Monster (29 page)

Eden turned to look at him, staring into his stunning green eyes that had so much control over her, her heart especially. “You handled it exactly how you should have.” The tips of her fingers slid along his bristly cheek, caressing, delighting, and taking her absolute fill because she’d gone so long without. “He shouldn’t have said those things to you.”

“It’s nothing,” he murmured succinctly. But still waters did indeed run deep, he said very little yet having come to know him as well as she did, Eden found that there was so much more meaning beneath that flippant reply. Emotions that could not simply be verbalized. She felt him almost like they were her own, and it broke her heart that he had to convince himself that it was okay.

“I know,” she agreed, surprising them both by wrapping her arms around his torso and laying her head on his chest, his strong, steady heartbeats thudding beneath her ear. “I’m still sorry he said them.” She would bear this burden with him. Whatever emotion he wasn’t capable of displaying, Eden wanted to display them for him. “I’m sorry.”

Dominic’s brows creased at the catch in her voice, “Hey,” he tilted his head down to look at her but she hid her face against his chest, her warm tears dampening his shirt. “Why are you crying?”

“I’m not,” she sniffled.

A half smile upturned the corner of his mouth. “Then why your eyes sweating?” She snorted and Dominic’s smile spread wider. He moved back slightly, enabling him a chance to cradle her cheek in one hand and swipe at her tears with his thumb.

“I just…I didn’t like hearing him say those words to you.”

She heard him take in a breath before releasing it slowly. “The words did not bother me. The fact that he touched you did. It bothered me a lot.” That he would feel so moved to come to her defense when he’d been the one assaulted flooded her with overwhelming warmth. “Are you hurt?”

Eden sat up and sniffled again, chancing a look at him she said, “I just had the wind knocked out of me, but I’m fine now. Honestly, I wanted to jump on his back and scratch his eyes out when he shoved you.” That brought a deep, rumbling chuckle that made her instantly giddy. “What’s so funny?”

He shook his head, the remnants of his laughter in the ghost of his smile. “I’m just imagining what that would have looked like.” Resting his forehead against hers for a moment, he took a deep breath and the scent of her shampoo filled his lungs. “I’m touched that you feel so protective of me.”

“I’m…” Eden didn’t know what was about to come out of her mouth, but she was sure it wasn’t meant to be said as she was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. “You should probably get that,” she said, swiping at her cheeks while hastening off his lap.

“Eden,” he called, but she was already by the door holding the dripping towel over the bowl of ice she had in her hand.

“I’m going to go check on Liam,” she floundered feebly, before taking her exit.

It shamed her to know that she’d used her child as an excuse to run away. But it’d been the first thing that popped in her mind. She’d panicked because she knew if the phone hadn’t rung she would’ve been prompted to say something that would’ve embarrassed her. Eden practically ran down the hall almost afraid that he would come after her and demand she finish what she had been about to say. Her heart was racing, and she was trembling but it was for a completely different reason now than the shock she’d received earlier. Taking a detour to the kitchen to drop off the items in her hands, Eden continued up to Jenna’s room and before entering she drew in a deep breath and released it slowly.

“Are you alright?” It didn’t help.

“I’m fine.” Eden smiled a little too brightly, resolved not to think any further on what she’d been about to inadvertently reveal to Dominic. Something she had not even admitted to herself yet. She took Liam into her arms and hugged the chubby boy close. “Any luck on those apartment searches?”

* * *

Dressed casually for the day, Eden met Jenna downstairs with Liam. They had a few errands to run before they took him to the park later in the afternoon. Jenna had found a two-bedroom apartment that had looked incredible online, but Eden had wisely cautioned not to take it at face value, considering the amazing things people could do with Photoshop these days. In her experience, a two bedroom apartment was far better than a two bedroom split; it was all about careful wording when it came to hawking property. Eden could even admit of doing it several times herself. They piled inside her car and commenced their day.

“I don’t know if I’m ready to do this, Ede.” Jenna said nervously as they stood in the front office of the community college.

Eden looked at her friend and smiled. “You’ll be fine, Jen. This is the first step in you owning that business. You need to get your GED and everything else will be a snap,” she quietly reassured, wrapping a hand around Jenna’s arm to move her out of the way of incoming students.

Jenna pursed her lips. “You say it like it’s so easy. I haven’t been to school in like ages. I dropped out when I was sixteen, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember, but I know it’s never too late for you to get your education. Besides, not only do you have this GED class to help you, but I’m here, too. I’m not going to let you give up so easily. I want to come to you for some business advice when I open up my own brokerage firm one day.”

She snorted and flipped her blond hair over shoulder. “Please, like you could afford me.” In saying that, she pushed Liam’s stroller forward, crying out slightly when Eden pinched her shoulder on her way inside.

The apartment, located on the fringes of Langston, but not quite in the suburbs wasn’t as bad as Eden expected. In fact, it met eight out of ten of her requirements and that was great considering she hadn’t hoped for much coming in. The floor plan resembled more of a duplex, with metal stairs winding up to the two bedrooms and bath upstairs, meanwhile the on the first floor the living room and kitchen existed in one large open space delineated by beautiful cheery wood flooring. The walls were newly painted a neutral beige that was meant to go with any sort of furniture and décor. There were four large
windows in the living room that allowed plenty of sunlight, and the French door that opened to a small patio was a nice touch.

“So…what do you think?” Eden saw the expectation on her face as she finally turned to look at both Jenna and the property manager, who’d allowed them access to the apartment. “Gorgeous, right?”

