Page 25 of The Truth Between

Nope. Not one bit.

If this was the only way I could currently be close to her, then so be it.

I turned off the feed and placed my phone back in my pocket, and darkness filled the room once more.

As I turned slightly to look back toward the bed, my gaze locked onto Iris’s peaceful form once again. As if she knew I was looking at her, Iris stirred in her sleep, causing me to freeze in place. I hadn’t expected her to wake or for her to know that I was in here, but if my secret was about to be uncovered, so be it. I watched as she rolled onto her side and pulled the covers up toward her neck. I waited to see if she would open her eyes, but she never did. When Iris’s breathing returned to normal, the tension that filled my body slowly eased, but not once did I take my eyes off her.

Maybe this was my cue to leave while I still had the chance to allow her to rest. I allowed myself to look at her before I walked to the door just as quietly as I entered. After stealing one final glance, I slipped out the door and closed it softly behind me.

I was alone again as I made the trek back to my room. Although my thoughts were still on Iris, it was about time that I got some rest too.

I’d made sure to put her in the guest room that was farthest from my room to resist temptation, but it hadn’t worked. I still managed to make my way to her even though I could see her on my phone. Nothing was going to stop me from saying good night in my own way.

I reached my room and opened the door, noticing my room was just as I left it. It was dark inside, but much like Iris’s room, there was just a bit of moonlight coming through my window. I walked in and closed the door.

A small yawn left my lips as I thought about the fact that I had another early morning, once again putting distance between Iris and myself while she was awake. I was sure she wouldn’t mind that, and I thought it was for the best. Well, for right now anyway.

With that, I climbed into bed and closed my eyes. As if my soul was at peace from seeing her, my body finally let the night take over, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

15

IRIS

The pale morning light flowed through my window as I finished putting my hair into a ponytail to keep it off my shoulders. It was another day stuck in here with nothing to do but distract myself with books in the library. As I ran my hand down the front of my pale-blue sweatshirt, I nearly jumped in the air.

A sudden knock on my door had jolted me from my musings, sending my heart into a panic. I could have sworn the sound echoed throughout this whole building, even though I was positive it was an exaggeration. I took a deep breath and let it out before I said, “Come in.”

I turned to the doorway as the door opened and Franklin stood outside the room. My heart skipped a beat and jumped back into rhythm as I stared at him. I tried to calm my nerves as I wondered why he would be standing at the door. The silence was awkward at best, weird at worst. I stood there waiting for him to do something. Anything.

Then he finally moved before he spoke. “Ms. Bennington,” he said. “Breakfast has been served.”

My heart leaped into my throat. I knew without a doubt what that meant. I was supposed to be eating with Soren this morning. Should I have been prepared for this? Yes. But I wasn’t. I wasn’t ready to face him again even though it had been days since the last incident.

“Is Soren already downstairs?” I couldn’t stop the question from leaving my lips.

“Mr. Grant will not be joining you for breakfast. He had other business to attend to.”

Relief was the only thing I could feel as I fought to keep my expression neutral. Soren’s absence meant that I could relax slightly, away from his intense calculating gaze or hell, just from him in general.

“However,” Franklin continued. “He has suggested that you enjoy your breakfast outside today.”

I was completely confused, but I couldn’t hide my excitement about having the opportunity to leave the mansion, even if it was to just sit right outside of it. But why would he want me to do that? Plus, it was December. Was the point of this to force me to freeze outside? Instead of complaining, I took it as a challenge. “That works, I guess. Thank you, Franklin.”

“Breakfast will be out on the terrace just outside the kitchen.” Without waiting for me to reply, he left the room, closing the door behind him. I could only wonder why Soren had made this suggestion. Was it another one of his twisted games?

I snatched off the sweatshirt I had on and put a long-sleeved shirt on first. Once I thought I had enough layers, I put the sweatshirt back on and headed toward the stairs. I walked through the empty kitchen and found the terrace.

As I stepped out onto the terrace, I was greeted by the brisk December air, a refreshing change from the mansion. But what I wasn’t expecting was to have my mouth drop open at the sight in front of me.

The garden sprawled before me, its beauty slightly muted by the grayness of the winter sky. Despite how cool it was, there was a beautiful setup for breakfast waiting for me. There was a small table with a plate of pastries, a thick blanket draped over the chair, and an outdoor heater to provide warmth for me.

I walked over to the blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders before I settled down. I closed my eyes as I allowed the natural sounds of nature and the gentle hum of the heater to provide the soundtrack to this lovely winter morning.

“Good morning, Ms. Bennington,” came a soft voice from behind me. I turned to see Molly approaching me with a smile on her face, carrying a basket of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee. “Mr. Grant thought you might enjoy this.”

“Thank you,” I replied, offering her a small smile in return. She chatted with me for a minute before disappearing back into the mansion, leaving me alone once again.

As I made my coffee how I preferred it and took the first glorious sip, I couldn’t help but think about the contrast between this peaceful moment and the turmoil that had become my life since Soren Grant had entered it. This was the most at peace I’d felt since I was brought here, but I knew better than to let my guard down completely. I wasn’t convinced he wasn’t trying to break the walls I’d put up as a way to lessen my defenses and then strike me where it would hurt.

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