Misery

Chapter 9

"Miss Eden, you know what you are asking of me?" Molly mumbled, making sure no one else in the kitchen could detect even a whisper. "I know the Master was wrong to take you like this... but if I do help you... I don't know what he'll do." She said, her innocence clouding the man he really is.

"Molly... do you have a daughter? A niece? A granddaughter? What if a man just stole them away, no warning, no explanation. Would you want her to stay silent with the slight possibility of her escape or fight back till a monster like that ends up where he belongs?" I said a little too loud, making her shush me a little, the tone in my voice narrowed back to a whisper. She pulled me closer in order for me to stay at a low volume. "Please... I need some kind of diversion. The dinner is Sunday night, and you know he will give them attention and not me. I'm not on staff, so I can't be expected to serve. Most likely, I'd be in my room, out of sight. Please." I said, looking in her eyes with a pleading gaze that I never had to use until today. She was one of the few who could help me.

"I'll give it thought, yeah?" She whispered, looking around the ceiling before she leaned in, whispering. "The walls have ears, ma'am." I knew she was referring to the fact that Harry had the whole house under surveillance. She then went back to the pot, making me nod before I left the kitchen silently, looking around the grand foyer to see Zayn and Niall cleaning the large glass windows. He swept the wet rag across the glass, even though the windows looked spotless to begin with. He then turned his head in my direction once my steps were heard. His gaze fell to me before he dropped his rag suddenly to the floor, his feet moving faster toward me than I predicted.

"Zayn, I-" He silently grabbed my wrist, pulling me quickly from the foyer. He pushed the kitchen door open, bringing me back to where I was supposed to me. Once we got back to the kitchen, we silently passed Molly's turned back and into the pantry. Once the door closed, I was shocked to feel Zayn's arms enclose around me so suddenly.

"You have no idea how scared I was, Eden." He whispered sternly near my jaw as he nudged his face near my neck in the embrace. My arms looped around his tall neck, and his glove-covered hands rested on my back. "I thought he took you down there to... hurt you. I didn't know..." He sighed, but I didn't respond. I knew I had to keep what happened silent.

"I'm fine... I promise I am." I whispered, rubbing his upper back. I had to admit, it was nice to be close like this with someone, regardless of the time we have known the other. "Molly is going to help me sneak out Sunday night." I whispered, feeling his arms loosen around me so he could look down on me. His expression looked puzzled. "She's going to sneak me out when he's distracted at the dinner, and I find an escape and go find my dad. Then we can call the police or something, but I just need to get out of this." I said, looking up into his dark toned eyes.

"Eden... as much as I want you to escape, you can't on your own. I can't in good conscience let you walk around without any means to get home, so if any escape happens, you're not leaving alone, but we can discuss that before Sunday night. And to make sure we are clear, you never act out like that again, you understand?" He said in a serious tone, looking at me.

I nodded quietly, looking up at him. His eyes were serious with concern for me. After Harry nearly drug me out of the dining hall, I didn't think I would see Zayn so soon, or much less his arms around me like this. There was a small moment of silence, just our eyes in focus on the other. The stare wasn't uncomfortable, which is something I don't understand. I felt his hands slowly rub the small of my back, with his touch comforting me in this prison of a house. His eyes stayed on mine still before one of his hands escaped my back, going up to rest on my cheek. The soft glove on my skin felt nice and warm.

"I knew that if he hurt you... I would've lost it." He whispered, rubbing his thumb slowly on my cheekbone. "I couldn't-" He stopped speaking, sighing slowly. "I couldn't stand watching him just... have his way with you all the time. Dragging you all over the house, trapping you under surveillance... it's no way to live." He whispered, looking in my eyes. "I feel like... I need to make sure you're safe, cause I know he won't." He kept holding my cheek before I felt his hand push gently on my lower back, making me step closer to his tall body. "He won't hurt you, okay?" He whispered near my lips, making me nod gently.