Page 41 of Eternal

I’m cut off again. I look down, utterly humiliated for falling for a man who treats me like this. Perhaps he had a rough day at work today. But fuck him. Even if he has been having a bad day or week, he has no reason to take it out on me. I take a few bites of my dinner before pushing my chair back and making my way to the bedroom. I reach the end of the bed and yawn. A bath sounds nice right about now. I start the water in our large bathtub, adding a bath bomb, oils, and salts. I begin to undress before I realize that I’m not alone anymore. I continue what I am doing before submerging myself in hot water.

“What happened to you?” I call out to the shadow looming in the darkness of the bedroom.

“Nothing. It’s just been a very tiring day,” Soren mutters, stepping into the bathroom's light and leaning against the counter while watching me.

“How so?” I try to coax him into a conversation.

“It’s complicated, Freya.” Silence falls between the two of us as he lets his response marinate. “I like the color you dyed your hair. It keeps you more hidden in comparison to your blonde.”

“More hidden?” My face scrunches up in confusion.

“It keeps people from turning to look at you,” He deadpans.

Well, then. Maybe I’ll have to dye it back blonde to capture his attention again.

A buzz erupts from his pocket, and he pulls out his phone to look at the caller. Soren sighs and comes closer to the tub. His eyebrows are furrowed together. “How the fuck did that annoying bodyguard find my number?”

Ignoring the way his comment started to make my blood boil, I looked to Soren for confirmation, “Abe?” When he offers a small nod, concern ties knots in the pit of my stomach.

“Freya! Are you okay? Why haven’t you answered my calls or your sister’s?” Abe booms over the phone so loud I have to hold the phone back from my ear.

“Abe, things have changed since we came home. I--I just haven’t had the time to talk.” I look at Soren as I hug my knees.

“You’re a fucking liar, Freya. Where are you?” Serena’s voice sounds strained. Soren shuffles next to me, beginning to get impatient with our phone call.

“Serena, I’m fine. There’s no need to come to me. Soren and I have just been getting to know each other. It’s as simple as that.” I try to soothe her, but I know it’s not working. She knows I’m lying.

“You and Soren have been getting to know each other? That’s why you haven’t given Abe or me the time of day to talk. Freya, where the fuck are you? Why aren’t you telling me that? At the very least, you can just tell me where the fuck you are.” Serena starts to turn hysterical, and Soren shuffles on his feet like he’s growing impatient. He knows they can track phone calls.

“Serena,” I look up at Soren, deciding whether or not I should tell her where I am. “I can’t disclose our location. It’s for both of our sake. Please.” My subconscious tells me that it’s because of Luca. But I know Soren is hiding something darker than that. I know he’s hiding me away for other reasons besides his own father.

“I’m done. I’ve tried so hard to get a hold of you, and I don’t even recognize you. I’m going to fucking find you.” Serena seethes through the phone.

“I’m--” I don’t get to finish my sentence before it’s cut off by the phone call beeps.

I stare at the screen for a moment, then hold the phone out for Soren to take. I miss my sister. I miss being able to share everything with her. I miss our shopping sprees. I just miss everything about her.

Soren looks at me with a pained face, like he’s upset with my emotions.

I start to cry, hoping that, in some way, I will be able to pacify myself. That I will be able to do this on my own. Soren knows how close Serena and I are, yet it feels like he’s isolating me from her.

“Darling, I know this is killing you, and I know you miss your sister. I wish I had told you about this place before the honeymoon, but you can’t disclose our location over the phone. We never know who is listening in on us. Please trust me. It is for your safety.” Soren’s hand comes out to stroke my hair.

I jerk away from his touch. “What the fuck are you not telling me, Soren? What the fuck are you trying so goddamn hard to hide?” I demand, becoming increasingly irate before continuing, “I should have fucking known you’d isolate me from the rest of the world. I should have fucking known you’d isolate me from my sister. I just hope that whatever the fuck you are hiding is so important. You’re sacrificing your wife’s sanity for it.” I pant.

I stand abruptly, getting out, splashing water over him, and reaching for my towel. As I walk away, Soren reaches out and grips my wrist.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me,” Soren hisses.

"Let. Me. Go. Don't ever, I mean ever touch me like that again," I seethe, yanking my arm free from his grip. “Soren, let me make myself perfectly clear. You can’t just fucking talk to me in small sentences, expect me to be at your beck and call, and be okay with this whole situation. You can go fuck yourself.” I spit out at him. His eyes darken, jaw tensing as I yell at him.

“Letmemakemyselfperfectly fucking clear. If I don’t tell you somethingintentionally, there is a fucking reason for it. Besides, you haven’t told me who the fuck Tristan is.” He begins to stalk closer to me, getting madder and madder.

I match each of his steps, backing up, before completely turning around when I know he won’t try to grab me again. Deep down, it reminds me too much of what Tristan did to me, but I try not to focus on it. We are both just frustrated at the situation. I reach the closet, and he sits on the bench in the middle of the large room. I drop the towel in the middle of the floor, then go to my lingerie chest, pulling out a black lace thong. I hear Soren suck in a deep breath as he watches me.

“So, when are you going to tell me who Tristan is? I think you at least owe me that.” He sounds smug and arrogant.

Who the fuck does he think he is to think I owe him a single thing?

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