Her head shot up and I could see the tears running down her face. “Yes, yes that’s what happened,” she agreed.
“Do you understand why it happened?” I prodded some more at her, all the time feeling as if I was speaking to a child rather than a grown woman.
She still looked confused, so I decided to explain it again. Eden needed to understand how much danger she’d been in. Somehow she thought those scars protected her from situations like this. It wasn’t the case.
“You put yourself in a bad situation when you made the choice to go that way after dark. Then you made yourself an easy target by the way you carried yourself and behaved. No, they shouldn’t have attacked you. What they did is all sorts of wrong. But Eden, stuff happens in this life all the time that shouldn’t happen. You’ve got to be able to deal with it and protect yourself.” What I didn’t say was that she of all people should know that life deals you rough hands at times. I didn’t need to rub more salt into the wound.
She looked up at me and more tears were running down her face. That full bottom lip of hers was wavering. “I was coming here to join in. I thought maybe if I did something positive, I’d feel better. Maybe if I was part of the action I wouldn’t worry so much about what everybody thought.” I was pleased to hear it, but I really wondered if it was the truth or an attempt to deflect my anger away from her.
That’s when she broke down into out and out sobs. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I could be a hard arse but I also wasn’t immune to a woman’s tears. I took two steps to the sofa and sat down beside her and pulled her into my arms. She buried her head into my chest and it was both the best and worst feeling.
I’d pushed her hard—too hard, but shit the woman needed to wise up in a hurry. I felt like a heel for doing that to her. Cruel to be kind, and all that bullshit. But at the same time I was enjoying the feeling of her being in my arms just a little too much.
I let her cry against my chest for a few minutes. Just held her. Letting her know she was safe. I might have been a bit harsh, but I gave a shit about what happened to her.
Eden had endured a hell of a night and I probably shouldn’t have gone after her as well. But I was a big fan of dealing with wounds and crap immediately, rather than waiting. That way you could get on with setting things straight and healing, without prolonging the agony or stewing over what might happen.
Eventually, she lifted her puffy tear stained face and I passed her the damp towel because I didn’t have a tissue in sight.
“Thanks,” she mumbled and took it from me.
I gave her a moment to clean up her face a little. I couldn’t have cared how she looked right about now, but obviously it was important to her.
“So, how much do you hate me?” I injected a hint of amusement into my voice to try and lighten the situation.
She glanced up at me. “I don’t hate you. Can’t say I like you much at the moment, but I don’t hate you. However, you do make a pretty good pillow to cry into.”
I couldn’t help the rumble of laughter that rippled out of me. Her last comment was so unexpected and so not what I had expected from Eden. This façade she was hiding behind was obviously also blanking out her personality. With just that one comment, I wanted to know the “real” Eden. What was the person hiding behind the mask really like?
“Well, that’s a new one for me.”
That earned me a tentative smile from Eden. All I can say is, I felt like I’d just been blessed. Even with those scars, the woman had a smile that lit up a room and I really wondered when was the last time anyone had seen it—most probably right before the fire. I also wondered what it would be like if she smiled big, all the way. I remembered exactly what it looked like when she’d been a child. Now I wanted to see it as an adult. I wanted to see it spontaneous and often.
“Okay, so let’s talk some more about what you said before.” She looked at me a little in confusion before she dropped her eyes again. “You said you were coming here with the intention of joining in. Which, by the way, I think is an excellent idea. But did you really mean it? I can teach you to fight and look after yourself. I can also teach you how to avoid situations like that and give you tools to use if you find yourself in a situation like tonight again. I think there’s a lot you can benefit from by doing some training.”
I could feel her eyes boring into the area at the base of my throat. Eden wasn’t big on eye contact. That was something else I was going to work on if I got the opportunity.
She nodded a little and I took that as an affirmative. I knew I wasn’t going to get much in the way of words from her tonight.
“Right then. What’s your schedule like for the rest of the week?”
Eden suddenly started to squirm and looked nervous.
“What is it?”
“I thought I’d just join in with the others,” she said in a small voice.
“Yeah, that’s one way, but I don’t really have a class at the moment that would be appropriate for you to start in. I want to do a few sessions with you to get you up to speed before you start in with the others. I think it will be easier if you know some of the basics, rather than having everything thrown at you at once.”
It was a coin toss. There were fors and againsts for putting her straight into a class. Anyone else, I would have slotted straight into a class but I had no idea how she’d react at this stage. My theory was that, at least, if Eden knew the basics she could keep up.
“I’m at uni each morning for the rest of the week. Other than that I’m just studying and doing assignments,” she offered.
“Okay, then we’ll do something in the afternoons.” Then something occurred to me. I’d been railroading her and pushing in all the ways I knew how. But what if I had it wrong? What if I was actually doing her harm? I was acting totally on instinct here. “Eden, do you see a counsellor or something?”
A guarded look filtered her eyes and she nodded slightly confirming this.
“You went through a lot tonight. I think you should see your counsellor before you start here with me. Make sure they’re on board with what I’m proposing.”
