Chapter 29- Attractive

°∆°

I take a deep breath in while Zayden traces circles on my back in attempt to calm me down. If anything, it's making me more excited and nervous at the same time. My heart is hammering against my chest as if it wants to be free. My stomach fills up with butterflies with each stroke. My face is heating up and every breath he makes. My body shivers at every slight movement.

Why is this happening to me?

I haven't felt this way since Liam!

He's driving me crazy! He needs to stop!

Zayden sighs when the gazebo comes into sight and retrieves his hand away from my back. Now, I'm craving for the warmth of his fingertips to return. I want to feel those circles again. I need his touch to come back.

No Maddy, stop this! You're becoming attached!

But I can't help it. I am unable to control my own feelings. He's just so comforting and pleasant to be around. I want him to be around me more often.

You know what happened last time!

I know. And I'm going to try very hard to avoid it.

I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding. "Your parents and the old man are watching you intensely." Zayden murmurs by my ear and I restrain the shiver going down my spin.

"I-I" I swallow to regain my sense of speech. "I can see that." I glance across at them, over the hedge by the benches. My eyes lock with my father's glare and I simply stick my tongue out at him because I'm apparently 4 years old.

Zayden chuckles pressing a gentle hand on my back, guiding me forward. My breath hitches at his touch again and small blush finds its way onto my face. Seated calmly is tanned male person in one of the chairs around the table in the gazebo, with a book open in his hands as the cold wind blows through his dirty blonde hair.

He reminds me of Liam, just with dark hair and crushingly beautiful deep blue eyes. Not better than Zayden's though. Never will be. Not better than Liam's either.

When we stepped into it, my butler removes his hand my back and stands with his hands behind his back at the entrance. "Um... Hello?" I greet him, not knowing what to say. I've never been in this position before.

His attention snaps from the book to me in an instant and his lips slightly part at the sight of me. I'm guessing that was a good thing. "Good day, m'lady" he approaches, just to press a kiss on the back of my knuckles. "I'm Gerald II. You must be Madison?" A grin spreads across his face and I nod. "Very nice to meet you. I have to say, you are indeed a very beautiful individual."

I hear Zayden softly snort behind me and I internally roll my eyes. "Thank you. You're not so bad yourself."

He barks out in laughter and I blink in confusion with a flinch. I don't get what was so funny... "Lovely. Take a seat." I mean it is kinda my residence. But I shrug anyway when he pulls out the chair for me to sit in then push it back in when I sat down. "Your beautiful ginger hair is so soft and curly. Your amazing green make it hard not to stare at them."

I bit back a blush.

"Tell me about yourself." But before I could open my mouth to answer, he speaks again. "I heard you like to dance." I nod slowly. "Excellent! We'd make exceptionally well dance partners until we grow old! We have to join competitions together!"

"I don't think I can do competitions. I-"

"Why?!" He gasps dramatically. "You don't have confidence? Why you must have confidence to dance!" I open my mouth to speak again, but come out unsuccessful. "You cannot waste your talent because of some mere lack of confidence!" He narrows his eye at me when he sits. "When we get married, we have to join competitions, and events! The world must know who I- we are!"

"But I-"

"We'll gain all the attention. All eyes would be on us as we beautifully glide across the floor!" I shiver and wrap my hands around myself in protection as I imagined it. "They would all be looking at your red hair and rare green eyes! Don't you want eyes and all the attention to be on you?!"

"No, not rea-"

"No?! Do you hear yourself? Do you understand what you're saying?! You could gain a reputation! You cou-"

He instantly shoots Zayden a death glare for interrupting him when my butler clear his throat. Zayden returns the glare. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but my lady has something to say but you keep cutting her off. Please be more polite and considerate to her, she's a bit shy." I actually roll my eyes this time but mentally thank him for what he said.

"Oh goodness! How dare I! I apologise! What is it that you would like to say?" He says staring into my soul.

"Um.. I have a fear of crowds. Therefore I cannot perform publicly."

Silence flies over.

But Gerald II breaks it with laughter. "You can't perform because of a simple fear!? That's very pathetic! Very sad excuse if you tell me!" He continues his laughter as I look down and blush in embarrassment while drawing circles on the table. "All we have to do is put you in the competition room and the fear will instantly wash away!"

"I don't think that's how it works..."

"Of course it is!" He exclaims. "How do you expect to make your family proud of your dancing, if you're keeping them down with a simple fear! How do you expect to even make anyone proud?! Get over yourself!"

