Redefined by Jamie Magee Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jamie Magee
head to question him.
“I never saw Willow’s image, only her soul - and those two could not be more different if they tried.”
“Are you trying to suck up to me or something? Get points in with the best friend?” I teased, not believing I had the courage to do that with a king.
He smiled a smile that was so breathtaking that I felt my breath catch. Madison needed more than a ring if she was going to deal with this boy.
“Does your friend Madison not admire intelligence, a game of cat and mouse, surrounded by mystery?” His dark eyes gleamed with anticipation.
“No doubt,” I said with a smirk.
“Well,” he said, almost humbly, “I wanted to talk to Madison - alone. I knew she would never agree to such a thing,” he grinned boyishly, “so I followed you over here.”
My eyes grew wide when I realized that I had been used in a ploy.
He raised his hands, trying to hide a smile. “I saw how upset you looked at dinner. I wanted you to know I was going to protect you. I just figured Madison would surface, too.”
“Sorry that part failed, but thanks for making me feel better.”
He gently moved his head from side to side. “She’s bound to have felt the emotions I watched you battle. I would imagine that she closed her sketchbook and began scanning the crowd for you, perhaps stepping into the house, finally asking Draven where you went - and right about now she should step around the side of the house.”
Before I could say another word, Madison rounded the corner of the house. Her hasty walk halted when her eyes met Drake’s.
“Touché, Mr. Blakeshire,” I said under my breath, trying not to grin. Madison may be furious at this moment, but in the end she would definitely admire his tact, even if she never admitted it aloud.
Madison turned crimson. “They’re waiting on you to play.”
“Right.” I glanced up at Drake. “Good luck.”
As I walked by Madison, she reached for my arm. “The ring.”
“Not a chance.” I glanced at her to show her how tender he was with me. Compassion filled her eyes as I squeezed her shoulder. “Doesn’t hurt to talk.”
Sure that she had seen what I wanted her to - and not allowing her to argue with me - I continued my walk around the side of the house, finding Grayson and Draven discussing what they would play. Winston was staring at my father’s guitar, which had been placed on a stand next to Draven. Almost defensively, I walked over to it and let my hand rest on the stalk. Just before I went to tell him to leave it alone, a blue shock of energy thrashed out at Winston, giving him more of a warning to stay away than the idle threat I was planning on stating. Winston jumped back, screaming a slew of curse words. His charge backward landed him in Marc and Brady’s arms. Stiffly, they both pushed him to his feet, then inspected his hand, finding no damage.
“Don’t play that,” Winston said, scowling at me like I’d struck him.
“Why were you touching it anyway?” I said, as if I were defending my father himself.
Winston refused to answer. Instead, his eyes smoldered into me.
“She asked you a question,” Marc seethed, gripping the back of Winston’s arm. I knew then that Landen was totally serious when he said they didn’t trust him.
Brady stood in front him, glaring down, instantly Draven was there. He gently urged Brady out of his way, then proceeded to glare down at Winston.
“I’m only going to ask you once.”
“Thought I heard something,” Winston said so subtly that I barely heard him from where I was. “Don’t let her play it.”
Draven nodded for him to go to his guitar. Marc released him, trusting Draven’s judgment, then took a seat on the steps and prepared, like the others, to watch us play.
Draven walked over to me, to the guitar that I was unknowingly protecting with my body. I moved to the side to let him see it, as if it were a wounded child that belonged to us. Without hesitation, he reached for the stalk. I
“I never saw Willow’s image, only her soul - and those two could not be more different if they tried.”
“Are you trying to suck up to me or something? Get points in with the best friend?” I teased, not believing I had the courage to do that with a king.
He smiled a smile that was so breathtaking that I felt my breath catch. Madison needed more than a ring if she was going to deal with this boy.
“Does your friend Madison not admire intelligence, a game of cat and mouse, surrounded by mystery?” His dark eyes gleamed with anticipation.
“No doubt,” I said with a smirk.
“Well,” he said, almost humbly, “I wanted to talk to Madison - alone. I knew she would never agree to such a thing,” he grinned boyishly, “so I followed you over here.”
My eyes grew wide when I realized that I had been used in a ploy.
He raised his hands, trying to hide a smile. “I saw how upset you looked at dinner. I wanted you to know I was going to protect you. I just figured Madison would surface, too.”
“Sorry that part failed, but thanks for making me feel better.”
He gently moved his head from side to side. “She’s bound to have felt the emotions I watched you battle. I would imagine that she closed her sketchbook and began scanning the crowd for you, perhaps stepping into the house, finally asking Draven where you went - and right about now she should step around the side of the house.”
Before I could say another word, Madison rounded the corner of the house. Her hasty walk halted when her eyes met Drake’s.
“Touché, Mr. Blakeshire,” I said under my breath, trying not to grin. Madison may be furious at this moment, but in the end she would definitely admire his tact, even if she never admitted it aloud.
Madison turned crimson. “They’re waiting on you to play.”
“Right.” I glanced up at Drake. “Good luck.”
As I walked by Madison, she reached for my arm. “The ring.”
“Not a chance.” I glanced at her to show her how tender he was with me. Compassion filled her eyes as I squeezed her shoulder. “Doesn’t hurt to talk.”
Sure that she had seen what I wanted her to - and not allowing her to argue with me - I continued my walk around the side of the house, finding Grayson and Draven discussing what they would play. Winston was staring at my father’s guitar, which had been placed on a stand next to Draven. Almost defensively, I walked over to it and let my hand rest on the stalk. Just before I went to tell him to leave it alone, a blue shock of energy thrashed out at Winston, giving him more of a warning to stay away than the idle threat I was planning on stating. Winston jumped back, screaming a slew of curse words. His charge backward landed him in Marc and Brady’s arms. Stiffly, they both pushed him to his feet, then inspected his hand, finding no damage.
“Don’t play that,” Winston said, scowling at me like I’d struck him.
“Why were you touching it anyway?” I said, as if I were defending my father himself.
Winston refused to answer. Instead, his eyes smoldered into me.
“She asked you a question,” Marc seethed, gripping the back of Winston’s arm. I knew then that Landen was totally serious when he said they didn’t trust him.
Brady stood in front him, glaring down, instantly Draven was there. He gently urged Brady out of his way, then proceeded to glare down at Winston.
“I’m only going to ask you once.”
“Thought I heard something,” Winston said so subtly that I barely heard him from where I was. “Don’t let her play it.”
Draven nodded for him to go to his guitar. Marc released him, trusting Draven’s judgment, then took a seat on the steps and prepared, like the others, to watch us play.
Draven walked over to me, to the guitar that I was unknowingly protecting with my body. I moved to the side to let him see it, as if it were a wounded child that belonged to us. Without hesitation, he reached for the stalk. I