My eyes follow them as they come back to the table. The way his hand is on her waist makes me want to rip it off his body completely. Is it excessive? Yes. Did I give a fuck? Abso-fucking-lutely not.
Eden is scanning the room as she takes her seat. Samuel’s eyes burn holes into my skull by looking at me as I gaze at his sister. I have to make sure she is okay, that she wasn’t hurt. I keep my eyes on her.
I don’t care how obvious I am at this point. Well, I do a little, but this feeling to protect her, to have her, is growing stronger every day. I need Eden. No, Ineed Elliott.
A young woman sprints through the kitchen doors, letting them slam against the walls of the dining hall, as she rushes toward Samuel with tear-streaked cheeks. Joshua blocks her path, making her fall into him, hitting his chest as he holds her in place. Everyone at the long table watches the scene unfold in front of us.
Joshua leans into her, letting her whisper something in his ear. She finishes whatever she is telling him with broken sobs, and he gestures for another worker to come get her.
Elliott is watching just as carefully as I and the rest of the members are.
Joshua looks at Samuel before leaning down to give him what I assume is the same information that the woman gave him moments ago. I watch Samuel’s expression, surveying how he is taking Joshua’s words with diligence. Samuel’s eyes elate before he looks to Elliott. She keeps her gaze on his face, and he cups her cheeks.
My veins fill with rage at the sight. I bite into my cheek to stop the urge to rip his hand from her. He tells her something in such a hushed way I don’t think anyone but her would be able to hear his words.
Her face shatters, and tears start to pour down her soft, pale cheeks. A silent weep comes from her.
Fuck. The need to console her, to wipe her tears away is overwhelming. I have to grip the sides of my chair to stop from getting onmy feet.
It breaks me to see her broken, but there is nothing I could do about it. All I can do is sit here and watch the quiet cries leave her as she bows her head.
He places his fucking lips on top of her head before standing from his chair. I make a mental note to add his lips to the list of body parts I want to remove from him.
“Everton.” His voice vibrates through the room. “I have some heartbreaking news.”
Elliott sobs again.
He clears his throat. “I am sorry to be the one to have to tell you this.”
Elliott puts her head against his side, and he slowly pets her hair.
I grind my molars. He shouldn’t be the one to be touching her. Making her feel better isn’t his role, not when he brought her to Everton with one idea in mind. The fucking bastard.
“It seems that Mr. Donovan”—he pauses—“my father, the Divine’s chosen Vessel has passed away and is reunited with the Divine themselves.”
Cries break through the room from women, while men let out gasps. But I keep my eyes on Elliott.
“As sad as we are from the loss of my dear father, we also know that he is with the Divine now. His suffering is over.”
I look back to Samuel, who doesn’t look fazed by his father’s death. No, he looks relieved. His shoulders look less tense than they did before, and the corner of his lips are playing along the lines of a smirk.
“Praise the Divine,” the whole room says together in a whisper.
“I want to let you know we will be doing a hallowed funeral for him soon. You will receive details as soon as I have them. I want to thank every one of you in this room for being here at this moment to help my family grieve.”
He looks down at Elliott, and a flame lights up in his eyes when he does.
His father just passed away, yet he looks as though a new life is beginning.
Nothing good can come of this.
“Praise the Divine.” A whispered chant fills the room once again as I watch Samuel wipe the tears off her cheeks.
34
Eden
I’m standing in the doorway of Mr. Donovan’s room.
