Page 66 of The Truth Between

She immediately stirred and it took her a few seconds to remember where she was. She undid the seat belt before she said, “That was a good nap, but I am surprised I was able to fall asleep at all. On second thought, I think I’ll just drive back home from here right now.”

I turned to look at her. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yeah. My parents might be wondering where the hell I am anyway, and I’m not sure what Parker might have told them, so I should probably go and take care of that as soon as possible.”

“Okay. Well. . . I guess the only thing that I can say is thank you. I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done for me.”

I could see tears forming in her eyes. There was no way I was going to be able to avoid them either. Aria opened her arms and pulled me into an awkward hug due to us being in the car. I double-checked that I had everything I’d stored in the pockets of my hoodie before I exited the vehicle.

Aria followed my lead, and we gave each other another hug before we separated. I walked up to Gran’s porch and stood there as I watched Aria settle back into the driver’s seat of her car. She gave me a small wave just before she pulled out of the driveway, and then she took off down the street. My eyes landed on Soren’s car once she was gone, but then I noticed the SUV that had been parked behind Soren had pulled out and left too. That was when I knew that none of this was a coincidence, but I didn’t know what it was about.

“Iris?”

The question caused me to do a one-eighty and run into the arms of the only family I had left.

“I’m so happy to see you, but what are you doing here? I thought you were studying abroad?”

Hearing her repeat that lie caused the dam that was holding all of my emotions together to break. I began to sob uncontrollably.

“Oh my goodness, Iris, let’s get you into the house.”

I nodded quickly, to the point that I knew I probably looked like an upset bobblehead figurine. But I managed to get a few words out before the tears descended even more. “Gran, there’s so much I have to tell you, but I did it. Margaret Turner will no longer be forgotten.”

40

SOREN

The gravel crunched beneath the tires of my Porsche as I parked it in front of my home.

My mind was in a whirlwind as I replayed what happened at the Chevalier Headquarters. I stepped out of my car and into the chilly embrace of the winter morning. I walked toward the entrance of the Gothic mansion, feeling slightly numb as the heavy door creaked open, revealing the dimly lit interior of my home.

Franklin nodded at me as he took my coat but didn’t say a word. It was as if he could sense I didn’t want to talk, and I appreciated that about him.

My footsteps echoed through the halls as I made my way to my office. Once I was seated behind my massive dark desk, I tried to focus on the work that lay before me that needed to get done, but my thoughts inevitably drifted back to Iris.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. She was a force to be reckoned with, her fiery determination igniting something within me that I hadn’t felt in years, and now I missed her being here with me.

As I sat there, I couldn’t shake the image of Iris from my mind—her piercing blue eyes that seemed to see straight through me, her soft, dark-brown hair that I ran my fingers through while she was sleeping. She was the embodiment of all that I had tried to suppress within me when Eden died. She was a living reminder of the man I once was before my best friend was murdered by the man her father promised her to in front of me. Now, both of them wouldn’t live to see another day.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise from what sounded like the front of the house. Muffled voices filled the room, and I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. My curiosity piqued, I rose from my chair as irritation flooded through me because of the unwelcome interruption.

As I approached the foyer, I could hear the conversation that was occurring between Franklin and my unexpected guests.

“Where is Iris Bennington?”

Silence filled the room before another question was asked.

“Where is Iris?” the woman in my foyer spoke again.

“And who are you?” Franklin asked.

“Take me to her. Now,” the same voice said, and I could hear her anger in every syllable.

“Bianca—” A male voice said this time, but it wasn’t Franklin. If Bianca was the Bianca I thought she was, then it seemed as if Iris’s best friend had finally come to pay me a visit.

“Please, come in,” Franklin said.

I waited until I heard the heavy front door shut before I walked out of the shadows that my home did an excellent job of creating.

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