Page 40 of The Truth Between

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This was not the time or place to be distracted by the fact I was attracted to my stalker turned professor turned kidnapper. I had more important things to focus on, like talking to Gran.

I stood up from the desk and my nerves got to me. I was going to see Gran for the first time since I’d gotten kidnapped, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I would love to find a way to let her know that I was in trouble here, but I didn’t know how I was going to be able to do it on a secure video call with Soren staring at me, watching my every move.

Fuck.

This could be either a disaster or the one thing I needed to survive in this shit. I looked down at what I had on and decided to freshen up and change before the call. As I headed toward the bathroom, I wondered what Gran would say. Would she suspect something was wrong?

I thought about that as I quickly showered and changed into something more presentable than my usual attire. I took a few extra moments to brush my hair and put on some light makeup. I thought showing up like I’d just rolled out of bed would leave Gran questioning things, and I didn’t know how to answer those questions with Soren breathing down my neck.

Just as I finished getting ready, Soren walked into the room without knocking once again. He gave me an approving nod before leading me down the stairs to his office. We walked in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward, thankfully.

Once we entered his office, I asked him, “How does Gran know that we are having a call?”

“She was informed,” he said without further explaining himself.

Soren showed me how to use the laptop he had set up for the call with Gran. He then stepped back and gave me some space so that I could have my conversation with her without her knowing he was there.

I got comfortable in Soren’s chair behind his desk while he stood in the corner and leaned against his bookcase, staring me down.

I took a deep breath before clicking on the link that would connect me to Gran. A couple of minutes later, her face appeared on the screen, and my heart melted at the sight of her.

“Hi, honey! It’s so good to see you! How are you? How is your time in Greece?” she asked in her gentle voice as she stared at me with loving eyes, unaware of what had been going on with me since I last saw her.

My throat tightened as tears welled up in my eyes, but I managed to keep myself together. “I’m doing okay, Gran. It’s so lovely to see you.”

“You look tired. Is everything okay?”

I could feel Soren’s eyes on me and knew I had to be careful with my words. I couldn’t tell her the truth, so instead, I focused on what she did know. “Yes, everything is great. The time zone difference has me a little tired.”

We took a moment just to look at each other before Gran spoke again. “Tell me all about Greece! It must be incredible experiencing a whole new culture and studying abroad.”

I glanced down because I hated to lie to her, but I painted a picture of what I thought Greece was like, hoping it didn’t sound forced.

Gran’s eyes lit up with excitement as if she was living through the experience with me. “Oh, and the food! Have you tried any local dishes?”

I hesitated for a split second. “Yes, and all of them have been spectacular.”

Her eyes twinkled. “That sounds delightful! I’m so proud of you for taking this opportunity to learn and explore. Remember to soak in every moment.” She paused for a moment. “I wish you were home for the holidays, but don’t take that to mean that I’m trying to force you to come home early.”

I bit my lip to keep from crying. “I know, and I will, Gran, I promise.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Soren shift and my eyes darted to the right to watch him for a second, but his expression remained blank. I blew out a deep breath as I thought about the lies that I’d told her, even though she didn’t seem to suspect a thing.

Gran smiled. “Just promise me you’ll stay safe, alright?”

How ironic was that question? “I promise, Gran,” I whispered.

The conversation went on for a couple more minutes before I said goodbye and the call ended.

Soren walked over from where he was standing and said, “Good job not telling her where you are or what was going on.”

“Thank you?” I said, confused about his half-assed compliment. “Do I get a reward for it?”

“Your sarcasm is cute, but if you really want a reward, I’d be happy to give you one.”

I swallowed hard and shook my head quickly. I didn’t want to spend any more time with Soren tonight. Hell, I didn’t want to be around anyone after the day I’d had. “I think I’m just going to go to bed. Alone.”

Before he could respond, I jumped up from the chair and left the room, happy to have some space between Soren and me.

---