I kept quiet. It was true. That was haunting my mind from since I was young. But I kept pushing it away. I didn't want to believe it. I still don't. Everyone else is pursuing their dreams, making mom and dad proud. Waiting for me to escape from me shell. But I'm holding them back. I'm holding everyone back! Just because of a stupid fear. I'm pathetic.

My eyes begin to burn and shift my gaze down at the clothed table, of which I played with the hem. Slouching over, I release a sad unnoticeable chuckle. "I'm sorry. I'll try harder. But... I think it's time I go." I shoot up from my seat, with my head still down, without listening to his comments. I whirl around meeting Zayden's bright blue concerned eyes. His caresses his amazingly beautiful dark brown hair and I watch as every finger disappears in the mess.

Call me creepy, I didn't care.

I swallow before I said,"W-we have to go."

He nods with a smug grin on his face, probably noticing me staring at him.

"But we haven't finished our chat!" My suitor hisses from behind me like the snake that he is. "You know what, leave. You aren't worth it anyway. I don't even know why you're a part of such a talented family. You're a waste of energy and-"

Something snaps in Zayden's blue eyes as they turn a darker blue in complete rage as I shift my eyes to the ground. "You, young sir, do not know what my lady has been through. Therefore, you have no right to insult her like that. You will not utter a single word to ruin the confidence that she already doesn't have or I'll cut your limbs off and feed them to the dogs. So I advise you to keep you mouth shut before I have to dismember someone's child." He demands in a serious and deep tone that I have never heard him use before. When I look back at him, his dangerous dark glare sends a frightful shiver down my spine and his tone made me jump but then he gently squeezes my hand and it all goes away. "Do I make myself clear?"

I'm sure that I could hear George II swallow from where I was. "Whatever." He says briefly but could hear the shiver in his voice.

Zayden tsks then changes his attention to me and his expression softens. He smiles softly at me not letting of my hand, making me feel all giddy and mushy on the inside. "Let's go, Lucky." He mouths and I nod slowly in agreement.

Walking away from the gazebo, I glance behind me at the suitor. He glares daggers into my butler's back, no doubt he's going to report this to my father. Turning back to Zayden as he drags me along, I stare at his features. He has a short stubble growing along his jaw and chin. I can also sense that's he's seriously pissed off by his clenched jaw.

I pick up my pace just to nudge him in the ribs. "What?" He snaps making me flinch. He sighs in frustration then runs a hand through his beautiful chestnut brown curly hair, but when you look closer, you could see little strands of dark blond. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"You're scary when you're angry." I nervously chuckle trying to loosen the tension. He remains quiet as we continue to walk. "Did you know you have little blond strands in your hair?" I blurt out then immediately cover my mouth with my hand.

He shakes his head and chuckles. "I didn't. Thanks for letting me know that. You pay way too much attention to my hair than you normally should." He gives me a side glance.

"It's not a bad thing." I shrug noticing that we stopped. "And sometimes when it's dark, your eyes turn grey."

"Is that so?" He raises a brow at me, quite amused.

I nod in confirmation. "Yea. They are pretty darn bright and light. But it's not a bad thing at all. It's quite cool. I have to admit that I find it quite adorable and attractive. I've never really met someone who's eyes do that. I..." I trail off from my little rant realising that Zayden was smiling weirdly at me. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you just heard something amazing."

"If I heard correctly you called me attractive."

I open my mouth to deny it, but quickly shut it back remembering what I said. Oh snap. Think of something fast! Find a comeback but don't lie! "I called your eyes attractive." I retort, feeling satisfied at my reply.

He shrugs still smiling starting to walk again. Everything was going okay. The corners of my lips tug into a smile as I feel my hand tingle in sensation as it held his.

I like him.

I think I actually like my butler...

I squeeze his hand tighter not wanting to let go and he doesn't protest. If anything, I think his smile became slightly wider. I feel safe and happy for once and not shadowed over and locked in a cage. I feel free.

That was until I glance across over the hedge to find my father's eyes burn in rage as he stares at Zayden and I. With that, I feel terrified again. His glare is scarier than Zayden's. And he looks like if he wants to murder someone.

Crap.

°∆°

Helloooo!

My wonderful humans and aliens! I've returned! I'm slowly getting somewhere! Cheers!

I have fed you another chapter! You are welcomed!

I'm going back to the beginning of the book and editing all the chaptera and rid them from their terrible grammar.

Idk, favourite food?

Don't forget to vote, comment and share!♥

~Author