Page 12 of The Truth Between

It was delicious, better than anything I had tasted in a long time. I savored each bite, trying to ignore the fact that every so often, Soren would look up at me and watch me eat. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to have any interest in making small talk, making the silence even more pleasurable.

As I was eating, Soren cleared his throat. I looked up at him as I placed my fork down, wondering what he was going to say. But it only took a second for me to realize that he wasn’t preparing his voice to talk to me.

Franklin entered the room from the door my back was facing and walked over to Soren. The two men talked in hushed whispers, and I could only make out a word every so often. It wasn’t enough context for me to put together what the conversation might be about and that slightly frustrated me. What could they be talking about right now that couldn’t wait until after breakfast was done?

“Is this something you would like me to have done?” Franklin asked, his words barely audible.

Soren nodded. “Yes, make sure that it is done properly.” His gaze returned to me, and I hated it. Did their conversation have anything to do with me? Was I just being paranoid?

“Will do, sir,” Franklin turned on his heel and walked out of the door that I saw Molly enter and leave from just a few minutes ago.

The conversation had stopped everything in my mind. My appetite was long gone, having walked out of the room right behind Franklin. I used my fork to move the food on my plate from left to right as I felt Soren’s stare on me once more.

“How is the food?” he asked.

“It’s great.”

“Then why aren’t you eating it?”

“I’ve lost my appetite.” At least that wasn’t a lie.

Soren leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands. “That’s unfortunate. I figured you would be hungry after the early dinner you had the night before.”

That was a reasonable assumption because dinner, for whatever reason, had been early. I just shrugged and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

Soren clearly wasn’t letting it go because next, he said, “Is it because of what Franklin and I were discussing?”

I tensed at the question, knowing it was foolish to think their conversation had nothing to do with me. “What were you talking about?”

Soren’s lips curved into a smirk. “That’s not important.”

“It is if it concerns me,” I shot back, feeling the anger I’d been trying to suppress boiling to the surface.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

I pushed my plate away, standing up from my seat. I was over his games and being in his vicinity. “I’m done eating.”

Soren raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure?”

“Yes. I told you I lost my appetite,” I repeated. “And I’ve had enough of your mind games for one day.”

“Who said I’m done playing with you, petal?”

I could hear the double meaning in his words. This was just one of the things I’d been afraid of. Him tossing back barbs, trying to get under my skin, to upset me and to get a reaction that he could feed off of.

“Then it’s time for us to head back to the basement.”

I nodded, knowing that my opportunity to be a little freer than I’d been in what felt like days was coming to an end. However, this time, I was slightly happy about being alone down there again. It would give me some distance from the man who was determined to make my life a living hell.

And for now, that was all that I could ask for.

7

SOREN

As evening arrived, showcasing a pretty warm glow throughout my bedroom, I adjusted my black tie before fixing the collar of my shirt. Once my reflection told me it was perfect, I took a step back, gave myself one final look, and left the room.

Within seconds, I’d walked down the stairs leading to the front door, where Franklin was standing with my coat. I grabbed it from him and asked, “Anything more from downstairs?”