The stairs presented a problem for Liam who was quickly showing signs that he was ready to crawl. But that was a problem they could easily fix with a stair gate and another one would need to be placed between the kitchen and the living room. The apartment was beautiful, ready to move in, and if they baby proofed, it would be a great place to live. “Definitely gorgeous,” she agreed with a smile. And the first and last month’s rent, and security deposit would put a dent in their pockets, but Eden had a good job now, granted it was based on commission, but it was commission she knew how to make. Jenna would move in first as they’d agreed, and Eden would join her when the divorce was finalized in a few months. They could make this work. “I think we should discuss this a little further before giving Steve our final answer, what do you think, Jen?”

Jenna nodded. “Of course. You don’t mind do you, Steve?” She smiled at full wattage and did the girly hair flip she excelled at. Steve didn’t stand a chance.

“I’ll wait for your call.”

“You didn’t like it?” Jenna asked once they were inside the car. “You won’t hurt my feelings, Ede, I can keeping looking. We need to both love it.”

“No, it wasn’t that I didn’t love it. I think it has great potential. I was just thinking about baby proofing and…”

Jenna looked at her profile with a frown. “And…?”

“I’m just realizing that Liam isn’t going to get to be around Dominic that much anymore.” That very notion was a wound on her chest. “We’re going to have to work out visitations.”

“But it’s what you wanted.”

Was it? Was this what she still wanted? Eden didn’t know anymore. She was at a crossroad, facing that thing she’d convinced herself for so long would make her happy, while on the other side laid the uncertainty of a future she found herself wanting more and more with a man capable of taking her through every spectrum of human emotion and still have her needing more.

“Yeah,” she muttered without much conviction, “yeah it is.”

* * *

Carver’s was only a distant memory now. More sweet than bitter but nevertheless a little sad. There would be no more skimpy outfits for her. Goodbye to reeking of alcohol and grease and icky customers who didn’t know how to keep their hands to themselves. Standing beneath the blistering hot sprays of the shower head, she watched as the dirt from her last night of work trickled from her skin and around the shower drain beneath her feet. However brief, Carver’s had been a big part of her life these last few months. It would be hypocritical of her to say she wasn’t going to miss it, the girls especially. But that part of her life was gone now. A brief chapter closing with another taking its place. She released a slight squeal of excitement. She started working at Archer Realty next week, and the very idea very nearly put her over the moon. Rinsing out the rest of her shampoo, she conditioned her hair, and exfoliated with a
loofah before jumping out of the steaming shower.

She would’ve been a stupid woman had she allowed her pride to interfere with her decision in taking this job. Dominic’s interference may have gotten her through the door, but as he’d painstakingly pointed out to her, it was her own merits that had cinched the deal. This was a huge opportunity for her and Eden vowed to herself that she wasn’t going to blow it, not this time. But then, her mind was quick in reminding her, she hadn’t exactly blown it the last time. Waiting for the all too familiar feeling of animosity to overtake her, Eden was startled to find that she no longer held the same sort of resentment as she previously did. In fact, it seemed most of her antagonism towards him had ebbed considerably to the point where she could even find herself understanding why he did them.

Dominic did nothing without reason; every bit of his actions was motivated by something. And in this case, it appeared, she’d been that motivation. As he’d said, he’d done everything he could to have her. What woman could say that she wasn’t flattered by that, even if his intentions had been less than admirable? The very idea that he’d known her long before he’d seen to interfere in her life and marry her did incredible things to her insides.
He
did incredible things to her insides. Things that Eden couldn’t believe she was able to feel for him considering everything he’d put her through. But things have changed, and it wasn’t only recently.

Thinking on it, she realized the changes in him had begun the moment she’d barged into his office and confronted him. It had started there and had only progressed for the better after he’d met Liam. There were all these knew facets to him now that were so very appealing to her. She’d seen him at his most vulnerable when he’d opened up to her and allowed Eden to see him for what he was, allowed her to look into his horrible childhood and see how deep his emotional and physical scars ran. He’d been marred in the worse way possible, those adversities shaping him into this indomitable, hardnosed man who did not compromise when it came to his work ethics, but could so easily display his altruism when it
came to those of lesser means. He went after what he wanted with an almost frightening zeal, eliminating all obstacles if need be. That was a trait that she both admired and feared, because there was no knowing his limits. But with all that, Dominic’s devotion to Liam was remarkable and Eden had never been happier to be proven wrong each and every time she had the privileged of seeing them together.

And then there was them. Never had something so wrong felt so right. Every melting touch, every soul searing kiss and every time he tattooed his name between her legs, Eden surrendered to him in the best way possible. He laid siege on the glass walls of her heart and chipped away at her doubts, her insecurities, and her fears until there was nothing left but her naked pumping organ, beating only for him. Each and every time she was with him now all Eden wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and tell him to never let go. Lust had burned away a long time ago and from its ashes flourished a love Eden had denied for far too long now. It hadn’t come suddenly. It had been there for years, blanketed by the debris of their crumbling marriage, neglected, abandoned and desperately denied because despising him had been so much easier.

His money was the reason why she’d married him, but love had made her stay. She found herself missing him more and more, craving not only his touch, but his presence as well. He had a very wry, often times self-deprecating humor was incredibly endearing. Eden loved the warmth of his smile and how it softened his otherwise hard features, she loved the sound of his laughter and how it formed crinkles at the corner of his devastating green eyes. She enjoyed his company and loved that he took a genuine interest in everything she did. They’d started off so wrong, but now Dominic was attempting to right those wrongs, and it was impossible for Eden to continue denying him another chance at her heart when he seemed so determined to have it all now.

Releasing a long sigh, Eden unfastened the lid from her favorite lotion and applied a generous amount to her skin, paying extra care to elbows, knees and the heels of her feet. A grimace touched her lips as she felt the bit of callous there and knew she needed to visit a nail salon as soon possible.