Dead Radiance Read Online Free PDF

locks. The warmth of his palm sent traitorous sparks of electricity firing all the way up my spine.
    "Ah yes, my voyeur." His low voice purred against me, then brought me straight out of my electric trance.
    "Look, I was out on the porch when you arrived so don't get big-headed," I snapped, tugging my bag tighter on my shoulder, crumpling the disgusting yellow page.
    "So why didn't you say something?"
    "I wanted to be alone. The last thing I needed was some loud-mouthed jerk disturbing my peace."
    "Mmhh. Sorry if I offended you." He raised both hands in defense, a slight scowl wrinkling his forehead. "But I do need you to show me to my first class. I'm pretty sure I can find someone to point me to the next one."
    My face bloomed red and this time no darkness or shadows veiled my stupid emotions. "Look, I'm sorry. You are my responsibility for now. And the last thing I need is more flak from Vice Principal Warren. I'll show you around but don't get any ideas. We aren't friends or anything. From tomorrow you are on your own."
    I stalked off, and his footsteps thunked on the linoleum behind me. I sighed. He didn't put up a fight, throw a tantrum or sulk. Goody for him.
    We went straight to English where we spent all of two minutes before the bell rang. Mr. Levy handed us our homework and shook his head.
      Okay, so the principal called me to his office. I wasn't cutting school here. Not doing anything wrong! I bristled in silence, my anger like a little gargoyle, dark and forbidding and so very unpredictable. The reasons for my summons to Vice Principal Warren's office didn't matter. I was guilty as charged, straight to jail, no bail.
    The day passed in a gritty blur and the final bell brought an unspeakable relief. Dragging Aidan around all day hadn't been as bad as I'd expected. Most of the time all I did was get him to the class. He was ogled and drooled over plenty by the day's end. Lots of short skirts and close-fitting tees to keep him company.
    I gritted my teeth for the umpteenth time. Busy stuffing books into my locker, I jumped when someone appeared right next to me. Cherise almost managed to creep up beside me unnoticed. Only her cloying lavender perfume gave her away, seconds before I would have elbowed her in the face as I turned.
    "Seems you have only one thing going for you at the moment, freak." She spoke softly but I caught the sneer right before it turned into a brilliant smile as Aidan closed in.
    "Ooh, look who it is," she said as Aidan joined us. "Aidan."
    Wow. It is really possible to breathe a name.
    "I'll see you on Saturday night then. It's a date." She snuggled closer, running her hand over the dark leather covering his arm.
    As those tiny red-tipped fingers ran along Aidan's arm, I clenched my fists. The need to act on those vicious thoughts burned like hot lava. I imagined grabbing her fingers and breaking them off his arm, one at a time.
    I blinked away those awful images, horrified. Through the blur of anger, one unfamiliar emotion raised its head, daring me to deny it. One emotion that fairly knocked me on my butt. I had absolutely no claim to Aidan Lee whatsoever.
    And yet I was rip-roaringly, green-eyed-glaringly jealous.
    ***
    We walked home in silence. Me, deep within the maelstrom of my pathetic emotions. Aidan with his nose in his iPad. Some foster kid he was. An iPad for Pete's sake? Okay, so maybe I was somewhat jealous. But who wouldn't be when you spent years with almost nothing? Not even a mom or dad.
    Two weeks after my thirteenth birthday, my father had died in a car crash, killed when a drunk driver and an icy winter's night met head on. My father had prepared for the unlikely event of his death, but I would have preferred to have him alive and with me again.
    I'd have a bit of my inheritance soon. At the end of the school year, I would receive a small lump sum to allow me to prepare for college. Fees and expenses to be paid directly by the lawyers who executed the estate. Daddy