Good Girl

When we get home she scoops Milton into her arms and says she wants to be alone. That she wants a little space to think and clear her head.

I watch her go and my heart sinks because I caused this. I hired Timothy years ago, I was the one who brought that man into her life. Hell, if I’d not been messing with her, none of this would have happened.

I want to hug her, I want to wrap my arms around her and tell her she’s safe, that it’s all over but I feel like right now that’s too much.

I sit up late into the night, I sit in my office brooding. Thinking it over, trying to pin point when exactly I should have realised who Tim really was. What more I could have done to protect her from him.

I don’t know what time I hear the door open and I sigh, ready for another confrontation with Terri. She must have seen the light on, god I hope she’s not going to try anything because I don’t have the patience for it. And I don’t have the energy for another fight either.

I turn ready to tell her where she can go.

Only it’s not her.

It’s Eden.

I frown staring at her. She’s got her arms wrapped around her, she’s wearing a big baggy hoody, and she’s staring right back at me.

“Why are you still up?” She asks.

“I couldn’t sleep.” I say.

She lets out a little exhale of air. “Me neither.”

“Eden.” I murmur and then clear my throat. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea who he was, what he was capable of.”

“It’s not for you to apologise.” She says. “You didn’t do this and besides I should have spoken up the first time.”

I frown. “What?”

She drops her gaze stepping up to the window and stares out at where the spotlights highlight the trees at the bottom of the garden by the hot tub.

“He tried it before.” She says.

“Excuse me?”

She flinches at the tone and I internally berate myself for scaring her.

“When did he try it before?” I ask as gently as I can.

“Months ago. When we had that party here. He got into the hot tub with me. He tried it on, he called me a slut.”

I narrow my eyes remembering back to it. She’d called herself a slut that day too if I recall it right. “That was why you were upset when you came back into the house.”

She nods.

“Why didn’t you say anything then?” I ask.

She looks at me and gives a little laugh. “I told him where to stick it. I thought it would be enough, that he’d take the hint.”

“But you didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t think you’d have believed me.” She murmurs.

“Eden.”

“It’s okay, if I’m honest I sort of just brushed it off. We were starting whatever we were and my focus was on that. Not him.”

I pull her into my arms, half expecting her to push me off, to not want to be touched right now, but she leans in, almost welcoming it.

“He was blackmailing you.” She says.

“Yes.”

“He had photos of us.”

“I don’t know how he got those…”

“He was watching us.” She says and I hear the anger then. She’s right to be angry, she’s right to be fucking furious.

“He’s going to go away for a long time.” I state. “He’ll never get near you again.”

She nods, burying her face into my chest and I wrap my arms around her head. She feels like she’s trembling, heaving, and I realise that she’s crying, silently sobbing against my shirt.

“Eden. I’m so sorry.”

She doesn’t reply. She just keeps crying and I keep holding her, hoping that my presence, my arms, hell that all of me is comforting her enough.