Breaking Eden - (rough draft)

10 - Welcome To The Family (8/23/18 New Chapter)

"None taken." The redhead spoke, her voice was as soft as silk. She giggled behind a pale hand and leaned into the man at her side. The man's gaze never left Eden's face as he laughed right along with the redhead.

Then the others followed suit, but their joy didn't last long. 

They shift into an uncomfortable silence under Declan's commanding glare.

"Silence." Declan's tone darkened. "Is something funny Ben?"

"No, sir." The man, who Eden will later come to know as Benjamin, answered quickly. His gaze dropped to his lap, and he bowed his head, refusing to look at Eden.

     "That's what I thought. I'll deal with you later in my chamber." Declan set his glass down and turned back towards Eden. "Eden, I'd like you to meet Ben. He seems to have taken quite the liking to you already."

    Eden's gaze danced between Declan and Ben, only Ben sat straight in his chair, shoulders back, head and gazed down and remained silent.

     "The gorgeous woman next to him is Sofia-"

    The redhead gave Eden a little wave, and the smile widened on her face.

     "I met her in the dressing room before-."

"Can I finish?" He cut in. 

     "By all means, continue, Grand Master Payne."

Declan slammed his hand against the table and bellowed, "Enough!"

Matilda rushed out of the kitchen's swinging doors, a silver-rolling cart squeaking away in front of her. She came to a stop at the opposite end of Declan and proceeded to pass out covered plates of food.

As she uncovered each of the plates, Eden's stomach rumbled even louder. She was sure the others could hear it. The sight of the hot food underneath those silver domes made her mouth water.

"The pair next to you are Darius and Jude. I've acquired them from other house after their Master's untimely death." He nodded towards each of them, offering Jude a sly grin.

Darius, the brutish giant, sat stone-faced and silent, staring straight ahead as though no one else existed. But Jude, she was everything he wasn't. She leaned toward Eden, her fingers dancing over Eden's forearm. Her touch soft and warm against her skin.

     "Welcome to the family." Jude's thick French accent was smooth and breathy, her smile sweet and intoxicatingly divine. "I hope to get to know you better. We've heard so much about you, Eden." She gave Eden's arm a gentle squeeze before releasing her.    

"Can I ask a question?" Eden glanced Declan's way.

Eden caught sight of Matilda standing behind Declan's chair. She vigorously shook her head, warning Eden not to say anything more before placing his plate in front of him.

"I have a feeling nothing is going to stop you from doing so, so ask away." Declan replied.

"Is this a clothes optional event or are they strictly forbidden?" Eden meet Ben's gaze, boldly laughing at her joke and he laughed right along with her.

"Leave this table." Declan's tone dripped with annoyance. Once again his thumb was rubbing at the inside of his palm, his narrowed eyes on her.

"But I haven't eaten yet." Eden didn't budge from her chair, knowing he must be joking. But the look on his face said otherwise. He didn't seem like the joking type.

Matilda was about to place a plate in front of Eden, but she paused when Declan motioned for her to stop, to take it away.

     "Ms. Burrows won't be partaking in dinner tonight."

Eden grabbed her full wine glass and gulped it down to the very last drop then threw her cloth napkin onto the table. "You know, you aren't a friendly host."

The others, except for Darius, fought to control their laughter. Each one bowed their heads or covered their mouths to hide their amusement from the seething man at the head of the table.

Again, Declan slammed his hand against the table, to silence them all.

"You will leave this table without another word or so help me God I will whip the skin off of you for your intolerable behavior! And the next person who dares crack the tiniest of grins will be strung up beside her. Is that clear?"

No one dared to look at Eden as they mumbled a unison, "Yes, Sir."

Their heads bowed. Even Darius lowered his head out of respect. They all shunned her, but Eden didn't blame them. But she held her ground all the same. 

Matilda placed Eden's plate back onto the cart and headed silently for the kitchen doors.

Eden stared at Declan, almost challenging him to make his next move. Instead, he ignored her, cut off all forms of acknowledgment and attention as he began to cut into his steak.

"Eat." He commanded of the others.

Soon the silence was filled with metal scraping against plates. No one spoke or even looked at the person across from them.

All but Ben.

He stole the quickest of glances at Eden, and she could have sworn there was a tiny grin tugging at the side of his mouth before his gaze dropped back to his food and remained there. 

Eden dramatically stood from the table. Her chair scraped against the wood flooring. She was sure the sudden noise would garner some form of response from Declan, but he didn't even flinch.

He stabbed a chunk of steak with his fork and popped it into his mouth.

No one seemed to notice her as she backed away from the table. It was like she didn't exist.

She headed for the stairs, making sure to draw it out.

At the mouth of the dining room hallway, she turned back and offered them a curtsy. Fanning out her shirt like a dress and dipping low she said her parting words, "It's been a pleasure."

It was then that Declan looked her way.

Her eyes locked with his. She blew him a kiss and all he did was shake his head as she bounded up the stair without another word.

Words: 1,502

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