Chapter 380: Book 5: Sweet Surrender

Iris’s gaze immediately flew towards the door. Her heart pounded wildly as she rose to greet him. She was acutely aware of his heated stare burning through her skin.

“Dad!” squealed Esme, jumping up to hug him. Even the pups were excited. They surrounded him as if he had returned home after a decade.

“Hey, sweetie pie! How have you been? Did you miss me?” Maddox hugged them, but his gaze was on Iris, who stood shyly a foot away from him. Her eyes shone with love and the promise of a better tomorrow. This time, there was no doubt in his mind. He knew she loved her – truly, madly, and eternally.

“Yes, Dad! Please don’t go away for so many days.” Esme pouted.

Maddox tore his gaze away from Iris and smiled at Esme. “I promise I won’t.”

Then he looked at Iris again and held an arm out to her, urging her to hug him. “Come here,” he whispered when Esme and the pups released him.

Shyness gripped her hard, and she glanced at Esme. She didn’t want any intimacy in front of her baby girl. Yet she couldn’t ignore her feelings for Maddox. She walked right into his arms, and he enveloped her in a bear hug. Her arms wrapped around his torso, and she leaned into him. Her eyes closed as she inhaled his addictive scent. His arms were her solace, her heaven, and home. No place on Earth could compare to this blissful feeling.

“At last she hugs me!” he muttered against her earlobe, sending a tremor along her body.

It brought her out of her dazed state, and she opened her eyes to glance at Esme. Thankfully, she was too busy with her pups to give them much attention.

His lips grazed the sensitive spot below her ear, and she trembled with need. Her eyes widened with apprehension. “Please, Maddox, not in front of Esme.” She released him abruptly as if stung.

Maddox frowned but didn’t release her. “She should get used to seeing us together, Iris. That’s how families thrive.”

“I’ll serve you your dinner.” She extricated herself and escaped to the dining table. “Join us, please.”

Maddox sat beside Esme, much to her excitement. “So, do you like your room, sweetie?”

“Yes, Dad, even Milo and Coco love it.”

He nodded and looked at Iris, his piercing eyes holding her gaze. “Great! Then would you mind if I stole your mommy? You have Milo and Coco with you.” He didn’t know how else to put this sensitive question in front of her without hurting her. She was closest to Iris. It would be cruel to give her separation anxiety at such a tender age.

“I don’t mind, Dad. I’ve grown up.” She gave her mom a confident look, relieving Maddox.

Now he could whisk her away to his room. No amount of excuses can stop him tonight.

“Are you scared to sleep alone, too, Dad?” Esme gave him a pitiful look, making Iris smile.

Maddox gaped at his daughter. What could he say? “Not exactly. Just like you have a room to yourself, Mommy should have one too, right? All mommies and daddies share a room because they’re life partners.”

Esme nodded wisely as if she were already aware of that. “Yes, Mia’s mommy and daddy also share a room. Don’t worry, Dad. I know the rules.”

Maddox smiled at his witty daughter. He hadn’t expected her to understand so readily.

However, Iris looked stressed. “Are you sure, honey? Just come over if you need anything.”

After dinner, Iris disappeared with Esme into her room, while Maddox stepped into the en-suite for a refreshing shower. His heart skipped a beat every time he remembered Iris’s promise.

Come home, and I’ll show you how much I love you.

He was now impatient to witness it. Two years without her had been hell. Now he was desperate to have her back in his arms. Every second that ticked by felt like hours as he waited for the love of his life. He wanted to confess his feelings in front of her, face to face. That was why he had disconnected the call and rushed home. It would be a pleasure to watch her reaction when he confessed his love.

Drying himself, he pulled on a pair of sweatpants and lay on the bed to wait for her. What was taking her so long? Was she planning to sleep there?

He wanted to storm into the next room and force her to sleep with him. But something held him back. It was a concern for Esme. He didn’t want her to witness it. So reluctantly, he waited for her.

The door creaked open, and Iris tiptoed inside. Maddox watched her from the bed. Did she think he had fallen asleep?

She gasped at seeing him stare at her. “Oh, you’re awake!”

Maddox rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah! Awake and waiting! And I intend to keep you awake all night, Ms. CEO.” He placed his arms behind his head and regarded her minutely.

“Oh!” A gasp escaped her lips as her cheeks colored profusely. “What if your GM finds me sleeping on the job?” Her lips twitched with amusement.

“You aren’t answerable to anyone, sweetheart. Come here...” His voice turned hoarse with desire while his eyes devoured her.

“I need a shower, Maddox. I stink of steak and potatoes.” She hadn’t even taken a step forward when she felt herself hoisted and carried to the bed.

“I don’t mind. I love all three: you, steak, and potatoes.” He chuckled while her heart skipped a beat. Did she imagine it, or did he confess his love in the weirdest possible way?

She wiggled out of his hold and landed on the bed with him. “Oh, hell! Do you love me the way you love potatoes?” She placed her hands on her waist and glared at him with disbelief.

He chuckled and lunged at her. “Hey, I didn’t mean it that way.”

She ducked and escaped, only to glare at him more. Couldn’t he confess in a better way? “Then what did you mean, Maddox Laurier?”

He grinned and chased her around the bedroom. “Come here, and I’ll tell you what I meant.”

She shook her head with a grin. “No, you’ve committed a grave mistake by comparing me to steak and potatoes.”

He stopped and watched her intently, his eyes sparkling with raw emotion. “You’re misunderstanding me as always. I only meant I love you even if you stink of food, even if you’re at your worst, or even if you don’t bathe for months. Because I see your soul, Iris. I’m in love with you, not with your physical beauty, but with your soul, your heart, and mind.”

Iris stopped, her back touching the wall behind her. Her breath hitched at his words. His confession pierced her soul. “I love you too, Maddox!” she whispered, watching him approach her slowly, giving her ample time to escape.

But she wasn’t escaping anymore. She was ready for him.

He stopped inches away from her, his eyes holding her captive. Placing his hands on either side of her, he caged her in his embrace. A finger trailed down her cheek to her lips. “To me, you’re the most gorgeous woman in the world, both inside and outside. You make me feel alive, Iris. Even when I was in a coma, I fought to survive. I fought death only for you. Every second, I had only one goal on my mind – to seek you out. And I’m truly blessed that I could fulfill my dream.”

His eyes searched hers and then fell to her trembling lips. “Oh, Maddox! I wish I could turn the hands of time. I wish I had trusted you more and come home to you.”

He placed a finger on her lips. “Hush, sweetheart! It’s all in the past now. Let’s learn from our mistakes and strive to make today better. I promise I won’t give you any chance to complain, baby. Do you trust me now?”

“Yes, I trust you even with my eyes closed, Maddox. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’m glad we met and fell in love. Maybe it really was God’s will.”

Maddox smiled, tracing her lips longingly. “It is. Do you know why God has united us?”

Iris shook her head, looking bewildered. “Why?”

“So that we can love each other eternally. God wants us to live a fulfilling life. And that’s possible only when we make love.” He leaned towards her, intending to take their love story to another level.

Iris chuckled at his words. “I see. We must abide by God’s wish, right?”

Maddox brushed his lips to hers teasingly. “Of course.”

But the brief taste started a fire in the pit of his stomach. And there was only one way to douse it. Maddox took her face between his hands and claimed her lips at last. The kiss was hot and carnal and everything he really wanted it to be.

Molten heat flashed across his face. With his lips still fused to hers, he tackled her and carried her across the room to land on the bed in five minutes flat.

Iris dropped all her inhibitions and let her needs take over. She surrendered herself to the man she loved – body, mind, and soul.