Note from the Author 6 page

* * *

Eden came awake with a jolt, puzzled for a moment as to where she was. It didn’t take too long for the memories to come crashing down on her, and she cradled her head in her hands when it began to pound.

“Here.” Startled, she whipped her head up and regretted it when she felt a twinge at the base of her skull. But she recovered quickly enough, concealing the pain long enough to look up at him. He donned only a pair of dark blue jeans, slung low to display his immaculate physique. His hair stuck out around his head, slightly damp as though he’d recently taken a shower. She didn’t even know he owned a pair of jeans, Eden thought inanely, all the while staring dimly at the black mug he held out to her. “It’s only coffee, light on the poison and heavy on the cream,” he said wryly, reading her like a book. When she still refused to accept the coffee mug, his impassive features turned into a scowl. “Suit yourself.”

“I want to go home,” she said petulantly, glaring at his retreating back. “You can’t hold me here against my will, Dominic. Besides, I have responsibilities back in Amesbury.”

“Last time I checked you didn’t have a job anymore,” he derided.

Eden’s eyes widened. “So you admit it? You’re the one who got me fired?” Sure she’d suspected it. But to have her suspicions realized was awful.

“Obviously it was not the right working environment for you if your bosses were stupid enough to believe that lie.”

Eden sprang to her feet. “What gives you the right to think you can just unravel everything I’ve worked so hard to accomplish? You had no right to interfere in my life!”

“I believe I had every right.” He strode towards her barefooted, his own coffee mug still in hand. He stopped a few feet away and Eden was internally glad for it. “As I have said before,” he continued, staring pointedly at her, making sure that she understood everything he was about to say, “you are my wife and your place is at my side. I’ve indulged your little escapade long enough. It is high time you returned home,” he finished cuttingly.

“My home is in Amesbury,” she gritted.

“I’ve instructed my men to escort Liam and Jenna to the mansion in Langston, along with some of your things. I will leave the rest for you to sort out before I put your condo on the market.”

“You did what?”

“You are no longer living in your condo in Amesbury. As of today, your home is at the mansion.”

* * *

It didn’t take long for it to dawn on Eden that she’d naively contributed in her own downfall. This had all been strategically connived from the start, and she had stupidly fallen into the well laid trap. There were no coincidences when it came to Dominic. He was painstakingly methodical about everything he did. He didn’t make a move unless he’d carefully considered all possibilities, weighing the consequences until it was within his favor, and only then would he act. So Eden understood that everything that had transpired so far had been his doing. But what truly bothered her in all this, what infuriated her most, was that she’d made the stupid mistake of sending those letters to Jenna with her name on them. One thoughtless mistake, and she’d given him the gun with which ’he now used to hold her hostage. That gradual realization was a bitter pill to swallow, and it didn’t go down easy at all. She leaned her head back against the headrest, the Rolls that had brought her to the penthouse the night before was now en-route to take her back to that place. Regardless of the manner in which she was returning to the mansion, Eden still felt like a prisoner being carted away to the penitentiary. She didn’t want to think about the memories that awaited her, or the degradation she’d faced in nearly every room of that gilt prison. The one comforting prospect in all this was that she was thankfully left to wallow in her humiliation alone. In his typical charming manner, after ordering Eden to the mansion, he’d informed her that he had business to see to, and she was not allowed to leave until he returned. Eden had tuned him out after he’d told her where Liam was.

The thought of seeing her baby boy again brought a smile to her face. Liam was her Achilles’ heel and that was the only reason she’d agreed to return to the mansion in the first place. He’d lured her with her son.

…he is my best arsenal against you…

The conversation in his office came back with a flash, taunting Eden with her failure. Liam was certainly his best defense against her, and for now, Eden would give Dominic that, she would allow him to believe that her resignation was permanent. With his ego being the size it was, stroking it further would only benefit her in the end.

When the car rolled up to the circular driveway, Eden did not wait for the driver to come open the door for her. She jumped out and made a dash up the three half-moon granite steps that led to the frosted glass entrance. Before she could reach for the brass doorknob, the door flew open and Eden was faced with Jenna’s grinning face. She didn’t even have time to collect herself when her best friend jumped into her arms and embraced Eden for all she was worth. It was silly that they were hugging like they hadn’t seen each other in years, rather than the day and a half it had been, but all the same it felt good to see a friendly and familiar face.

