Rendered (Irrevocable Series Book 1)

by Samantha Jacobey

  “I do now,” he responded calmly. “I had to rent the apartment so you guys would have a place to live and be able to attend school. I still have the place that Brenda an’ I were building before she took ill. I’d invite you to come along, but I figure you’ll wanna keep your job.”

  He didn’t smile as he spoke, giving her a strange twist in her gut.

  “Yes, I want to go to work tonight. And they’re expecting me to be there this weekend as well. They’re going to train me.”

  “Well, then”—he nodded, tapping the table with a stiff finger—“here’s the rules. Come straight home after work. Don’t bring anyone inside the apartment, an’ don’t go anywhere else. That’s it.”

  “What about my phone?” she snapped angrily. If he’s gone, I can’t get my old phone back!

  Running his fingers around the outside of his mouth, Pete allowed the day’s agenda to unfold before him. “Give it to me,” he finally replied, “an’ I’ll go by and have it added to my plan. I’ll leave it for you here on the table, an’ you’ll have it when you get home tonight.”

  Rising, she moved slowly, her mind racing over what she had learned. Retrieving it, she recalled that before her parents’ death, you never saw her without it, the link to all that she was before that fateful night. Returning to the small kitchen, she placed it in his hand. “Do you want the number?” she asked in a small voice.

  “I have the number.” He looked up at her, his face grim. “I really am sorry, Bailey. For everything.” She could see his Adam’s apple move up and down when he swallowed, his neck stretched from looking up at her. “Go on. See if you can make the bus.”

  At the bottom of the stairs, she broke into a run, her backpack and purse heavy and threatening to weigh her down. She felt a flicker of joy at seeing the transport pulling up at the glass shack.

  Spying her coming down the front sidewalk, Ked chuckled and gave her a small wave. “Hey, can you hold up a sec?” he asked, indicating for the driver to wait for her.

  Her face flushed when she climbed the steps. She flopped into the seat next to the boy and huffed. “Hi! Thanks for holding the bus.”

  “Don’t mention it.” He draped his arm around her for a quick hug, then allowed it to rest on her shoulders, testing the waters.

  She smiled in response, aware that she liked the butterflies his touch produced. “What’re your parents like?” she asked out of the blue.

  “My parents?” he stammered, surprised by her seemingly random question. “They’re just parents, I guess. My dad don’t spend much time at home. He works out in the oil field, seventy, eighty hours a week. My mom don’t work. She’s home all the time. I’m the only kid, so you could say they’re a little disappointed.” He lifted his free hand to indicate his appearance. “But whadda I care, right?”

  Bailey grinned. “Exactly. My… stepdad… is taking my little brothers out for the weekend to visit some ranch, so I’ll be home pretty much alone, starting tonight.” Her smile grew lopsided. “I have to work, but I was thinking maybe we could do something tomorrow during the day.”

  Ked grinned, leaning in while pulling her closer so that his face lay right next to hers. She could feel her heart pounding as if it would leap out of her chest when his lips made contact in a soft caress. “Sure, Bailey,” he whispered. “I’d love to see more of you.”

  She laughed anxiously, and he sat back in his seat, removing his arm and wiping his palms on his pant legs. He couldn’t believe he had lucked into meeting her and felt amazed at how easy it would be to get into her bed; he was fairly certain that’s why she had mentioned being unsupervised.

  Stepping off the bus, the pair made their way into the building, pushing towards their first period. Scarcely having time to speak in their shared classes, they met at his friend’s truck for the usual lunch run. Overcome by the sheer elation of his presence, Bailey dropped her bags when she got there and threw her arms around his neck, using her tongue to kiss him.

  Ked wasn’t shy about the public display and made a point to slide his hands down to feel her round rear end before she let him go. Lost in the giddiness he gave her, she felt light-headed when he released her. He’s so wrong, but he feels so right! Sliding into the seat between the boys, the girl laughed merrily, eager to see what would happen next.

  The following morning, which was Saturday, Bailey awoke to the silence of the empty apartment. Opening her eyes to stare at the bumps on the ceiling above her, she thought about her actions of the day before. She had behaved far out of character for her old self, allowing the boy to put his hands on her and even going so far as to kiss him openly.

  “You’re playing a dangerous game,” she warned herself into the grey light of dawn. She liked how it felt, though, finding the new Bailey far more exciting to portray than the old one. Climbing out of the bed, she had a shower and made her way to the kitchen for breakfast. She didn’t go in to work until five, and the couple had arranged to meet at the bus stop at eleven thirty.

