Reject My Alpha President (Iris and Arthur) novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Arthur & Iris

Arthur

The moment the phone begins to ring, Iris lunges toward it like her life depends on it. Her finger smashes the ‘decline call‘

button, turning the screen dark before I can see the name lighting it up.

“What was that?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

Iris lifts her chin defiantly, as if I’ve just asked her to tell me her social security number. “Nothing,” she says.

I stare at her for a moment in silence, unsure of what to make of it. She quickly slips her phone into her pocket, and the way her

fingers tremble ever so slightly betrays her true emotions.

Something is going on with her. She is not only lying to me, but she’s also acting blatantly defensive.

And for what? She was the one who took off out of nowhere, leaving our life behind so she could abort our baby. And she’s clearly

living off the wealth of that Brian guy and his husband now. I can already see her true colors, clearer than any of those paintings

of hers.

She has nothing left to hide, and yet here she is, treating a simple phone call as if it might reveal her deepest secrets.

**You should go now,” she suddenly says, gesturing to the door.

I feel hot anger flare through me at that, along with a twinge of disdain–more toward myself than her, shockingly. I feel like a

fool, and a lovestruck one at that

After everything she has done, after the way she threw our old life away like it was nothing but trash, I orchestrated a

‘coincidental‘ meeting at the restaurant just so I could see her. I’ve let my excitement over the fact that she hasn’t gotten married

with children during our five years apart take hold of me, turning me into a witless puddle of nostalgia and longing

But no more.

I straighten my shoulders and smooth down the front of my suit jacket.

“I thought this was the case, but I truly see what you are now,” I bite out through clenched teeth. “Do whatever you want, go

wherever you want; I don’t give a shit. Just keep out of my life from now on.”

And with that, I turn on my heel and leave.

I try not to think about her amber eyes following me all the way out to my car.

Iris

#20 Bonus

Arthur lets the door slam on his way out of the apartment, sending a shuddering crash through the foyer that makes my shoulders stiffen. Even with human hearing that isn’t nearly as keen as a werewolf’s, I can hear his footsteps pounding all the

way down the hall.

Without thinking, 1 rush over to the window and peer out into the darkened street. I can see Arthur storming

sports car, and then with a rev of the engine, he speeds off into the night.

ing out to his expensive

Only once he’s fully out of sight do I remember to breathe.

With trembling fingers, I pull my phone out of my pocket and look at the missed call from Miles. I’m glad that Arthur hasn’t discovered Miles‘ existence tonight, although that feeling is also edged with a touch of grief.

If things were different, if Arthur was different, then Miles could know his father.

But they aren’t. And he isn’t. And Miles will never know him–not if I can help it.

I quickly redial the number. The babysitter answers after a few rings, which surprises me; Miles always answers when I call. Both my phone and the phone I leave in the house for emergencies have special ringtones for each other, so that we can always know

precisely when the other is calling.

“Miles is a little upset,” the babysitter says with a sigh. “He thinks you don’t want to talk to him.”

The thought of my little boy thinking such a thing fills my heart with pain. I ask the babysitter to put Miles on the phone, and after some coaxing from both of us, his small voice echoes through the speaker.

“Mommy? Are you mad at me?”

Miles hesitates, then says in a tearful little voice, “With a cherry on top?”

My heart tightens at our code phrase. Once, when Miles was a little younger, he asked me to ‘pinky promise with a cherry on top. It was an accidental combination of the phrases “pinky promise‘ and ‘pretty please with a cherry on top‘, but it stuck. And now we

stly, I’m not sure if I can say it. Because I’m not telling the whole truth.

the smart boy that he is, immediately notices my hesitation. I hear a little sniffle and then the sound of footsteps pattering

“He’s just missing you and feeling a little insecure tonight,” she says, which makes my eyes mist over with fresh tears. “You know how kids are, though. He’ll wake up in the morning and will have forgotten all about it.”

I tighten my jaw, because the babysitter is wrong. I know Miles, and I know he won’t forget. He never does.

Before I can answer, a text comes in from the Marsiel Gallery. I tell the babysitter to let Miles know I’ll be home as soon as possible, then hang up. The text contains the details on an upcoming seminar that the gallery is hosting in a few days, which I’ll

I’m both excited and a little guilty for attending the seminar. I’ve worked so hard for opportunities like this, pulling myself up by

Suddenly, the front door swings open again. Brian, Liam, Evan, and Emily sweep into the apartment like a tornado, as is