“I’m so happy to see you in one piece, Eden!” she breathed, taking a step back to look at Eden critically. “You are in one piece aren’t you?”

“Well, that depends on who ask. But I’m dealing, I guess.” Eden closed the door behind her as they stepped further into the mansion’s foyer, large as it was with its massive skylight just above. “Where’s Liam?”

“Taking a nap in the living room.” With their arms linked at the elbow, they walked side by side through foyer and down the hall. “He’s been a good boy, but I think he missed you.”

Eden knew she’d missed her son, too, but she didn’t know how profoundly until she laid eyes on his slumbering form. Jenna had made a bed for him on the plush carpeted floor, adding Liam’s own fleece and down blankets to provide extra comfort for him. He looked so peaceful. She blinked back tears as she detached herself from Jenna’s side and quickly made her way to him, toeing off her shoes in the process. Gingerly she knelt at his side, careful not to wake him, she bent down and pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, taking an infinite second to inhale his sweet scent. He jerked for a brief second as though aware of his mother’s presence before settling back into sleep, the slight frown that had creased his brow disappearing in the process.

“Did he eat?” she asked a moment later, staying at his side, making sure to keep her voice low. Going nearly on two days since she’d last nursed, her breasts were engorged. The only relief she’d gotten was ridding herself of the excess in the shower earlier. But more than anything, Eden missed the bond they shared in doing something so natural.

Jenna nodded, understanding written all over her face. “Yeah, he had a bottle just a little bit ago, and he’s freshly changed.”

Eden looked at her friend with a watery smile, unable to contain herself. “Thanks, Jen,” she said quietly.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jenna was instantly at her side, another hug at the ready. “Eden, you know I’m you’re road dog. I would do anything for you and the butterball,” she quipped. “I’m just so sorry I couldn’t prevent this from happening. Everything happened so fast, one minute I’m holed up in the apartment with Liam, and the next, they’re telling me to open the door and come with them or something bad was going to happen to you. I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Trust me, I know,” Eden returned with a reassuring smile, pulling away and wiping her tears in the process. “Dominic’s an asshole like that. No isn’t part of his extensive repertoire. He rarely ever gives you a choice when he’s got you down.”

“So are you staying here for the time being?”

Eden looked at her. “We’re staying here for the time being. At least until I can come up with a way to get us back into our condo.”

“I don’t know if he’ll let me stay, Eden, with what I’ve experienced so far, the man doesn’t seem like he wants any sort of obstacle standing between you and him.”

“You’re staying, Jenna…that is, if it’s what you want.”

“Of course I want to stay with you and Liam. You guys are all the family I have, but—”

“But nothing. If you want to stay, then you’re staying. There’s no one else I trust more than you. We’re in this together, all or nothing.”

* * *

A little while later Eden, Jenna and Liam were in the kitchen. With Eden refusing the cook’s help in making them something to eat, both women were left in peace to fend for themselves. A task that presented very little challenge for the cooking-inclined Jenna who managed to make them pesto chicken pasta for lunch with the extensive ingredients in pantry. They ate in amiable silence that was intermittently broken by Liam’s fervent coos, clearly happy to have his mother back.

“Alex has been calling me,” Jenna injected soberly, playing with Liam while Eden washed their dishes. She noted the slight pause in her friend’s movements before the other woman quickly recovered and turned to her with brows raised, waiting for Jenna to continue. “He’s the one who told Dominic where you were. I haven’t spoken to him directly, just listened to the voicemails. He’s been bragging about it. Apparently Dominic gave him a lot of money for the information. But knowing Alex, he’s probably blown through it by now. He wanted me to join him in Vegas.”

“You’re not thinking of going…are you?”

At Eden’s lingering stare, Jenna looked away guiltily, too ashamed of what had been a momentary bout of weakness to look at her best friend. “I thought about it,” she admitted ruefully. “Seven years of bad habits are extremely hard to break, I’ve learned.” She gave a deprecating smile before continuing. “And he’s really good at telling me what I want to hear.”

Eden frowned, set the dish she held on the veined marble countertop, and hurried over to Jenna. “Jen…”

“I know what you’re going to say, Ede, and trust me it’s the same things I’ve been telling myself for years. But don’t worry; I’m not ready to be used as a punching bag again. I think he actually knocked some sense into me the last time he beat me. He’s a habit I have to kick; I’m not deluding myself into thinking it’s going to be easy, but being away from him and that atmosphere has been really good.” She leaned into her friend’s one shoulder hug with a smile. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for a while.”

