Annalise's POV
His lips were on mine again, stealing every last coherent thought, every hesitation, every doubt. I had no room left for anything but him—his warmth, his touch, the way he kissed me like I was something sacred.
But then— Iris.
He murmured her name against my skin, a breathless whisper, filled with longing.
I stiffened beneath him, something sharp lodging itself in my chest.
That name. It wasn't mine. The body too, it was perfect but the real one I had was the opposite... riddled with scars.
A painful wave of guilt washed over me, followed by something even worse—jealousy. Would he look at me like this if he knew? If he knew I wasn't Iris? If he saw the real me?
I should have told him. I should have told him from the start. But how could I, when I'd been too much of a coward? When I was too selfish to let go of this—of him? And what if he never believed me? The truth sounded unbelievable—crazy even.
