Page 28 of The Truth Between

He looked down at his drink before he continued. “I watched you two when she ran into you. You couldn’t take your eyes off her.”

This conversation needed to end. Being under his scrutiny when I’d done nothing to warrant it did nothing but irritate me. “I’ve got the situation completely under control.” I was lying and I knew it. Iris had somehow shaken me to my very core, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

Instead, I stared back at him, daring him to call me out on my lie. I kept my emotions behind a mask I’d perfected because I didn’t want to show him how much his words were getting to me.

“Excellent. Make sure it stays that way,” Parker said. The words were wrapped in a bow disguised as a warning.

He finished the drink he’d been nursing. He stood up, and I expected him to stick out his hand for me to shake. When he didn’t, it was a clue that he knew that something was up. Parker gave me a small head nod before he walked away. Instead of going down the way he came, he stepped past me and strolled down a dark hallway. Where he was going, I had no clue, and it wasn’t my concern anyway.

I needed to follow his lead if I was going to get back to my home at a decent time. I threw my drink back before I stood up, grabbed the envelope, and left the VIP area. Once I’d walked outside, I was greeted by the cool December air, clearing my mind slightly.

I stared down at the file in my hand, wondering what it contained. But that would have to wait.

I quickly found my driver and slid into the back seat of his car. The ride back to the mansion was quiet, interrupted only by the low hum of the car’s engine, the light jazz playing through the speakers, and the noises of city life before we left New York City behind. While I used my phone as a distraction by allowing me to reply to emails during the ride, all I could focus on was the sealed envelope sitting beside me.

Once we pulled up to my mansion, I wasted no time. I got out of the vehicle and gave Franklin a swift nod before heading straight to my office. I needed to open this envelope right now.

Everything else faded into the background as I closed and locked the door to my office behind me. The fireplace was already going, providing warmth and light to the dark space.

I approached my desk and took a seat before I allowed myself to open the envelope. The sound of paper shifting filled the air as I pulled out the contents and spread them out on the desk. I took my time studying the photos and documents as I tried to piece together the picture that Parker had vaguely painted.

And then there it was.

A name.

A photo.

They all hit me in the face like a ton of bricks. Now Parker’s words made sense. I slowly shook my head as my jaw tightened.

This was going to be worse than I’d thought.

17

IRIS

My feet slid into my slippers, finishing the outfit I planned to wear today as I spent another day under Soren’s lock and key. Without a second thought, I walked to my door and opened it slowly, for what reason I wasn’t sure. It might have become instinctual for me to be as quiet as possible for fear of getting caught, but it felt silly now. Even if someone did hear me opening the door, what did it matter? I was allowed to walk around the premises if I wanted to, and that was exactly what I intended to do.

Plot my escape out of this gilded cage.

The first door I stopped at was the door that had become my nemesis since Soren had removed the cuff on my ankle. I still heard noises coming from that room every so often, and it drove me nuts that I couldn’t investigate what it was.

Or who was in there.

What was behind that door? A hidden part of the house? A secret room? Or was Soren keeping another person in the house, just like he’d done me? The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I reached out and touched the doorknob once more, but the knob didn’t budge. Not that I was surprised.

That didn’t lessen my frustration, however. My gaze drifted up and down the length of the door as I thought of ways to get into the room. I bent down slightly and found a small hole near the doorknob. It almost resembled a keyhole, but it seemed too small for a key to fit through. Was this an old-fashioned lock? Could I pick it open?

It wasn’t something that I’d ever done before and if I got caught, the chances of a punishment were high, and I wasn’t sure what Soren would have up his sleeve when it came to that.

Was it a risk I was willing to take? I did have a lot to lose if I were caught and shouldn’t try if I wanted to do my best to stay on Soren’s good side.

Above all else, I needed to find something to pick the lock with if it was something I was willing to do. I didn’t know how many people tended to keep doors locked in their own home, but for some reason, not having a clue about what lay behind that door was almost tormenting my thoughts. However, I couldn’t dwell here because I needed to remain inconspicuous in order to hide my plans.

As I moved on, I heard a loud bang come from downstairs. My hand swung up until it landed on my chest, and I froze in place.

What was that? And was anyone going to investigate what had fallen?

I wasn’t sure where Franklin and Molly were in the house, and I didn’t want them to question what I was doing if they did come across me. That was enough to force me to move, and I walked down the stairs as quickly as I could.

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