Chapter 20: Chapter 20

I stared at Harry as he was driving. I didn't know where we were going. Any attempt at asking had been shushed. Apparently, that was part of my punishment.

I had reflected on what had happened. And I had a good enough justification. I knew Harry didn't want me around Parker, not after what happened, but I had no choice.

No that was going to be silly. He was going to tell me how I should have called him. And damn right, I should have. Now I was left asking myself what exactly he had in mind.

I was scared. But I was excited. Where was he taking me? I knew it was somewhere formal. After all, he was wearing a suit and i was in an evening gown. But where exactly, I didn't know.

"Do I have the right to speak now?" I asked and he didn't reply. I pouted and turned my head away. This was torture.

"You have the right to speak Iris. I'm not stopping you. I just retain the right to answer," Harry said, not even looking at me. I was sure my mouth dropped. What the hell. So shady. I closed my mouth and turned away. This man was going to beg me to talk. And I was not going to.

"We're here," he said and I looked at him and turned my head. I paused for a while, fixing my dress. As I was about to open the door, Harry beat me to it. And I remembered the time when he told me he was always going to open my doors when we were together.

I got down and he closed the door and handed the keys to a waiting valet. He held me gently and I stopped, then met his eyes as he lifted my head up.

He stared at me for a while– actually it was more like we stared at each other for a while. Harry was the one who broke the silence.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"You're sorry?" I asked, a little confused.

"Yes, little flower, I'm sorry. Seeing you coming out from that dumbass's car got me really pissed. And the look he had on his face, it annoyed me even further. I said I was going to punish you. But this is not really a punishment. I want you to meet my people, my friends, my family in a way. Are you up for it? If you say no, I can drive you back home," Harry said earnestly and I swear I melted.

I stared at his earnest expression for a while, deliberately stalling so he got a bit scared. It was my revenge for before.

"So?" Harry asked and I couldn't help myself. I laughed.

"Yes I'll go with you Harry," I said finally.

"I guess that was fair," he said with a chuckle. Then he added, "I have to warn you though. My friends are a raucous bunch."

"Are they nice?" I asked.

"Well nice is not the word I'd use," he said haltingly and I raised my brows. I had no desire to be uncomfortable throughout the whole evening. It would just remind me of the days I spent in my hometown, not being able to fit in.

"They are not going to blow my head off are they?" I asked, biting a lip.

"They might..." Harry said with a teasing smile and I glared at him.

"Harryyy," I dragged out his name. "I'm being serious here," I whined with a pout.

"Iris, just come on. If you are uncomfortable, I promise you, we'll leave." I stared at him speculatively then nodded impulsively. It was obvious that this was important to him. So why not.

Harry smiled brightly and placed a kiss on my forehead, then kissed my lips I responded and whimpered a little when he separated our lips a little too soon in my opinion.

Harry held me by the arm and led me into the room. It was a living room. And Harry didn't care that I didn't know what was happening, he led me straight into a drawing room of some sort.

There weren't a lot of people and I was actually afraid of that. With a lot of people, it would have been easier to just avoid them. But now, I was forced to speak with everyone. And I hated social encounters.

I spotted about four people. I shuddered. This was going to be even worse than if there were a lot people here. Here, it was going to be awkward if I just decided to avoid everyone.

I swallowed. Then walked as Harry led me.  of a sudden, one of the men present pulled a butcher knife out of his– actually I don't know where the fuck he pulled it from– and pointed at Harry and me.

I gulped and tugged on Harry's hand. "Harry, I want to leave," I whispered urgently, my heart beating like mad.

"Chill, little flower. It's just a joke," Harry said with a smile on his face and I looked at the man who was holding the knife again.

There was no trace of a smile on his face. He didn't look like he was joking in the slightest.

Harry had to drag me to him cause I wasn't moving any more. I couldn't. If this was how Harry's friends were, then I preferred to stay away from them and him, no matter how much the second part was going to hurt me.

"Leo!" Harry exclaimed, and hit the knife holding man in the back with a smile. I gulped then furrowed myself behind Harry. If someone was to die first, then it was going to be him. Not very chivalrous I know. But hey, I never did say I was chivalrous.

"Harold!" the man exclaimed after dropping his knife on the floor like it was a used napkin. I looked at said knife, then looked up at the man again. This time around he was smiling and he and Harry were doing some sort of weird man bro salute.

The man Harry called Leo groaned suddenly. A girl, or a woman, had elbowed him in his side.

