Blindsided : Part 2 of the Intended Series by Abigail Grant (tharntype novel english txt) 📗

when I get strong enough to kick your butt.” I poke him in the belly and quickly slide into the passenger’s seat. I hear his rich laughter through the shut car door and can’t help but sport my own happy smirk.

***

We reach mine and Kassy’s little pool house, and Gavin walks with me through the large overgrown yard. It's remarkable the difference in size between his parent’s beautiful mountain home and this meager place.

All of the decorative lanterns in the yard are turned off, and it is eerily quiet as we hesitantly make our way along the path. I pause as I see movement by my front door. Immediate fear overtakes my body as images of what could be lurking in the dark flash through my mind.

7

Gavin snakes an arm around my waist, and with one swift motion, he pulls me with him behind an oak tree. With my nervous heart racing, I look up at him in question, and I’m shocked to see an amused look on his stubbly face.

"Why on earth are you smiling? What’s at my door, Gavin?" I whisper to him.

He raises one thick eyebrow and gestures with his head for me to see for myself. I crane my neck around him and squint at the front door, trying to see in the pitch black night. I feel Gavin's hot breath on my ear as he whispers back to me. "I guess their day went pretty well," he says, his tone laced with humor.

And, he's right. Standing outside my front door are Kassy and Liam, looking very happy, as they full-on make out. My eyes want to pop out of my head, and I slap a hand over my mouth in complete shock. I spin back around to Gavin, trying to stifle a rising giggle with my small hand.

“Seems they had a bit more fun today than we did," I say between giggles, surprised at my sweet friend’s behavior.

Gavin watches my happy lips with glowing eyes. "It’s impossible to deny it, I know.

Today wasn't the greatest… but it's not technically over yet."

An unrecognizable voice penetrates the darkness to my left. "Uh… Can my day be over?

I'm pretty sick of watching these two attack each other."

I wheeze out a breathy squeal, and try to jump away from the man standing a few feet away from us in the shadow of a tall fence. Gavin holds onto me, so I don't start running like a spooked squirrel.

"Jedrek, are you kidding me? You scared her!" he whisper-shouts at his younger cousin.

Jed steps closer to us so I can see him better. His teeth clench in an apologetic smile, and his eyebrows come together in a peak at the center of his forehead. "I'm sorry, Aella. I just know my dad is going to totally freak if I don't get home soon. I didn't exactly tell him what I was doing today, you know?” He places a hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “He would not be happy, man."

Jed is handsome, same as the rest of the Cole men. His dirty blonde hair hangs over his ears in a shaggy way. His hands are stuffed in his pockets and his unique set of golden eyes shine in the dark. He is wearing almost entirely black, exactly like I've seen Gavin wear on his middle of the night heists. They must have a family uniform.

Gavin closes his eyes with a nod. "I know, Jed. It won't happen again, all right? Go home now, I've got it from here. And thanks again."

8

He returns Gavin’s nod, and turns to me. "Nice to meet you, and uh… sorry for scaring you, again"

"It's really fine. Thanks so much for looking after my friend," I say back to him. He just shrugs and disappears into the night.

I shake my head and turn back to Gavin. "You guys are really good at disappearing like that, huh?"

"We kinda have to be. We wouldn't want people wondering why we're following them around all the time."

I study his gorgeous face for a moment, thinking about what Jed said. "So, why wouldn't your uncle Hagan be happy about Jed looking out for Kassy?"

Gavin lifts his shoulders, and his smile flips into a frown. "He’s just... very traditional."

I wait for him to elaborate, but of course he’s always with the mystery. "Okay, and that means?"

He runs a large hand over his face, as if wiping away all of his worries with that simple motion. "Hagan has a problem with Seers who get distracted during an assignment. I mean, he already thinks I'm failing at my first job and I’m not focused enough on protecting my charge.”

He rolls his eyes. “If Hagan knew I had Jed look after Kassy today, he'd be in trouble for enabling me or something. At least, that’s how he’d see it. He's just very overbearing."

"Well, what's distracting you? If it's going to interfere with Kassy's protection, maybe I can help in some way."

He raises a single eyebrow and looks to be in pain as he watches me. "Aella, the distraction is you, you have to know that. Ever since I met you at that party, I’ve wanted nothing more than to know everything there is to know about you."

I step back at his words, feeling like I just got hit. "Gavin, I cannot be the thing that keeps you from your responsibilities. Distracting you from studying or work is one thing, but your responsibilities are to keep an actual demon from stealing my best friend's soul." I scoff and roll my eyes at how ridiculous that sounds.

He takes a determined step toward me. "You need protection too, though. You said yourself that Thrane is after both of you. I can look out for you and Kassy." He reaches for my hand, but I cross my arms across my chest.

He looks hurt as his face falls, and it feels like a small piece of my heart cracks. "She is your