Read Online OVERPROTECTED by Jennifer Laurens - Free Book Online Page B

unable to look him in the eye. “I know.”

    “Don’t do it again.” He moved into my line of vision.

    “Understood?”

    He sounded like Daddy. I worked to control my frustration.

    “Yeah, I understand.” My voice tripped. “So, we’re good then?”

    He stepped back with a nod. “Yeah.”

    I passed him without looking back, merging into the girls standing and watching us. Catty, curious whispers followed me to class. Stares stole after me, faced me when I went to my locker, visited the bathroom and trailed me when the bell rang signaling that school was over.

    Felicity caught up with me at my locker. “Everyone wants to know who the hottie is,” she whispered, her green eyes following the girls walking by staring. “He’s gorgeous, Ash. Daddy done good this time!”

    “Fel!”

    “I know you hate him, but if you have to hate him, you might as well like hating him, right?” She lifted a shoulder.

    I slammed my locker shut. “So what if he’s good looking? He’s a hound. A Rottweiler.” My cheeks fired with the lie, and I quickly turned and started down the hall hoping to hide the truth from Felicity. But she knew me better than anyone else—better than my parents, who only knew their Park Avenue princess. A façade.

    “Oh, I see.” Felicity’s tone held jest.

    “Ash.” Danicka Fiore, a tall, leggy, teen model draped in designer accessories, stopped me in the hall. “Who’s the hottie you were with at lunch?” Her brow arched. “Boyfriend?”

    “Uh, no. A family friend.”

    “Oh, cool. Is he single? Maybe you could introduce me.” Her side-kick model minions nodded in agreement.

    “Maybe,” I muttered, shouldering through the stickly pack of girls. Felicity remained at my side. Once we were clear of Danicka and her pals, I turned to Felicity. “How annoying. She’s never talked to me before. What would she have done if I’d said, ‘Yes, he’s my boyfriend’?”

    “Probably asked to make it a threesome.” Felicity snorted. “I’ve heard some outrageous stories about that girl.”

    I walked out the front doors of Chatham shoulder-to-shoulder with hordes of other girls anxious to get out. I stopped on the stoop, searching for our black town car, lined up with a dozen other idling cars there to retrieve students.

    Eddy stood at the hood chatting with another driver.

    Where was Colin? My stomach filled with hummingbirds. Would he tell Daddy about lunch? If Daddy found out, he’d ground me from Felicity. Take my phone away. Maybe I could convince Colin not to say anything.

    His black-clothed form came through the throngs of uniformed-girls on the sidewalk like a celebrity tearing through a mass of female fans, some of whom slowed and watched him as he passed. A cat call pierced the air, followed by a,“Hey there,” and a whistle.

    Colin’s quick stride continued without hesitation. Across the maze of busy bodies his gaze met mine.

    “Ready?” he asked once he was beside me.

    Girls slowed around us, eyeing him. Everyone knew Stuart.

    They probably wondered what had happened to him and who the new guy was. I contemplated lying and telling everyone he was my boyfriend, but I’d already blown that possibility by being stupid in front of Danicka. She’d spread the word about Colin faster than a blaze in a dry forest.

    “Yes.” I started down the remaining stairs to the sidewalk. Colin stayed at my side, both of us dodging oncoming pedestrians as we threaded through Chatham students on our way to the car.

    Thankfully, he didn’t ask me how my day was—like I was in kindergarten. I tried to keep a good two feet ahead of him, my stride fast, but his extra height and long legs soon had him walking by my side. In my peripheral vision I caught him glancing at me.

    Eddy ended his conversation with the other driver and came to the back of the car, ready to open my door.

    “Miss Adair.” He swung open the door and the scent of leather and coffee wafted into my