Iris’s POV
For one second, I could not breathe.
Marcus’s voice came too close, too sudden, cutting straight through the moment like a blade. My heart slammed so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. I stepped back without thinking, my body reacting before my mind could catch up.
I forced my face into something calm before I turned, even though my pulse was racing and my lips still felt warm from Victor’s kiss.
“Hey,” Marcus said, stopping just short of us. His eyes moved between the two of us, not suspicious, just curious. “Are you both hiding back here?”
I let out a small, breathy laugh, hoping it sounded natural.
“I needed some air,” I said quickly. “It got a bit crowded in there.”
Victor did not miss a beat. He stepped slightly to the side, giving me space, his expres
