Guardian Read Online Free Page A

words, “Drop dead, princess!”
    Grace was hurt, not angry.  Obviously displeased with both of them on this little display, I wanted to shake some sense in her and shove a fist in Kinsler’s gut.  Grace looked above the classroom door not even noticing my irritation.  She laughed that wonderful tinkling laugh of hers all in the act she was playing for the dipwad. Kinsler continued to glare since he knew she was thinking of ways to ward off his evil and mend his wicked ways.   She had the first part right.
    She didn’t look back up to anyone after that, but somehow she knew he watched her.  Her thoughts said as much.  Pike helped with my inner curses at Kinsler to back off of her getting much more graphic with his revenge tactics.  Pike popped his knuckles reminding Kinsler of what he’d done to him after I’d finished with him last night for getting too close to Grace.  He still sported the bruises on his face more than Pike or me.
    Grace was alternating back and forth in her mind about Pike and Kinsler deciding who knows what.   I didn’t like her even thinking about them. Finally, the incessant human high school test was over and Grace stood to leave.  She ignored me thinking I surely didn’t notice her, but her mind was racing with making herself to force the avoidance.   She knew I’d stepped up the attention lately and it piqued her brain to not know what I was up to.  She left ahead intending to stand outside the room and wait for me with the same intention she always did...to secretly look me over as if I never knew she was doing it.  In junior high once, she commented on my wardrobe choice and hinted that I should pick colors other than gray or black.  The next day, I wore a green shirt from my court successfully making her eyes the essence of pure intrigue.  Needless to say, it achieved the acquired reaction that she herself requested.  From that day, I wore green more often than not waiting each time with abated anticipation for her “silent” reaction, for her mind was never, ever quiet on the subject.  Punishing myself with hearing her describe me the way she did was deadly reminder that I had somehow changed my venue along the way. I wanted her to be mine.  Only mine.   And I would do anything I had to do to make it so.
    She would hate the day she knew I could read her like this.  She thought of my jeans now front and back.  Pictured them even from her own perspective.  Thought about things she shouldn’t be.  Hell, that killed me.               
    Kinsler suddenly had the interrupting inclination to mind his way to her and convince her to follow him to the woods.  I nodded to Pike quick as a thunder bolt and we had Kinsler by both arms, glamming ourselves out the side emergency exit, and on the back basketball court before Grace had time to look back and see any of us missing. 
    She would be off to English.  And safe!
    After taking care of another one of Kinsler’s daily kidnapping attempts, I headed to the classroom she sat in wanting just to see her.  Just see her, know she was safe. 
    As I watched her through the door invisibly hearing my own heart drum a little harder at finding her beautiful face looking bored-like at the classroom wall.  Selfishly, I wanted time alone with her to hear her voice, see her smile at me.  I forced her to see me. 
    Her face brightened, but no smile.  She mouthed a “no” and said way too loudly, “What?”
    She looked around to be sure no one heard her and I froze waiting for the teacher to comment.  Bloody hell.  I backed away to be sure no one, especially that teacher saw me.  Sometimes when Grace thought about what she wanted, she could make it happen.  Keeping her safe from that was like a full time job.  And in that classroom, it was the most important job of all.  Coach Stanton, the teacher , was not who he seemed to be all the time.  Grace’s best interest were not what he took to heart.
    Outside the