Heart of Ice

Chapter 22

Rhys
~~~

Why the f*ck did he have to talk about my parents. We made an agreement to never discuss them. I can't maintain my cold exterior. It's raining.

I sit at the edge of the pool. Tears streaming from my eyes. F*ck. Luckily there's no one watching me. I hear the back door slamming behind me.

I don't turn around. "R-Rhys?" Iris says softly. I ignore her. I can't let her see me cry. She sits down next to me. "Rhys, don't cry..." she says in a soft tone, cupping my cheeks with her hands.

"I can't...I can't f*cking help it," I mutter. "Do you...want to talk about it?" she asks me sweetly. "It's only right if I tell you, hmm," I whisper. Tears run down my cheeks, stinging my eyes.

Iris holds my hand. "Well this man isn't my real father. He's my a-adoptive father..." I say softly, my voice shakey. Iris listens. "My birth parents are dead. Well my father was an abusive man. He used to abuse myself and my mother. So f*cking often," I say with a shakey tone.

"I couldn't even f*cking protect my mother. She died because..." I pause. "One night my father was extremely drunk and couldn't even walk properly. He somehow got hold of a gun and shot my mother twice in her head. Twice in her chest. In front of me," I say, while still in tears.

"I-I," Iris stutters as she hugs me. I hug her back. "I called the police, he was arrested. He fortunately died in prison, from unknown causes," I say.

"I was then put up for adoption," I say. Iris is still listening very carefully. The rain drenches us both. "I was adopted by a rich couple, who was the father you've met and his wife. I got so attached to them. One day out of nowhere they told me the truth," I say with a trembling voice.

"They told me how my mother had Cancer and she didn't have much time. I hated them so much from hiding the truth. A month after that my second mother passed away. I was broken," I say as more and more tears fall from my eyes.

"After that I couldn't bring myself to get attached to another person ever again. I became cold and distant. But... You came and-" I pause. "Rhys...why didn't you tell me anything," Iris asks.

"I thought you'd judge me or think I'm weak or-" I pause not wanting to say more. Iris wipes my tears. I bring my face closer to hers. We're barely inches apart. I feel the need to make a move.

I gently press my lips against hers. I can sense her shock. She doesn't pull away but she kisses me back. My hands wrap around her waist pulling her closer. Her soft lips against mine feels so~