“Dead clever,” I said dryly. “If you’re ready to leave, I’ll text Bill to come pick us up.”
“I’m ready.” She gave Joaquin a hug while I tapped out the message. He stroked the back of her hair and whispered words too low for me to hear.
The receptionist appeared at the opening of Joaquin’s station, twisting her fingers nervously in front of her. “Excuse me. I wanted to let you know there are…um, a lot of people outside.”
With her arms still around Joaquin, Iris turned, letting out a little laugh. “What? Is there a line for tattoos?”
“No. A lot of them have cameras,” the receptionist clarified.
Alert and immediately suspicious, I rounded on the girl. “Did you tell anyone Iris is here?”
Her face twisted with what looked like confusion, but it could have easily been put on. “What? No.” She shook her head with vigor. “I wouldn’t do that. I swear.”
I pressed on. The paparazzi didn’t just magically appear and Iris needed to know if there were people working here who couldn’t be trusted with keeping her privacy. “Did anyone else? A client? One of the other artists?”
She kept shaking her head. “No. No one that I saw.”
“How can you be sure? Someone here called the press.”
Her mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. “I don’t...I don’t…”
“You don’t what, girl?” I’d lost my patience with her. “Speak up.”
“Leave her alone, Ronan. Jesus,” Iris admonished, shoving at the back of my shoulder. The receptionist scampered away while she had the chance. “Has anyone ever told you you’re scary as hell?”
“It’s been said and comes in handy with my line of work,” I gruffed at her.
My phone chimed in my pocket. Pacing to the other side of the small space, I took it out and checked the screen, nearly cracking the thing with how hard I clenched it.
“Bill just drove by. There’s a line of cameramen waiting. He also said there’s a crowd of younger people who are either fans or waiting to see who the paps are aiming for.” Rubbing my tight jaw, I glanced to Joaquin. “If we could use your back exit, that would make things easier.”
“Absolutely,” he answered. “And no one here did this. We have other celebrity clientele and always make sure to be very discreet.”
I jerked my chin in response. Grandmas sold out their beloved granddaughters for a quick buck. I’d seen it happen. Not a single person was above reproach.
Iris took two steps in the direction of the front of the shop. “I can just—”
“No.” I held my arm out, barring her from going further. “You can’t. I haven’t taken a visual of the situation, so I don’t know if it’s safe for you to go that way. We’ll go out the back. You can get your picture taken another day.”
Any humor drained from her expression in an instant. “Are you kidding me? I don’t give a shit about my picture being taken.” She gestured to her baggy hoodie and trainers. “Do I look like I got dressed up special for this?”
“I don’t know your motivations, and they don’t matter to me. I’m not allowing you to go out the front. Bill is picking us up at the mouth of the back alley, so settle up with Joaquin, then it’s time to go.”
Iris’s mouth fell open, and her cheeks flushed. Oh, she was angry I’d taken control when she hadn’t given it up freely.
“If I want to go out front and greet some fans, I’ll do that, Ronan. Don’t forget, you’re my employee.” Her delicate chin lifted in defiance.
“I haven’t forgotten, but you won’t be going out front today.” I refused to compromise or concede. Iris might play fast and loose with her safety, but I would not.
She crossed her arms and stared me down, hellfire behind her icy blues. “Fine.” She had a hushed conversation with Joaquin over what an asshole I was. Allowing her privacy to get out her hatred, I moved into the hallway, texting Bill that we’d be out momentarily.
When she appeared a few minutes later, determination pinched her brow. I beckoned for her to follow me down the hall as I started toward the rear exit, but she slipped past me and moved for the front.
Without thinking, my hand shot out, catching her by the nape and yanking her toward me. She collided with my chest, too stunned to push away. Her head tilted back, wide eyes finding mine. Each time she sucked in a breath, her breasts were pressed against me.
“You’renotgoing out that way,” I growled. “Stop being difficult.”
With a firm hold on her neck, I steered her out of the shop and into the grimy alley. She shrugged a few times, but that was her only effort to break free of my grip. I felt the fury rolling off her, like an electrical charge in the air, making the hair on my arms stand on end. Funny, I wasn’t feeling too happy either.