#Chapter 23 – Trouble

Christian puts everything together in an instant – where this grate leads, what, precisely, that noise he just heard was. I give another panicked squeak and push myself away – but I’m unbalanced now and can’t quite push myself back to the dresser on my exhausted arms. I gasp, looking down at the floor in panic as I try to stand up straight – But suddenly the door to the room flies open, and Christian is striding towards me, his face livid. Just as I lose my balance, plummeting straight for the floor, he grabs me and pulls me out of the air so that my weight falls on him and I’m able to put my feet on the ground. I mean, it’s not the most graceful landing – But I didn’t fall on my ass. Still, none of that matters as I look up into Christian’s furious face, my chest and stomach still pressed firmly to his side. “What the fuck are you doing, Iris!?” I just shake my head, because – I mean, obviously he knows what I’m doing. I’m distracted, though, by the scent of blood – and as I look