I don’t want to feel that vulnerable. I want to do as he says but only when he’s here to protect me. I drop my face into my hands, angry with this fear that won’t subside. What am I so afraid of? Why am I afraid? I can feel a vision coming on, another memory to shake me and I’m not sure I can handle anymore tonight. I sit down on the sofa, staring at the door. The walls are moving and the lights are flickering. Digging my fingernails into the sofa I hold on as I keep my eyes glued to the door.
“ Jude, please hurry,” I groan before the room swirls around me. I close my eyes, trying to stop the dizziness. The moment my eyes open again I’m in a different room, it’s cold and empty. The gray concrete below me hurts my bare legs. I’m only wearing a short summer dress, exposing my scraped knees and bruises on my ankles. My arms are covered in goosebumps, dried blood and more bruises. Why is there blood on my arms? I try and wipe it off but it has stained my skin. Tears are falling down my cheeks but I’m not making a sound. I hear a door open and I try to turn my head to look up but it feels so heavy.
“ Eden, look at me. You’re safe now, I’m here,” he tells me. The concern in his voice surprises me. He sits down beside me on the cold, hard concrete and wraps his arm around my shoulder. He is warm and his beating heart calms me. I listen to the rhythm of it and I attempt to look at him again. He is the same boy that tried to feed me earlier.
“ I won’t let them hurt you. I promise you, my beautiful girl, I will keep you safe,” he tells me, his voice confident and angry. He isn’t angry with me he’s angry with them. I slide down his chest, resting my head on his lap. He brushes the hair from my face and rubs my shoulders. I like his warm touch, savoring the feeling while I can because I know he’ll be gone again soon. He never stays the night, when I need him the most. I look up into those eyes, his deep ocean blue eyes. Jude’s eyes.
I sit up quickly, gasping for air and realize I’m alone. A knock on the door causes me to jump up, knocking over a lamp in my sudden panic. I have tears streaming down my cheeks when Jude walks in, holding me within a breath. I should have asked how he had unlocked my door or more specifically how he managed to get a key-card for my room but I don’t. Instead I wrap my arms around him as the tears pour out of me. I want to scream for all these memories, all these nightmares to end.
“ I’m sorry Jude, I can’t stop these damn tears. I swear I never cry. I never have and I’m so scared when you’re not here. I need you and I don’t know why,” I confess to him. He almost seems to understand. He pulls me tighter into his embrace.
“ I’m here baby. You’re safe with me, my beautiful girl, it’s okay now,” he tells me, kissing my forehead and I know he’s the boy from my vision but I don’t know if it’s a memory or just my imagination. If he knew me before he would have told me by now, wouldn’t he?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Just Before Midnight
Jude
"Daniels, I'm in Paris as per your request," I inform him, keeping my voice emotionless which is difficult now. I am consumed by guilt and fear. I can’t keep lying to her but I can’t let her run from me either. Her father can’t know I’ve crossed the line. I’ve spent the day on a job Byron asked me to do for him. I almost refused but he said he'd keep an eye on Eden for me. I’ve never had reason to doubt him before but I’m surprised he knew Eden was here. I agreed because that is what I have been trained to do, follow orders. My father and Byron control me, I work for them first although Eden’s safety will always be my number one concern. I’m sure Byron isn’t thrilled about this but he wouldn’t hurt her.
"Good, she's well I presume?" Daniels asks, sounding distracted.
"Of course she's fine, she’s under my watch isn’t she? I should inform you though that Byron is aware she
“ Jude, please hurry,” I groan before the room swirls around me. I close my eyes, trying to stop the dizziness. The moment my eyes open again I’m in a different room, it’s cold and empty. The gray concrete below me hurts my bare legs. I’m only wearing a short summer dress, exposing my scraped knees and bruises on my ankles. My arms are covered in goosebumps, dried blood and more bruises. Why is there blood on my arms? I try and wipe it off but it has stained my skin. Tears are falling down my cheeks but I’m not making a sound. I hear a door open and I try to turn my head to look up but it feels so heavy.
“ Eden, look at me. You’re safe now, I’m here,” he tells me. The concern in his voice surprises me. He sits down beside me on the cold, hard concrete and wraps his arm around my shoulder. He is warm and his beating heart calms me. I listen to the rhythm of it and I attempt to look at him again. He is the same boy that tried to feed me earlier.
“ I won’t let them hurt you. I promise you, my beautiful girl, I will keep you safe,” he tells me, his voice confident and angry. He isn’t angry with me he’s angry with them. I slide down his chest, resting my head on his lap. He brushes the hair from my face and rubs my shoulders. I like his warm touch, savoring the feeling while I can because I know he’ll be gone again soon. He never stays the night, when I need him the most. I look up into those eyes, his deep ocean blue eyes. Jude’s eyes.
I sit up quickly, gasping for air and realize I’m alone. A knock on the door causes me to jump up, knocking over a lamp in my sudden panic. I have tears streaming down my cheeks when Jude walks in, holding me within a breath. I should have asked how he had unlocked my door or more specifically how he managed to get a key-card for my room but I don’t. Instead I wrap my arms around him as the tears pour out of me. I want to scream for all these memories, all these nightmares to end.
“ I’m sorry Jude, I can’t stop these damn tears. I swear I never cry. I never have and I’m so scared when you’re not here. I need you and I don’t know why,” I confess to him. He almost seems to understand. He pulls me tighter into his embrace.
“ I’m here baby. You’re safe with me, my beautiful girl, it’s okay now,” he tells me, kissing my forehead and I know he’s the boy from my vision but I don’t know if it’s a memory or just my imagination. If he knew me before he would have told me by now, wouldn’t he?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Just Before Midnight
Jude
"Daniels, I'm in Paris as per your request," I inform him, keeping my voice emotionless which is difficult now. I am consumed by guilt and fear. I can’t keep lying to her but I can’t let her run from me either. Her father can’t know I’ve crossed the line. I’ve spent the day on a job Byron asked me to do for him. I almost refused but he said he'd keep an eye on Eden for me. I’ve never had reason to doubt him before but I’m surprised he knew Eden was here. I agreed because that is what I have been trained to do, follow orders. My father and Byron control me, I work for them first although Eden’s safety will always be my number one concern. I’m sure Byron isn’t thrilled about this but he wouldn’t hurt her.
"Good, she's well I presume?" Daniels asks, sounding distracted.
"Of course she's fine, she’s under my watch isn’t she? I should inform you though that Byron is aware she
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