Branded (The Branded Series) Read Online Free

demanded, standing up. The hairs on the back of my neck were
stiff and sending chills down my spine. My teeth were pressed together and a
faint growl escaped from the pit of my stomach.
    “Relax, it’s
just Eric being Eric.” Noah stood up and we headed toward the girls. “Besides,
I thought you weren’t interested.”
    “I’m not!” I
snarled. “But does that mean I shouldn’t care when she’s about to be victimized?”
    “He’s
harmless,” Noah laughed.
    “He’s a dog,”
I mumbled, and then we were within earshot.
    “Hey guys,”
Lexie said as we approached. “Doesn’t she look fab?” She flipped her hand
toward Anna.
    “She sure
does,” Eric cooed, giving Anna a wink.
    Anna shifted
her weight and smiled painfully. She hated being the centre of attention.
    “So, Anna,”
Eric said, “big party this weekend at Wentworth Lodge. Can you make it?”
    “Oh!” Anna
hesitated, having been caught off guard. She looked to me for help, but I
couldn’t think of what I should say so I just shrugged.
    “You have to
come, Anna,” Lexie begged. “It’ll be so much fun!”
    “Isn’t the ski
season over?” Anna asked, turning her attention back to Eric. A stall tactic.
    “This is the
last weekend. Big party weekend.”
    “I see,” Anna
said. “Are . . . are you guys going?” she asked, looking to Noah and me.
    “Probably,”
Noah said nodding his head slightly.
    I shrugged,
because honestly it depended on whether or not she was going. I didn’t have any
real desire to go, but if she was going, I definitely had to go and keep an eye
on things. Why, suddenly, do I feel so protective of her?
    Anna’s eyes
locked with mine and we exchanged the silent words: “If you go, I’ll go.”
    “I’ll have to
ask,” Anna answered.
    “That’s a
yes,” Lexie said, excitedly. “Your parents are in Africa. I’m sure they won’t
care about an innocent weekend at Wentworth with your friends.”
    “It’s her
nanny that might mind,” I pointed out, still trying to create an “out” for her.
    Eric put his
arm around Anna. “You can ride with me if you want.”
    My skin
crawled and my stomach tightened. I wondered if my face was showing the same
agony. “Come on, Anna,” I said quickly as I took her arm and led her toward the
school.
    “What are you
doing?” she whispered.
    “Uh,” I
hesitated, “you’ll be late for class.”
    “It’s her
first day back, Jake,” Eric called after us. “No one’s gonna care.”
    What had come
over me? Another second with Eric’s arm around Anna and I would’ve lost my mind. Why?
    As we walked
into the school Anna stopped in her tracks, turned on her heels and faced the
door. “Did you see that?”
    I looked
around the hallway, then toward the principal’s office on our right. “Lots of
people?” I guessed. “What did you see?”
    Anna’s hands
gripped my forearms and her eyes were squeezed shut. “It’s that girl from the airport.
The pink luggage girl!”
    I scanned the
hallway again and noticed the slender diva prancing out of the principal’s
office. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked around to see who
noticed.
    “I think
you’re right,” I laughed. “But I’m sure she doesn’t recognize you.”
    Anna slowly
turned around and locked eyes with the new girl. The girl smiled and came toward
us.
    “Hi, I’m
Rachel. I’m new here.” Her personality was as electric as her smile.
    “I’m Jake,” I
answered when Anna stalled. “This is Anna.”
    Rachel’s eyes
scanned me up and down, making me feel slightly violated, and then she turned
her attention to Anna. “You look really familiar.” She studied Anna’s face for
a few seconds and then smiled. “Right,” she slowly added. “The girl who
wouldn’t be caught dead with my luggage.” She showed her perfect teeth and then
winked. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t be caught dead with yours either.”
    Anna bit her
lip as her right eye twitched slightly, an early sign of a