“Okay, I’ll call Grace in the morning,” she agreed. The class had broken up and the students were starting to file out.
“Good. Now let’s get you home if you feel up to it.” She slid from my side and stood without wobbling which I took to be a positive sign.
She’d started to move to the door, when she turned and looked back at me. Her lip twitched up slightly and her eyes turned warm. “Thank you,” she murmured.
I grinned back following her out into the reception area. “You’re welcome. I’d say anytime but I don’t think tonight is something you want to be repeating. Text me after you’ve seen your counsellor and we’ll set up a time. Sophia and Tori both have my number.”
As I expected Tori and Sophia were waiting anxiously by the reception counter for her. They seemed a little surprised when Eden turned back to me and said with a little smile. “I’ll text you tomorrow after I speak with Grace.”
“Make sure you do. I’ll be waiting for it. Night, ladies.” With any other woman it would have sounded like I was needy. With Eden I wanted to make her accountable.
Sophia and Tori both repeated my “Night” and bowed before slipping out, with Eden trailing behind. She gave me a shy little wave from the door as she stepped out into the darkness. As cute as it was, I actually took it for being a positive step. She actually chose to look back rather than scurry off.
I slipped back into my office and found Dane waiting for me, lounging his big frame in the doorway.
“Well, that was interesting.” There were questions in his hazel eyes.
“I don’t know about interesting. I’d say fucked five ways to Sunday would be a better description, actually.” There was something I needed to know. “How close was it?”
Dane shrugged his shoulders. “Hard to say, but I’m real glad I showed up when I did and not thirty seconds later.”
> “I am, too. She’s damned lucky you just chanced upon her. What the hell were you doing coming that way on foot? Where’s your truck?” I’d been wondering that since he’d explained what had happened.
“I was helping out a friend. I left my truck with them. I was running late, so I cut through. Fucking lucky I did. What were the chances?”
“You’re not wrong. Someone up there was looking out for her tonight,” I agreed.
“Is she going to press charges?” My head shot up and I realised I hadn’t even thought through that bit. I’d been more concerned about her. She’d never survive a trial or the process with where she was in her headspace. But those guys shouldn’t get off scot free either. What they had done was seriously fucked.
“I didn’t even ask her about it, but I don’t think she’d handle all that attention very well, but it’s not really my decision to make.”
“No it’s not, but we can’t just let it go, Xan. That was some fucked up shit those dicks pulled. Why don’t I call Mark and have a chat with him. Tell him what happened. At least I can make a statement, then Eden can do whatever. It needs to be on record, but I’m not sure she could even identify them. I never even saw her look at them.”
I nodded agreeing with Dane. Mark was one of my higher level students and also a cop. He’d know what to do. I trusted him to know what to do. “Yeah, give him a call, make the statement. Let him handle it. I don’t want them to get away with it either, but I don’t want to have her dragged through more shit if it’s avoidable. If I go down there, I’m not sure I won’t lose my shit at them.”
Dane nodded in agreement but he looked at me and suddenly I got that “bug under a microscope” feeling. “So what’s going on between you two?”
I felt my temper rise a little. It was none of his damned business, but Dane was my oldest and closest friend. Of course he’d ask. “We had a discussion, well that’s not quite true, more like I gave her a lecture on the stupidity of what she did and the risks. Outcome is I’m going to start teaching her.” It was the abridged version but that’s all I felt like telling him. It was between Eden and me—no one else.
A smirk kicked up the corner of my friend’s mouth. “What?”
“Nothing man, nothing…”
Chapter 6
Eden
No sooner had we walked inside than Sophia dragged me into the lounge room and pulled me down beside her on the sofa. Tori was hot on our heels and took up position on my other side. I was surprised they’d actually managed to wait this long. I’d expected this when we got in the car.
“Are you okay, Edie? What the hell happened? I know you’ve been crying.” Sophia opened the interrogation.
“I did something dumb and nearly paid a very big price for it.” I was shaken by what had happened and I knew just how lucky I was, but it had also opened my eyes. Xander had opened my eyes. He’d been spot on about everything.
If I hadn’t let my demons get the best of me then I would have been safely in the car with the girls; I wouldn’t have cut through a bad area and a million other ifs…
“What did Sensei talk to you about? I’m so pissed that he made us go back to class.” It was interesting to see just how they respected him and his authority over them. Sophia was headstrong at the best of times, but she hadn’t even looked like going against him tonight. I needed to tell them at least some of it. They had a right to know. I was going to be moving into their “territory” so to speak.
“We talked about what happened and he gave me a lecture about personal security and how stupid I’d been.” They both winced and I knew then that they’d witnessed that sort of thing before.
“Oooo, brutal,” Tori sympathised.
“Yeah, he didn’t miss me.”
“He made you cry—bastard,” Sophia raged.
“He said some stuff that hurt a lot, but he was right. I was an idiot for what I did.”
“Still, he didn’t need to be a shit about it.” Sophia was defending me again. Xander had been tough, but he’d also been fair and kind in his own way. He didn’t need the girls having a hate on towards him. This was between him and me. I didn’t want their relationship with him affected despite what happened between him and me.