  He’s going to show me around, she mused. Take me to lunch and all that. Her plan seemed to be working perfectly, and she felt highly disappointed that her uncle had chosen to leave town for the weekend, as this would have been the perfect opportunity to introduce them. I have to bide my time, I guess, until everything falls into place.

  Taking extra care with her hair and makeup, Bailey finally deemed herself ready and picked up her old phone to kill time while she waited. Pulling up her Dewitt Facebook account, she began to surf through old posts from her friends back home. Willing herself not to cry, she typed a few comments, hinting she might be returning some time but leaving the idea vague for the moment.

  Noting the time had come to leave, she gathered her things and laid her Dewitt phone on her nightstand with a sigh, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her only remnant of home. Taking her wallet from her purse, she put a twenty in her pocket, along with her Mason phone, and locked the front door behind her.

  At the bus stop, she sat on the bench, admiring the trees and shrubs along the front of the complex through the Plexiglas structure. Standing to meet her date when he arrived, she gave him a quick kiss and teased, “So, why is it you don’t have a car to drive me around in?”

  Toying with her fingers, he grinned in response. “Remember when I said my parents were disappointed in me? They won’t buy me one until I get my shit together, as they put it. So, I take the bus.” He laughed loudly. “How about you? Why don’t you have a car?”

  “Pete says we’ll talk about it next year,” she supplied shortly.

  “Pete…your stepdad?”

  “Yes.” She nodded in agreement, sticking to the lie. “So where’re we going?”

  “The mall.” He lifted her hand, kissing her palm. “But since you’re home alone this weekend, I was hoping we could check out your apartment instead.”

  Bailey chewed her lip for a moment, stammering, “I’m almost alone. Not exactly alone.”

  “Uh-huh.” He massaged her firmly before dropping the appendage. “Ok, then we go to the mall. There’s lots to do there,” he lied flatly; he had seen bigger and better malls when he lived in Houston. However, since it’s all there was, he would take what he could get and hope for more down the line.

  Seated on the bus, the couple held hands and made small talk, Ked mostly rambling about himself and sharing stories from his life. She noticed that he tended to exaggerate things and had begun to find a few of his mannerisms annoying. God, I hope I can keep it together long enough for Uncle Peter to at least meet him. This only works if he thinks we’re a couple. Eventually, she kissed him to shut him up.

  Ked seemed quite willing to share in the physical interaction, his hands becoming bolder every time their mouths made contact. “I can’t wait to get you some place alone,” he breathed against her lips. “You’re so hot, Bailey.”

  Pulling away enough to look him in the eye, she smiled. “We’ll get there,” she lied to his face with no intention of sleep
ing with him, or anyone else for that matter. She had pledged to herself long ago that she would be a virgin on her wedding night. But he doesn’t need to know that. It’s all part of the plan.

  The bus dropped them off at the front of the food court, and the couple made their way inside. Deciding on Chinese, they ate and then strolled through the extensive structure for the rest of the afternoon. Holding hands and laughing often, things appeared to be moving quickly for the young lovers. By the time they arrived at home for her to get ready for work, Bailey felt fairly certain she had the boy wrapped around her little finger.

  Eight

  Like Yesterday

  Peter Mason unlocked the door, ushering his nephews inside their apartment. “Remember, guys, don’ tell Bailey about The Ranch. It’s our secret,” he reminded with a smile. He knew full well they were too young to obey such an order, and she would soon hear all about it.

  “We won’t,” Jess offered, bouncing into the living area and turning on the television. “You gonna play with us, Uncle Pete?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t,” his guardian replied. “I gotta get ready to start the new week. Head back to work tomorrow an’ all that.” Leaving the boys to the entertainment system, he made his way down the hall. After five, he assumed that his niece would be at work, but to be safe, he knocked on her door and paused to listen.

  Hearing no response, he twisted the knob and let himself in. Seeing her phone lying on the nightstand, he grimaced before picking it up and opening her Facebook. He had come across it when he had the phone activated and had tried inspecting her page from his own while they were at The Ranch. In the end, her privacy settings were too high, and he couldn’t see anything unless she friended him—an unlikely scenario.

  Glancing around the room, he noticed that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, as he had already discovered his niece was as much of a neat freak as his sister had been. Her bed made and her clothes put away, he noted that she had even acquired an ironing board, which stood along the far wall. I bet that was fun to carry on the bus. He chuckled to himself. Still, a good lesson for her.

  Closing the door behind him, he made his way down the hall to his own quarters, where he could inspect the device in private. Returning to her Dewitt page, he scrolled through, noting her latest post mentioned the possibility of returning to her old school. Interesting. When he first brought her to Texas, he wasn’t sure how things were going to pan out. But while he and her brothers had been on the long drive to The Ranch, he had done a bit of soul searching.