“Please, like I’m ready to get rid of you.” They laughed, and while Eden grabbed Liam, Jenna stood to retrieve a fancy bottle of water from the stainless steel subzero that blended perfectly with the black kitchen cabinetry. The kitchen, massive in size and stocked with an extensive array of food was equipped with state of the art appliances and kitchenware. It was modern, clean and simple in its aesthetics, yet it screamed class. Its best feature was undoubtedly the center island with its beautifully veined black and white marble countertop.

It had been quite overwhelming for Jenna the first time she’d laid eyes on the mansion and had continued to be blown away once she’d stepped foot inside. She’d never once imagined herself in this sort of place and was still coming to grips with the sheer splendor of it all. Casting blue eyes on Eden who was too preoccupied with Liam to notice, Jenna was assaulted with a slight twinge of envy that rapidly went away the second it arose. She flushed guiltily, hating that she’d even conjured the emotion. Eden may have been surrounded by luxury and had an über-wealthy husband, but that didn’t mean it was a good life. All of this opulence undeniably came with a price and its own set of problems which Eden had to deal with now. But still, Jenna thought quietly to herself, it must be nice to have a mansion over your head while she contended with those problems.

Throughout the latter portion of the afternoon, Eden spent time showing Jenna the rest of the mansion. All ten bedroom and ten baths, the indoor and outdoor pools, the tennis court that was well maintained but rarely used. They proceeded to the indoor workout room, the two dining rooms, the living rooms, and lastly, the guesthouse that was separated from the main house by a breathtakingly beautiful landscaped garden that appeared to provide a sweet sort of sanctuary from the outside world. The sheer magnitude of the place simply bowled Jenna over. It wasn’t just a mansion…it was an estate. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything when they sat down for dinner a few hours later.

“This place is breathtaking.”

“Don’t be fooled, Jen,” Eden warned over her salad, “it might seem nice on the outside but not everything is all rainbows and unicorns,” she echoed Jenna’s earlier sentiment. “There’s a monster that lives in the castle with me,” she deadpanned, completely serious in her statement.

Jenna patted her hand comfortingly. “We’ll figure it out, Eden. We always do.”

Indeed they did. The impending arrival of the monster however weighed on her as time marched on and the day grew that much closer to an end.

Dominic had yet to make an appearance, and while Eden had been distracted enough for the better part of the day with Liam and the impromptu showing of her former home to her best friend, she couldn’t keep him out of her mind for too long. He was always there, right around the corner of her subconscious, lurking in the shadows and waiting to pounce. But as she’d done on previous occasions, she pushed the thought of him as far away as she possibly could so she could continue the rest of her night in relative peace. Jenna had instantly taken to the guestroom Eden had led her to just down the hall and while she occupied herself with the en-suite bathroom, Eden slipped back into mommy mode.

She’d deliberately set herself up in the room furthest away from the master bedroom she’d shared with Dominic. There was no way she was going to sleep in that room. Riffling through the large bag Jenna had brought with her, Eden was cheered to find that she’d remembered to pack Liam’s brown bear, along with several of Eden’s clothing. While she got Liam ready for bed, changing his diaper, wiping him down with a cloth and some warm sudsy water, Jenna made an appearance. She looked freshly showered, pairing her pajama shorts with a cute pink camisole. She’d gathered her damp wheat blond hair to one side so that it hung just past her ample chest.

“I needed that shower,” she cheerfully announced, walking into the room with a great big smile on her makeup free face. “Do you want me to watch Liam while you get settled?”

Eden blinked, not having even thought of herself. “Uh…” She’d showered earlier this morning and had slipped back into the clothes she’d worn the previous day, when she’d barged into Dominic’s office. It would be nice to put on a clean set of clothes. “You don’t mind?” But before Eden posed the question, Jenna had already taken Liam from her.

“Go. Relax for a bit. I can hold down the fort until you’re finished.”

