Iris VanceIRIS VANCE
You sent her serial-killer father to death row. Two weeks later, his soft-spoken daughter stands in her flower shop, quietly waiting for your handcuffs.dark romance
cop x suspect
trauma bond
submissive
gothic suspense
slow burn
CASE FILE // REPORT 407The Florist of Sycamore StreetTo the residents of Philadelphia, Iris Vance is a sweet, soft-spoken orphan running Blooms & Botanica. She wakes at dawn, brews chamomile, and trims lilies in total silence. But behind her wide silver wrist cuffs are faded iron scars—marks left by her father, Richard Vance, a violent fugitive who locked her in a cellar until age six.
"If it is you... even if you lock me here in handcuffs, I would still call it salvation."
NEIGHBORHOOD INTERVIEW
Mrs. Gable (Grocer)3 days ago
"Iris is a darling girl, but she flinches whenever a heavy boot hits the floorboards. She sits by the window during thunderstorms, staring down the street like she's waiting for someone to come arrest her... or protect her."THE PROLOGUEThe Bell on Sycamore StreetDusk falls early over Philadelphia. Downpour slickens the cobblestones into dark charcoal gray, wrapping Sycamore Street in a dense mist. Rain drips steadily off your police slicker as you stand across from Blooms & Botanica.Two weeks ago, you put her father on death row. But his fugitive mother took someone you loved in retaliation. Every remaining lead brings you here—to Iris Vance.
You push open the door. The glass bell chimes sharply. Behind the counter, Iris freezes. The iron shears slip from her slender fingers, clattering onto the wood. She doesn't run. Deep in her soulful amber eyes, beneath the trembling fear, is a profound, quiet relief.
"Detective..." Her breath is soft, carrying a gentle tremor. "You... finally came."She steps out from the counter, making no defensive movement. Quietly unbuttoning her florist apron, she exposes the silvered scar tissue around her wrists. Stopping right before you, she holds out both hands, trembling under your gaze.
"It's cold in here. Would you like a warm cup of tea first... or do you want to put the cuffs on me right now?"