“He wasn’t a shit. He was actually pretty nice to me. He just had a few hard things to say and I needed to hear them,” I explained.
“But what was with him wanting you to text him?” Tori asked.
“We kind of came to an agreement about me training with him. He wants me to talk to Grace about what happened and if she’s okay with it, I’m going to train with him. I have to text him after I speak to Grace.” It was right then that I realised how much I wanted this to happen. I was actually excited about doing something. Everything up until this point in time, had been about me needing to do stuff. This was me, wanting something and following through.
“Wow. That’s actually really exciting.” Sophia had turned from being the fierce one to actually being a little dumbstruck.
“I don’t understand? You’ve never been interested in martial arts, Edie.” Tori looked confused. I actually felt a little sorry for her. I knew how much they both worried about me in their own ways.
“Well, after seeing you two on Sunday and everyone else, I thought that it might be something I’d like. Then after what happened tonight…I don’t ever want to feel that helpless again.” The words came out of my mouth without me actually thinking too much, but I believed them. I didn’t ever want to feel that helpless again. I didn’t have the first clue how to get myself out of that situation. It didn’t need to be like that.
“So you’re going to be coming to class tomorrow night with us after you’ve spoken to Grace? I can’t wait.” Tori sounded excited like only a little sister could.
“I won’t be.”
She looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“Xander said he wanted to do a few sessions with me before I joined a class.”
“What?” Sophia sounded a little outraged. “He only ever does private lessons with the fighters right before a big fight. New students just get put in with us. We had two last week.” She looked at me in a way that was more of a glare. I shrugged my shoulders. I didn’t really know or have an opinion.
“That’s what he said he wanted to do.”
“You’re so lucky.” Then Sophia went quiet for a second as she obviously thought things over. She turned on me with a look that could only be called accusing. “There’s something weird going on. Dane referred to you as “Sensei’s woman” or something to that effect and he didn’t say a word. Is there something you’re not telling us, Edie? Plus you got a ride to the BBQ with him the other day.”
“Yeah, what’s that about, Edie?” Both Sophia and Tori were putting me on the spot.
“I have no idea. I’d never met him before that day in the coffee shop. You know him better than me! Like I told you on Sunday; he asked me to carry something, then he just kind of hustled me into his truck. Well, you know how intimidating he can be, so I just got in.” I threw my hands up in the air in protest.
“We do!” They both agreed with the intimidating comment.
“Maybe he’s hot for you!” Tori teased and elbowed me in the ribs.
“That’s hardly the case, Tori. I’d say he could have just about any woman he wanted. I doubt he’d have much use for me. He probably just sees me as some sort of project.”
“You’re too hard on yourself, Eden. A guy would be lucky to have you. You’re smart, and caring and well…mostly stunningly beautiful,” Sophia teased. We all broke out laughing. I’d noticed, of late, that Sophia had started poking fun at my burns. I didn’t mind and it was better than having the topic off-limits. It was something that only happened at home and between us.
“Just don’t look at me from head on or the right. Maybe I need a guy that can only see out of one eye? Now let me figure out which one he needs to be able to see out of.” We all laughed until we nearly had tears comi
ng down our faces.
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Soph, but I doubt Xander has any interest in me as a woman. He’s trying to help me and I appreciate his efforts and yeah, I find him kind of intimidating, too.” Hopefully they’d drop the crazy idea he was interested in me.
“Well, I don’t know. I’ve never known him to be dating anyone; have you, Sophia?”
“Nope Tori, I haven’t. So there you go, Edie. There’s hope for you yet.”
“Oh yeah, I can just see it now. Xander and I—a match made in heaven. Cue the cupids and the happily ever after. Thanks for trying to be supportive but hey, I need to get myself together and maybe somewhere a long, long way down the track I might find someone that’s not too horrified by this face or this body. Somebody that’s way lower on the hotness scale than Xander.”
Tori looked over at me. “It really isn’t that bad anymore Edie. The scars seem to fade all the time and there is that other operation…”
“Yeah, they have reduced but we all know they won’t get much better. And as for the operation, we all know that’s not in my future. I don’t have a spare two hundred thousand so, until it gets covered by Medicare, it’s just not an option, so I don’t even let myself think about it.”
They both nodded. My recovery was about as good as it could be physically, at the moment. It was all about the mental stuff now and that was proving a lot harder to overcome than the physical, in many ways.
“So um if you two are finished with the interrogation, I’m going to go and have a shower.” I really felt as if I needed to wash away the night. I could still smell the reek of those guys in my nostrils, just like I could still smell the fire. I wanted it gone.
* * *
Eden
“So how do you feel about what happened last night, Eden? You’ve given me the facts but there’s not been one little bit of information to indicate how you actually feel about it.”
Here we go…I thought to myself. I’d expected it. In fact, I was surprised Grace hadn’t pressed me earlier but I guess she was waiting to see what I gave away about how I felt.
Brave Page 10
