Eden
Itoss another painting on the floor and clench my fists in frustration at finding only a blank wall behind it. I’ve spent the last three weeks searching this house for some kind of safe or hidden panel that will contain the answers I need to get the mirror working again. Adera had to have left a clue of some kind, a journal, a user’s manual or something to document her travels and how the damn thing works but so far, I’ve found nothing to help me get back to my men. I scrub at my face in exhaustion. I’ve barely slept since getting back and finding out that I was only gone for twenty-four hours in my time. I feel like I’m losing my mind and every part of me aches to get back to the men I love.
I look around the parlor in disgust. Other than the hot steamy showers I take twice a day, there’s literally nothing in this house or this year that makes me want to stay. I trudge back up the stairs and climb over the piles of junk I toppled and left strewn about in my desperate search for answers until I’m standing in front of the mirror. There’s a thick blanket covering it right now. I know in my bones I’ll get back to my men once I figure out how to make it work but I want to be ready this time so I covered the mirror to prevent accidentally traveling like I did last time.
In between frantic sessions of searching the house I’ve been busy preparing for the moment I do go back. Once I’m reunited with them, I don’t plan on coming back until I die of old age.
Sebastian’s broken expression as I faded out in front of him fills my mind and squeezes my heart but I shove it ruthlessly aside. I can’t think about what they must be going through or it will break the last part of me that’s holding on to my will to live without them. Instead, I choose to believe that it’s only a matter of time before I get the mirror working again. I reach for a corner of the blanket and carefully lift it so that only the tiniest sliver of glass is slowing. When I see it’s still dark, I drop the blanket back in place and turn away in frustration.
I take a seat on the stool in front of the dressing table and gently spread the small pile of pictures I printed out and laminated across the surface. My phone was shoved into my bra when I came back and I sobbed for half a day on the floor when I realized that all the pictures I took while I was back in time were still in the gallery.
My fingertips brush against the images of Cade and Finn’s grinning faces with mine in between them. I took the picture while I was showing them how to take a selfie the very first night the three of us came together in between bouts of love-making. We’re lying on the bed with our heads pressed together on a pillow and the afterglow of multiple orgasms is all over my face.
I move on to the next photo of Luca holding me from behind. He’s not looking into the camera but instead looking down at me and the love he has for me just shines from his eyes and expression. I had just tipped my head back to tell him to smile when I tapped the button. I bite my lip to stop the fresh tears that want to fall and move to the final picture. It’s Sebastian and I right before we left for the Marquis’ party. I’m wearing that insane red dress and we’re turned towards each other with my hand on his chest and me looking up at him while he looks down at me. Memories of what came after that party has my core aching for his touch again.
I will be taking these pictures with me when I go as well as a select few other items that will fit in the large carpet bag I had made to look somewhat seventeenth-century appropriate. I hope if I loop the straps over my body it will make the trip with me just like my phone did. Just in case it won’t go through with me, I had the same seamstress make me a dress and cloak with large lined pockets that I will fill with the most important things I want to have with me in the past. I’m going back as prepared as I can and hopefully will be able to take a few luxury items too.
Over the next few days, I have appointments booked to replace my birth control implant so it will be good for at least three years and also get booster shots for all my vaccines plus a few new ones. I told my doctor that I’m moving to Africa for a few years so I could get all the shots for things that have been eradicated here. I’m trying to cover as many bases as I can so I don’t end up dying of a treatable disease or infection. Another doctor I was friendly with when I worked as an EMT agreed to set me up with a bunch of courses of different antibiotics for a few hundred dollars. She didn’t even need much persuasion as she had done a tour in Africa with Doctors Without Borders and knew how hard it is to get good meds there. The main thing will be to stay away from anyone who wants me dead and swords…no more fucking swords! The hardest thing to get my hands on was silver-coated bullets for my gun. If I have to go up against that bitch again I’ll need an advantage and a silver bullet to the brain is the best I can do. Once again money talks and the bullets should be ready for pick up in a few days.
“Reminder! You have an appointment in two hours. Reminder!” Siri chimes out at me from my phone, causing me to scowl.
“Fuck,” I say harshly as I push up from the table. I have to go to this one after blowing off the last lawyer appointment for my divorce. I thought I would be gone by now, back in the past where I’d never have to see Troy’s smug face again. I don’t have a choice though because if for some cursed reason I don’t find a way to go back, I need to finally sever the last legal tie that holds me to the bastard. I want this done and over with so I can close that horrible chapter of my life.
