Chapter 36 Close Together
After the auto show ended, a dinner party was held in the center of the island.
Donovan didn’t attend. Instead, he took Iris back to the grandstands beside the track.
The area, which had been bustling with people during the day, was empty and quiet now.
Looking up, they could see the star-filled sky clearly.
They sat side by side in the front row of the grandstands.
Donovan leaned back in his seat, rested his head on his arms, and crossed his long legs, resting them on the railing in front of him. His posture was lazy and relaxed, and he looked thoroughly at ease.
Iris tried to mimic him, lifting her legs, but unfortunately, they were too short to reach the railing.
She turned her head slightly, feeling awkward, and stole a glance at Donovan.
He didn't seem to notice her gesture, nor did he tease her about it.
Cool moonlight bathed Donovan’s face in a soft, hazy glow, flowing quietly across his delicate, chiseled features.
In this light, he didn’t look scary at all.
Iris couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.
Suddenly, Donovan turned his face, and their gazes met.
“I brought you out here to look at the stars, but you’re just staring at me?”
Iris' cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head awkwardly, unable to meet his gaze.
But a large hand gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him once more.
With a hint of amusement, Donovan said, "If you want to look, just look. I don't mind."
"I wasn't looking..." Iris denied softly, shaking her head.
Donovan chuckled softly and released her.
"Then is there something you want to tell me?"
Iris didn't really have anything to say. But if she didn't speak up now, it would be like admitting that she had indeed been staring at him.
After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded.
"Donovan, I wanted to ask...where's Juniper? I haven’t seen her since the auto show ended.”
“She’s out making money.”
Donovan’s lips curled into a smile.
"You won't be seeing her again."
"Oh..."
Iris sank deeper into her seat and lifted her eyes, which held a complex expression, to watch the three men who had been running back and forth on the track for nearly four hours.
Donovan had claimed he was taking her to see the stars, but he was actually just out to torment her:
There was Wright, Harrison, and another man she didn’t recognize.
She’d barely had a chance to say hello before Donovan kicked them several times and tossed them out here to run.
Iris didn’t dare provoke the devilish man beside her but still asked in a quiet voice, "Donovan, how much longer will they be running?"
Donovan gave her a dismissive glance. "A day and a night."
Iris was stunned.
Was she supposed to stay here, too—watching the stars with Donovan all night and baking in the sun all day?
She didn’t know if those three would be okay running nonstop for that long, but she felt like she might not make it.
She shivered slightly, pulled her bunny-ear hat down over her ears, and didn't dare sigh.
The hoodie was fairly thick, and the late-summer night wasn’t too cold.
She hugged her knees and soon dozed off.
In her daze, she found herself falling into a broad, steady embrace.
The embrace rocked gently forward, as if she were lying in a comfortable cradle.
Iris unconsciously nuzzled into it.
Before long, the embrace transformed into a soft, warm bed.
She thought it was such a lovely dream and pulled the covers over herself, wrapping up tightly.
A faint sound of water reached her ears, growing clearer by the moment.
Suddenly, Iris opened her eyes. She was indeed lying in bed; it wasn’t a dream.
Beneath her was a large bed in a strange room lit only by a dim bedside lamp.
The sound of water came from the bathroom on her left. Through the frosted glass, she could make out the tall, muscular silhouette of a man.
It was Donovan.
Had he carried her into the room while she was asleep? Not only had he not left, but he was actually taking a shower in there.
Iris began to feel nervous.
It was the kind of plot you’d see in a TV drama, especially since Donovan was always kissing her.
She dared not imagine what would happen once he finished showering and came out.
Sure enough, that was the real reason he’d spent 800,000 dollars to bring her here!
Donovan, that bastard! Shameless!
Iris was so scared that she felt a chill run through her body.
She spotted the door to her right, pulled back the covers cautiously, and held her breath.
She inched her way toward the edge of the bed.
She moved without making a sound.
Iris managed to slip out of bed.
Bending over, she stepped barefoot onto the floor and quickly made her way to the door.
Her hands gripped the doorknob tightly. Even before she turned it, her palms were cold and clammy.
The door lock clicked softly.
Iris glanced back at the bathroom. Perhaps the sound of the running water was loud enough that Donovan hadn’t noticed!
She pressed her hand to her chest, took several deep breaths, and yanked the door open. She bolted out.
Outside was a lavishly decorated living room.
She wandered around in the dim light for a while, dazed, before finally finding the front door.
Before she could touch the handle, the metal knob shifted slightly.
Iris thought she must be seeing things. She squinted and cautiously moved closer, and the handle moved again.
Someone was out there!
Her heart skipped a beat, and she scrambled backward.
Harrison and the others were still out running; they would never sneak over to open Donovan’s door in the middle of the night.
There was only one person Iris could think of who would do something like this—a thief!
She backed all the way to her bedroom, shut the door quickly, and locked it from the inside.
She pressed her face against the peephole and watched the living room door intently. She took a deep breath, preparing to shout and scare away whoever was outside.
The living room door swung open.
Iris immediately held her breath.
In the moonlight, she was horrified to see that there was more than one person outside.
They spoke in hushed tones as they slipped in one after another. They were clad in camouflage combat gear and carrying guns.
They weren't thieves.
Iris didn't waste a second. She spun around and dashed to the bedside, snapping off the lamp with a click.
She then turned sharply to the right, flung open the bathroom door, and darted inside.
"Donovan, someone's in here—they're armed..."
Iris' words trailed off abruptly as she stared blankly at the naked man standing under the showerhead.
Warm water trickled down Donovan’s toned muscles from his chest to his abs.
Looking further down, Iris' eyes widened in shock.
The next second, Donovan reached out to turn off the bathroom light. He covered her slightly open mouth with his hand and pulled her sideways, pressing her tightly against the wall behind the bathroom door.
He opened the bathroom door a crack.
Then he grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist, and leaned down to whisper in Iris' ear, “Be quiet.”.
Their chests pressed against each other's backs as they held each other tightly.
The man’s gentle breath brushed against the top of her head. Drops of water from his damp body trickled down her neck and into her collar, causing her to flinch.
She knew making a sound would be tantamount to suicide, so she tapped the hand covering her mouth and nodded frantically.
Donovan released her and pushed her toward the corner while leaning forward to feel his way toward the sink on the left.
In the darkness, Iris could hear rustling sounds from outside clearly—eerie and unsettling.
Those people were right at the bedroom door and might burst in at any moment.
Just then, a faint glimmer of light flashed before her eyes.
Iris glanced sideways.
Donovan grabbed the phone from the sink, quickly turned on the screen, set an alarm, and slid the phone under the bed. Then he darted back behind the door.
The room plunged back into total darkness.