Aiden Harper

Aftermath

Eden

After eating, I took pain medicine and lay down in Aiden's bed. My mind replayed the prior events, making it difficult to sleep. Aiden checked on me. I asked him to stay with me. I couldn't close my eyes without a replay of Wayne's attack.

I couldn't wrap my head around the entire situation. Wayne had never physically hurt me before. Why would he do it now? Nothing made sense.

Aiden sat in a chair beside the bed while I lay on my side and looked at him. "What do you need, Eden?"

"I need to close my eyes and not replay Wayne's attack. Why would he hurt me?"

Aiden rested his elbows on his thighs and leaned forward. "I need to tell you something. I'm not sure how you will take it."

"What?"

"I confronted Wayne for what he did to you and found Mia with him."

"What?" I knitted my brows in confusion.

"Mia mentioned your stepdaddy paid Wayne to attack you."

I stared at Aiden as tears leaked from my eyes down my cheeks.

"I beat the hell out of Wayne and Mia. If you're angry with me, I'll accept your anger. But I won't apologize for taking matters into my hands."

I moved my hand toward Aiden. Aiden wrapped his hand around mine and held it while I cried. The dam had burst with overwhelming emotions. But Aiden held my hand while I fell apart. I sorely needed the comfort until I fell asleep.

******
Aiden

I don't know which is worse. The actual attack or its aftermath. Eden suffered from the physical attack and the emotional aftermath of it. It wasn't bad enough that the dick attacked her. Now, she had to deal with the aftermath of it.

Eden cried until she fell asleep from the emotional exhaustion. I never let go of her hand while she slept. I rubbed my eyes, trying not to fall asleep. Eventually, exhaustion won. I removed my boots, crawled into bed, and snuggled Eden. She whimpered in her sleep. I tightened my embrace around her so she felt safe. Then, I fell asleep.

.*****
I woke up the following day to find Eden still sleeping and Diego looking at us. I arched my brow at Diego.

Diego raised his hands in defense and whispered. "I was checking on Eden."

"Are you sure you were watching us like a creeper?" I rubbed my eyes and got out of bed without waking Eden. I pushed Diego out of the bedroom and closed the door behind me.

"You offend me with your insinuations." Diego pressed his hands against his chest.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right." I shuffled to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee.

Diego leaned on the countertop with his palms. "What's going to happen to idiots one and two?"

"Beats me." I rubbed my face to wake up before pouring coffee into a cup. "But stepdaddy dearest has his hand in the mix." I sipped my coffee to jolt my system awake.

"What do you mean?" Diego furrowed his brows.

"I overheard that stupid bitch talking to that dickhead. It seems Daddy was paying the schmuck to hurt Eden."

"What?" Diego's face scrunched in confusion.

"I don't know the full story, but I can guess what happened."

"Why would Rueben want to hurt Eden?"

"Why would anyone want to hurt an innocent person unless they need leverage against someone?"