"Stop acting dumb," she said and I watched with fascination at how she did not seem scared of the man. Harry and Leo were about the same size. Not that I was scarf of Harry but still.

All of a sudden, I felt someone touch my arm. I swear I jumped five feet. Then I heard a soft chuckle. Or no, not a chuckle, a giggle.

I turned to whoever had let out that noise. It was the girl who had elbowed Leo. She smiled a really sweet smile that was completely at odds with the tone she had just used on the man, whoever he was to her.

"I'm Quinn," she said, with an outstretched hand that I took. "And that moron is my husband, Leonardo. Don't mind him by the way. He thinks he's getting old and terrorizing others makes him feel young and virile," she continued, putting hand quotes over the young and virile parts and I raised my brows, even though I got certain things clearly now.

I was certain she saw the confusion on my face cause she burst out laughing. "Come on, when they get like that, there's no stopping them. Let me introduce you to everyone else."

I followed Quinn docilely to the others. I looked back at Harry and for the first time, I saw him full on laughing. He looked like a kid. He caught my eye, then winked at me and I blushed.

He and Leonardo finally stopped talking and walked towards us. And as Leo placed his hands on Quinn's ass (she elbowed him again by the way. I almost felt sorry for the poor dude), Harry placed possessive hands on my hips.

"So everyone, this is Iris," Harry said and I stared at him incredulously. He just put me on the spot like that!

I turned at them and smiled then waved quietly.

"She's a quiet one huh?" someone asked and I looked towards the voice.

"Well, I wouldn't say she's quiet," Harry said and I blushed even more, then taking example from Quinn, I elbowed him in the side.

"I love you already," the same person said and they all laughed. I blushed.

"I'm Naveen by the way," he continued, and he literally dragged me from Harry's hold.

"Hi– oomph," I started but he took me into a hug and my words were cut off.

"No no, don't try to steal my girl mate," I heard Harry say and I melted.

"What would I want to steal her when I have this whole ass man with me?" Naveen asked and I frowned a little. Yes, he was still hugging me. "I mean, she's cute. But nah."

"Uhm, I'm dying here," I managed to let out and he let me go with a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I got carried away."

I shook my head with a smile and looked around and my gaze fell on the only person who hadn't introduced himself yet. Actually, he didn't need to. It was Johnathan, the man from the office.

I flushed deeply and looked away. I heard him laugh and I knew he remembered me. I looked back at him and he winked. Harry came towards me at that moment and held me. I looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back then placed a kiss on my lips. Then he left and I was forced to socialize, something I wasn't really used to.

Yes. We were just six of us in the room. But I was anti social most times. So six people seemed like a lot to me.

But I walked to towards Naveen. He seemed really nice. We started talking and he kept on asking me questions. I was kind of hesitant to say Harry was my boss. But I told him. And surprisingly enough, he didn't even comment on that part.

That made me kind of suspicious. Was Harry the type of person to sleep with his employees all the time that his friends weren't even surprised he was (dating?) an employee?

I shook the thoughts from my head and leaned into Harry when he came and held me by the waist.

"Enjoying yourself?" he whisper asked.

"Yes. Your friends are nice," I answered and he hummed.

"So, Iris, how did you meet Harry?" Leonardo asked the same question Naveen had asked. But his tone was not innocent. It was full of suspicion. I bristled a bit but calmed myself. Harry was his friend it was normal he wanted to look out for him.

"Well, I – we're neighbors. And um, I work at Grant Corporation too," I responded nervously. The issue with the knife had still not flown over my head.

His expression changed into one of amusement. "So you're the girl–" he started but Harry stopped him from talking. I looked at Harry curiously with an amused smile. Apparently, there was something he could not tell me. Or was not telling me.

I turned to him and chuckled. He turned red to the tips of his ears. Then all of a sudden, he said, "Seeing you in that collar and this dress is doing things to me. Come on. Take your purse. We are leaving."

I swallowed and walked obediently and picked up my purse. I knew where this was going to and it wasn't like I was against it.

I wished good night to all of Harry's friends, even Leonardo after exchanging numbers with them, followed Harry out.

We got into the car and the ride was silent. But I sat still in anticipation. I knew what was coming. I touched the collar on my neck antsily.

I looked at Harry and his expression was unreadable then he turned to me and gave me a smile. No. A smirk. One that said a lot. A whole lot than he could have ever said out loud.