Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires #2) by Lauren Asher

“Please don’t cry.”

Her brows tug together as she looks up at me with glistening eyes. “You’re not laughing.”

“What?”

“You told me you laugh when you make people cry.” Her voice cracks.

I’m a mess inside. She doesn’t even seem to be looking at me but rather through me. Her glistening eyes serve as a window to her soul, and what I find is devastating. A beautifully broken soul who happens to be a mirror of mine.

You hurt her.

I feel no better than my father, wielding words like knives out of anger. While it might not leave the same kind of wounds as fists, words can do more damage than anything.

To think you’ve tried so hard to prevent yourself from becoming like him, only to realize you’re an exact copy.

She doesn’t meet my eyes as she sniffles.

Maybe even worse.

Based on the way I feel, it sure seems that way.

I pull her against me, this time kissing the top of her head. Except her usual sigh is absent. She doesn’t melt into me the way she always does, and my worry only intensifies.

“Let go of me,” she rasps as she pushes against my chest.

I release her like she might catch on fire if I hold on to her for a second longer. The way she looks at me…it feels like she took her nails and sunk them straight into my chest.

“We can talk this out.”

She takes a large step back as she wraps her arms around her like a hug. I want to be the one to console her, but how do I make her feel better when I’m the one that hurt her in the first place?

“I’ve been called a failure by many people in my life, including my own father, yet none of them seemed to have made it hurt quite like you just did. I trusted you.”

My stomach rolls as I am unable to escape the sick feeling plaguing me.

“I’m sorr—”

She cuts me off. “The last thing I want to hear right now is how sorry you are. I can’t believe I came here thinking you needed my help, only to end up being blamed for all of this. What a joke. The only two people to blame here are you and your father. Him for being an absolute dick and you for following in his footsteps, lashing out at me instead of taking personal responsibility.”

I take a step forward, only for her to take a big step backward.

My hand drops back to my side. “Don’t go.”

She shakes her head as she takes another step away from me.

“We’re supposed to be a team.”

“I don’t want to be on your team. Not anymore.”

A punch to the face might have hurt less than the way she looks at me like I’m below her.

“I’ll be better.”

“Funny. That’s what my father always told my mom too, right before he hurt her all over again.”

Her final blow lands exactly like it was meant to. I try to take a few deep breaths as I think of something to say, but I struggle to come up with anything worthy.

She takes advantage of my stunned state and retreats to a hidden exit out of the park without sparing me another glance. I’m torn between chasing after her and going back to the group. Leaving Iris alone after knowing how upset she is seems unconscionable, yet I can’t exactly leave the Yakuras in my father’s hands. Not after how hard Iris and I have worked to make this happen.

You can deal with Iris later once all of this is done.

It seems like the best idea, yet I struggle to make my way back to everyone. Each step away from Iris feels like I’m trudging through quicksand.

You did not spend two years of your life working on this deal to lose it now. Pull yourself together.

I return to the group, ignoring the weight pressing against my chest with each step away from Iris. For the sake of my future, I need to shelve my emotions and push through. It seems simple in theory until Mrs. Yakura asks where Iris is.

“She wasn’t feeling very well.”

My father’s eyes gleam, and I can’t stomach looking at him without feeling an urge to shove him away from me.

“Oh no. Does she need help getting back to your hotel?” Mr. Yakura offers.

I shake my head. “She didn’t want us to stop our tour for her.”

“Are you sure? We could—”

I cut him off. “I’m sure.”

“Hopefully she feels better.” Mrs. Yakura smiles.

If the look on Iris’s face is a small inkling of the pain she feels, I doubt she will for a long time.

I made sure of that.





41





IRIS





Did I expect Declan to attack me like he did after I went out of my way to drop everything and help him when he asked? No, but damn did the surprise hurt almost as much as the things he said about me.

Your job description says you’re supposed to alleviate problems, not cause them.

My throat closes up. How dare he talk about me and my job description like that. I can’t believe I spent three years of my life fixing his problems whenever they arose, only for him to cut me down to nothing the moment I messed up.

If you even did mess up.

Regardless if I did, Declan should have never spoken to me like that. He used my insecurities against me until I was left standing before him, feeling just as broken as ever before. I’ve been on the receiving end of his verbal lashings before but never like this. This one felt personal in a way I never want to experience again.