Page 9 of The Truth Between

“I will once you leave the room.”

A harsh chuckle left his lips. “That’s not part of the plan, petal.”

It was then that the other shoe dropped. This was his catch. He wanted to watch me while I was naked and even more vulnerable than I was in this moment for his own joy and amusement.

My heart hammered in my chest at the realization. “I don’t want you here. Leave.”

“You’re not going to tell me what to do. Ever. Let alone in my own home. Now strip before I do it for you.”

I shook my head and swallowed hard. “I won’t let you degrade me like this.”

Soren took a step closer to me, his eyes darkening with anger. “Degradation doesn’t turn you on? Or maybe it’s when I praise you?”

I swallowed hard at what he was implying but didn’t back down. “This is not the same as what consenting adults do when they are in the bedroom.”

“Are you saying that you aren’t consenting to this?”

I stared at him silently, wondering how I should respond to that absurd question. I knew if I said no, Soren would take it as a challenge and try to push me until he got what he wanted. On the other hand, if I said yes, then I would be giving in to his demands. But I couldn’t fight the response that was hanging at the tip of my tongue.

“I didn’t consent to getting kidnapped or any of the events that followed, and you fucking know it. Stop insulting my intelligence.”

A few beats passed before Soren spoke, and I took a small amount of glee in the fact that I’d stumped him, even temporarily. “Iris, you consented to this treatment when you kept investigating something that didn’t pertain to you. Now, take off your clothes before I do it for you.”

I backed away from him as I debated whether I should follow his directive. Part of me wanted to run out of the room, screaming my head off to get attention, but I knew I wouldn’t be fast enough to outrun him. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been out on a run at this point, and my lack of food and having been drugged who knows how long ago would work against me. I also didn’t know the layout of this home, so the chances of me getting lost before I made it out of the house were high.

He leaned toward the tub to turn on the showerhead before he turned back to me. “This is your final warning,” he said as he closed the gap between us.

Soren’s eyes told me all I needed to know about the state of mind he was in. He looked slightly unhinged, and if I was being honest with myself, I wasn’t sure what he was capable of. Deep down, I knew I had no choice but to comply with his demands. As I began to undress, I felt his gaze on me, burning into my skin as he watched my every move. I turned around to give him my back because I knew that I would need his help unzipping the gown.

With gentleness I didn’t expect of him, especially after everything that had transpired between us, he pulled the zipper of my dress as I held the fabric up to my chest. Once it was all the way down, his hands left my body and he said, “Turn around. I want to see you.”

I slowly turned around awkwardly because of the looseness of the gown and faced him. His gaze set every nerve in my body off, and I hated him for it. I hated myself for it too, because I couldn’t stand the effect he was having on me.

Finally, with a deep breath, I let the fabric fall from my body. I was left in the black strapless bra and panties I’d worn to the masquerade ball.

Soren’s eyes roamed over my body as if he was taking inventory of every inch of me. It was somewhat ironic, given that he’d seen me completely bare, but I didn’t say a word. His gaze was intense and unsettling. It was as if he was committing everything to memory. His attention did nothing to settle the pounding of my heart.

“Take the rest of it off.”

I hesitated for a moment before I stood up straighter and unclasped my bra. I watched his face as the garment fell from my body. I wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to see that his attempts to break me were working. If he could hide behind a mask, then I could too.

I grabbed my panties and pushed them down my legs until I was standing in nothing. I glanced down at the mark that had formed on my ankle as a result of being chained to a wall before I stood up straight once more. A shuddering breath passed through my body, but I didn’t say a word even though a million different things were floating through my mind.

His fists clenched and then unclenched, showcasing how hard he was trying to restrain himself. He rubbed a hand down his face before shaking his head. “Go ahead. Take your shower.”

I shifted my body so I could step into the warm water. I sighed as the water washed over me, washing away the grime and dirt of the past few days. This was what I needed to soothe and calm my soul, even temporarily.

But even as I enjoyed the sensation of the water on my skin, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy with Soren still being in the room, watching me. I didn’t know what he was thinking or planning to do with me, and until I did, it would leave a huge pit in the middle of my stomach.

After I used my hands to wipe the water from my face, I glanced over my shoulder at him. He’d managed to move, so he was now leaning against the bathroom counter, still watching my every move.

“Are you satisfied?” I spat out, unable to keep the anger from my voice.

“Hardly,” he replied. “There are plenty more things I would love to do to you right now. In fact, you’ve just given me an idea.”

It was easy for me to figure out what he was referring to and it only made me despise him even more. My heart dropped to my stomach as I waited for him to continue. What had I just walked into?

“I want you to fuck yourself.”

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