Turbulence Read Online Free PDF Page B

necessary, sir.”
    “Are you telling me what to do, Avalon?” his deep voice
rumbled, daring her to question him again.
    Avalon lowered her head. “No.”
    “Lift your head.” When she did, he said, “Always look me in
the eyes. Never lower your head when talking to anyone. You get no respect when
you cower. You hear me?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Good. Get me something to eat.”
    She stood, glad to be given something to do with him around
her. Why did he make her feel so jittery? “What would you like, sir?”
    “Everything.”
    Avalon scampered away and piled Greyson’s plate with every
food item on the table and filled a cup with red punch. She placed the food in
front of him along with utensils and napkins.
    “Anything else, sir?”
    “Yeah. Sit down. You standing over me makes me
uncomfortable.”
    She rushed to sit down. After she did, he dug into his food,
shoveling it into his mouth like he was only seconds away from dying of
starvation, which was far from true when she made both breakfast and lunch for
him.
    He swallowed the macaroni in his mouth and glanced at the
empty table in front of her. “Aren’t you eating?”
    “No, sir. I’m not hungry.”
    His confused expression transformed into a glower. “What did
you eat for lunch?”
    Avalon couldn’t help but cringe under his powerful stare. He
must enjoy intimidating her. “N-nothing.”
    “Why the hell not?”
    “I forgot.”
    He slammed his fork down on the napkin. “That’s the dumbest
thing I have ever heard. Did someone tell you not to eat any of the food in the
house?”
    “No.”
    “Then I can’t understand why you are sitting here without
food. Don’t you have a stomach? Surely it tells you that your body needs
nourishment.” He shook his head and muttered, “No wonder you’re so damn skinny.
You don’t eat.”
    She was thin, but she wasn’t as skinny as he was making her
out to be. She simply didn’t get hungry as often as most people did. “I was
busy with housework today, sir.”
    “You’re not busy now. Eat this.” He shoved his half-eaten
plate across the table.
    Avalon balked. “No thank you. I’m not hungry. And it’s
yours.”
    His brown eyes flashed with irritation. “I said to eat. The.
Food.”
    Her eating habits were none of his concern, but arguing with
Greyson did not seem like a good idea, because without a doubt, she’d lose. So
with nothing else to do, she ate.
    Avalon found she was much hungrier than she thought. The ham
was divine. The macaroni and cheese was exquisite. The rest of the items on her
plate she couldn’t even remember because she was too busy stuffing her face.
    Eating only enough to get by became a habit when she and her
grandmother lived in the homeless shelters. Sacrificing food was worth it to
ensure Veeva always got enough to eat. By the time Avalon got to the colony
where there was enough food for everyone, her appetite was nearly nonexistent.
A couple small meals a day usually filled her.
    Uncomfortable that she just proved Greyson right, Avalon put
the fork down and pushed the plate away.
    Greyson leaned back in the chair, his big hands resting on
his abdomen while a cocky smile tugged at his lips. “I knew you were hungry.”
    “I can get you more food, sir.”
    “Don’t worry about it. I’m full. You actually gave me too
much. I never see you at these dinners. You’ve been here a few months, right?”
    She nodded. How did he know that? He barely knew who she
was.
    “Guess the whole shy, not eating thing wouldn’t really
convince you to come to one of these gatherings.” When she didn’t respond, he
chuckled. “You know how conversations work, don’t you? There has to be words
exchanged back and forth. And not just when I ask you a question.”
    “I’m sorry, sir.”
    “Just this once forget who I am. You don’t have to watch
what you say. You don’t have to call me sir or be afraid of me. Just be
you.”
    It was odd that someone besides her grandmother was