Breaking Eden - (rough draft)

8 - The Secret Affair (not edited)

This is for nano. It's not edited so I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.

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8 – The Secret Affair

Instead of heading out the front, Ben wandered towards the back of the house and spotted Jude at the top of the back steps. She was gazing out at the back of the property.

                  "Giving up so soon or having Darius do that the work?"

"Still planning on finding Eden for Sofia?" Jude met his gaze with a knowing smile.

"So you heard all that?"

"Indeed I did." Jude motioned him to come up and turned back to the widow. "She's in the stables now. Darius has most likely found her." She folded her arms over her chest and kept watching.

"Should I go-"

"No. Darius won't harm her." When Jude looked up, her eyes were glossed over with fresh tears. "He needs to make amends. Declan made him do something terrible."

Ben wrapped his arms around Jude, pulling her back against his chest and joined her in watching Darius enter the stables. "Where do you think she's head next?"

"There's no way out of here." She squeezed Ben's arm. "We've all searched these grounds to know that."

"Maybe-"

"There are never maybes. Declan has thought of everything. And if he hasn't thought of it his father has."

"So that brings up back to the beginning. Where will she go?"

"She'll hide." Jude turned to face Ben.

"In the mansion."

"If she's smart she'll not go into the labyrinth. If she did that it could stretch the game out for days."

"She'll head upstairs."

Jude smiles. "And when she does, I'll be in my room ready to great her."

"So you plan on winning after all?" Ben arched an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "Where does that leave me?"

"Now I never said I was going to win." She glanced back at the window and toward the stables. "She's yours. I want nothing to do with this game."

"But-"

"You and your buts. If she comes to my chambers I will celebrate as I always do, with love and affection. I don't want to see her suffer."

"You are too good for us monsters." Ben kissed her cheek.

"You wouldn't do this of your own free will. It doesn't make you a monster. All it means is that you're an obedient slave. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I don't want to hurt her." Ben whispered this.

"Nobody here does, except for maybe Sofia."

"She's going to be a problem."

Ben shrugged. "Sofia needs time to adjust to change. Everything will settle down in time."

"I hope so." Jude noticed the blood streaked on his hands. "You're hurt!"

"It's not mind." He rubbed at the marks that have now since dried. "Sofia got to Eden first."

The smile grew on Jude's lips. "And I take it our Eden put Sofia in her place?"

"She's a fighter, that one."

"She sure is." Jude nodded and a sense of sadness washed over her. "She doesn't belong here. Go wash up. If Eden comes my way I'll stale her as long as I can. I'll be sure to tell her to find you. Just pray Declan allow pleasure over pain." She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a gentle kiss before heading down the hallway and leaving Ben alone by the window.

The stable doors burst open. Eden held her hand to her eyes, blocking the suns light, and glanced around before sprinting towards the mansion. Ben silently watched her make her way towards the back door. When she entered, he stepped back behind a wall and listened to her head in the opposite direction towards the reading room. Right to where Declan currently sat, drinking his time away.