Eden smiled gratefully, rummaging through the bag once again, searching for some clothes for herself. There wasn’t much of an option, so she grabbed the first thing she found. “I won’t be long,” she said before disappearing inside the bathroom. This bathroom, unlike the others, didn’t have a separate bathtub, simply a standing shower that was nearly the size of the bedroom itself. Eden wasn’t looking for luxury, she simply wanted to get clean and change her clothes afterwards. She stepped out of the shower and onto the heated ceramic tiles; the thick mist enveloped her as she reached for her towel on the rack. She made short work of drying herself and sliding into the nightgown she’d grabbed. When she finally emerged from the bathroom Eden was slightly more reinvigorated and ready to nurture her child.

“I can’t thank you enough, Jen,” she said wryly, gathering the bevy of pillows against the headboard.

“Don’t mention it,” Jenna handed Liam over with a smile, “but I’m beat. I think I’m going to hit the sack.” The impromptu yawn only reiterated her statement.

“Goodnight.”

“Night.”

Then she was gone and Eden was left once again with her son. She settled against the pillows while cradling Liam in her arms. “Hi there, sweetheart,” she cooed to the wide-eyed infant, who looked back intently at her smiling face. “Mommy missed you so much.” Eden slipped the strap of her dress down her shoulder until her left breast and nipple was exposed. It took her a second to maneuver him in a position they were both comfortable with before guiding him to latch on. She winced a little when he clamped on, but soon forgot about the pain when he began to feed. “Did you have fun with your Auntie Jenna?” Eden spoke quietly into the silence as her son ate, comforted by his presence. “I’m so sorry about all this moving around, baby. But don’t worry, we’re going to go home soon enough.”

“You are home.” Eden jumped at the unexpected sound of his voice. Her eyes flew to the door and found him at the entrance. He cut an intimidating figure in his tailored charcoal grey suit, pristine white shirt, and burgundy silk tie. Eden’s heart gave an involuntary jolt at his presence, quickening considerably when he ambled further inside the room and closed the door behind him. She’d done such a spectacular job in shoving him from her mind that she’d forgotten about his arrival. Her tongue slid nervously across her lips as she watched his unhurried gait towards her, but he stopped short and Eden released a relieved sigh when he remained at the foot of the bed.

“Our home is in Amesbury,” she said tautly into the silence, regarding him from beneath a veil of dark lashes. “The only reason we’re here is because you’ve left us no choice.” As though sensing his mother’s agitation, Liam fussed a little, eliciting a rather loud mewl that Eden instantly quieted with rhythmic pats on his bum and a few shushing sounds.

Bereft of speech, Dominic was left to stare momentarily. Stunned didn’t quite capture the feeling coursing through him in that instant, yet it nevertheless seemed appropriate a word. The whole of her attention was no longer on him as she centered it on the bundle she held preciously against her chest. As he watched her, tending to that bundle, her beautiful visage transformed into something Dominic found difficult to pinpoint. But he was altogether fascinated.

“You always have a choice.” he murmured with silken reproach, “I simply steer you in the right direction.”

“Your direction,” she bit icily.

His lips quirked up. “Precisely.”

“And the fact that I want nothing to do with you bears no consideration?”

“I see you’ve settled in quite nicely, but this isn’t the room you’re supposed to be in,” he remarked with candor, disregarding her previous statement completely. “I had a crib brought to the master bedroom for the…for the boy.” He recovered quickly enough, but not before Eden had a chance to note the slight bit of discomfort that had flitted across his handsome features.

“His name is Liam, Dominic. You’ve said it before, and I’m sure you can manage to say it again. Or is it harder to say your son’s name when you’re not bullying me into submission?” she queried with icy contempt. “If you went to the trouble of getting a crib for Liam then you can go the extra length to have it brought to this room, because he and I are not going into that godforsaken bedroom. You may have brought us here, but hell will freeze over before I allow you to touch me again.” Honey gold eyes burned with unwavering fire as they met his narrowed gaze with unflinching resolve. By the stubborn set of her jaw and pursed lips, Dominic was wise enough to know he would not win this battle, at least not tonight. The war between them however was ongoing and would undoubtedly come to a head someday soon and defeat on his part would be unacceptable in that arena. So Dominic decided that conceding defeat now would only make his inevitable victory that much sweeter.

“Stranger things have happened,” he drawled. “Very well, you may remain in this bedroom for the time being, but understand that it is because I allow it.” He turned to leave but stopped short at the entrance. “The boy…Liam will have his crib here no later than tomorrow.” With that said he waltzed out of the room in the same manner he’d entered it with superiority and egotism that swathed him like a second skin.

Chapter Eight