiver ran down my spine.

This all starts tomorrow," he said, standing. "I'll send someone to fetch you at noon. You'll be moving in immediately."

My stomach dropped. "What? That soon?"

His face hardened. "You're my wife now, Iris. I'm not going to have you spend one more night in that dingy apartment."

My fists clenched, but I swallowed my retort. Instead, I stood. "I'm going."

I made a move towards the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Slade," Malcolm called after me.

I ignored him and slammed the door.

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The walls in my apartment felt smaller that night. As if they knew I'd just made a deal with the devil.

I was sitting on the couch, reading over the papers. I had read them three times already, but the weight of my name with his never lessened.

Then my phone buzzed.

Izzy: Call me. Now.

I took a shaking breath and called.

"I swear to God, Iris, if you don't start talking in the next three seconds-"

"I said yes," I whispered.

Silence.

Then-"You're joking."

I shut my eyes tight. "I'm not."

Izzy groaned. "This is going to be a disaster."

"Probably."

"And you're still doing it?"

I looked at the papers again. "Yeah," I mumbled. "I am."