I take an Uber downtown to my Aunt Adera’s lawyer who now represents me and stare at the buildings as they go by. It’s another dreary Seattle day and the gloom suits my mood. My driver hits a red light in front of a newly renovated building. It’s all dark greys and blacks with a few red accents and has an old-world look that doesn’t fit very well with all the modern steel and glass of the other buildings. As the light turns green and traffic starts to move again, a sign becomes clearer, ‘Coming soon – Gothic – An Adult Playground and Night Club’.
I lean back, no longer interested but as we pass the sign it reveals a statue that has me leaning forward again. It’s a naked woman with a strategically placed sheet to cover her breasts leaning back on her bottom with an arched back. Her face is pointed straight up so I can’t make out her features but it’s easy enough to make out that she’s in the throes of pleasure. Her long rippling hair flows down to pool behind her. The woman’s legs are bent at the knee and there’s a man’s chest between them as his face is buried against her stomach and she clutches at his long hair that hides his face.
The statue is beautiful, provocative, and screams sex but there’s something about it tugging at the back of my mind that I can’t quite grasp. The car drives past and I can’t help but turn in my seat to watch it recede in the rear window until we turn a corner and it’s gone from sight. I can’t stop thinking about it until the elevator doors slide open and my lawyer appears to greet me.
“Eden! It’s good to see you. I’m so glad you could make the meeting.”
“Mr. Dunhurst, it’s good to see you too,” I say with a real smile. After Adera died, he had hounded me to take his calls and finally showed up at my door, forcing me with a kind and steady hand to deal with her estate and breaking me from the paralyzed state I was in after the attack. He’s taken care of all the legal work and piles of forms that needed to be dealt with from an inheritance the size my aunt left me. He also took over all the nasty business of my divorce even though I refused to fight Troy for his outrageous demands. I was too broken to fight and I didn’t care about the money, assets, and insurance my parents’ death left me. I just wanted it to be over and never have to see him again. As far as I’m concerned, he could have it all if it finally ended things between us.
“Troy and his lawyer are waiting for us in the conference room.” He tells me as he guides me down the hall to it. “If you are sure you don’t want to fight this, then all that needs to be done today is to sign the final papers and it will be over.”
I breathe out my relief. “Good. I know you wanted me to take a harder stand but I just want him gone.”
“As much as I wish you would reconsider, I understand and will respect your wishes, Eden. Even with all that scoundrel is taking you for, you will never want for anything financially again with your aunt’s inheritance, so I’m sure Adera will rest easier knowing you will be taken care of.”
I squeeze his arm in appreciation and gratitude and then step past him into the conference room. My gaze lands on Troy briefly before sliding away to pull my chair out across from his lawyer. I don’t need to look at him to remind me of all the ways he worked to crush the broken pieces of me after my family died until there was nothing left but dust.
“Hey, babe! You’re looking a little tired there. Still not sleeping? Poor thing.” Troy taunts me from across the large table.
My eyes meet his for the first time since this all began. All our previous meetings had me in a high anxiety state that left me a wreck for days after. This time feels different. The tight panic in my chest at previous meetings is absent so I just stare back at him and really wonder how I let such a dirtbag narcissist fool me into marrying him. He hid his cruel side so well at first, playing the besotted, sweet man that couldn’t wait to spend his life with me. After the wedding, I caught small glimpses of the real him but it wasn’t until my family died that the real man came out in full force and started making my life a living hell.
I let my lips turn up in a faint smile. “Yeah, it’s tough but I can always take a nap to fix that. Unfortunately, you’ll always be a piece of shit. Just no fixing that…babe.”
A sense of satisfaction wells up in me when his mouth drops open in shock and he jerks back into his chair. Mr. Dunhurst masks his laugh by faking a cough as he takes the seat beside me.
“Well, shall we begin? With all parties in agreement, all that’s left is to sign the contracts and your marriage will be dissolved.” He states as he opens a file with the documents.
“Hmm, I’m not sure we’re ready to take that step yet,” Troy says smugly with hate in his eyes directed my way.
I narrow my eyes at him. This is payback for what I just said. I’ve never bit back at his taunts so now he’s going to punish me for it. His lawyer puts a hand on Troy’s arm to caution him but he swats it away never moving his hard eyes from mine.
“I think we should discuss the money my wife inherited from her aunt. It’s a considerable amount that should be taken into consideration.” An ugly smile forms on his face making my temper spark.
“That was long after we were separated, you asshole. You’re not entitled to any of that!” I snap back as Mr. Dunhurst lays a calming hand on my arm and he clears his throat.