  In the end, he had decided that she needed to be there, where he could look after her. And therefore, the prospect of allowing her to return to her hometown was by all means out of the question. I have to figure out how to keep her here for her own good, he declared to himself. Shutting down the device, he returned it to its place beside her bed, then stood staring at it for a moment. I wonder why she doesn’t have it with her.

  The question bothered him the rest of the evening while he cleaned the kitchen and the bathrooms and did the laundry. Putting the boys to bed at eight, as usual, he wanted to call John’s boy to see how things were going, but he knew that was a bad idea. He’ll call me if anything important happens. Otherwise, he needed to maintain his distance and keep his eye on the prize.

  Taking his seat in the recliner a few minutes before ten, he waited patiently for his niece to arrive. When he finally heard her key in the lock, he pretended to be engrossed in his magazine, haphazardly lifting his gaze when she entered. “Well,” he called to her quietly, “how was your weekend?”

  “Uneventful,” she replied calmly, dropping her purse on the ottoman. “How’re the boys?”

  “They’re fine. Asleep already. They miss you, being away at work every night,” he embellished.

  “They don’t miss me.” She laughed quietly. “We hardly ever saw each other at home. Why would they care now?” She stared at her uncle, wondering what he was up to. “How’s the ranch?”

  “Fine. Everything was the same as when I left it. I think we’ll spend the summer there, so you’ll have t’ let your employer know you’re gonna be away for a few months.” He could see her eyes shift, and he tilted his head. “Don’t tell me you’d rather work at a greasy dive than spend the summer with your family.”

  “I don’t know what I’d rather do.” She rolled her eyes at him. “It’s still two months until school’s out, so I don’t see the point in even worrying about it right now.” She scowled at her uncle, wishing she still had the house to herself. Of course, if everything works with Ked, I won’t have to worry about this summer. “Anyways, I need to get my shower and get in bed.”

  Grabbing her bag, Bailey headed down the hall, not wanting to waste any more of her evening talking about things that only made her unhappy. Taking her night clothes, she slipped into the bathroom to wash her hair and body beneath the warm spray. Towel drying her auburn locks, she slid under her covers with a few damp tendrils clinging to her neck.

  “Let’s see what’s going on tonight.” She opened her Dewitt page and scrolled through the news feed. Nothing, she breathed a deep sigh. Cutting her eyes over at the closed door, she stood and rummaged in her purse for her Mason phone and opened the new page.

  The news feed there was no more interesting but held a private message, which made her heart rate increase with excitement as she read Ked’s note… Hey. Sorry I couldn’t hang out with you today. I really missed you. She smiled at the idea that he thought about her when they were apart.

  Touching the screen to type a response, she messaged back… I missed you, too. I’ll be at the bus stop early tomorrow, so we can have more time alone. Grinning to herself, she darkened the device and returned it to her bag, along with the Dewitt phone. Switching off the light, she curled up beneath the covers and drifted off to sleep.

  The following morning, Bailey stuck to her plan, rising early and rushing to get her hair curled and makeup on. Making her way to the kitchen, breakfast wasn’t quite ready, so she took her seat at the table, pulling out the Dewitt phone and checking her Facebook page. Needing to maintain a few of her old contacts, she sent out some private messages while she waited, inquiring how things were going in her absence.

  Peter noted her activity while preparing the meal, his tone surprisingly gentle. “Keeping up with old friends? Or making new ones?”

  “Both I guess,” she answered noncommittally as he placed her plate before her. “The people here seem all right. I have a friend who rides the bus with me. It’s nice.”

  Her uncle stifled the urge to pry, taking his seat and picking at his food. “At least you’re moving on. That’s what counts,” he said with a smile.

  Not bothering to reply, Bailey finished the eggs and toast, leaving her sausage on the plate. Standing, she gathered her things and headed out the door. Arriving at the bus stop, she found Ked already there and waiting for her in the fading darkness. “Hey,” she called to him, dropping her bags on the bench.

  “Hey yourself,” he responded, seizing her around the waist and pushing her back against the side of the small structure. His lips moving over hers, his hand found its way into her hair, massaging her scalp while he pressed himself against her. A moment later, he lifted his mouth long enough to breathe her name and lean his forehead against her.

  “I know,” she whispered softly. “Trust me. I get it.” She looked him in the eye and smiled. “It’s going to be a long week.”

  “You think your old man’ll go out of town again this next weekend?”

  “I have no idea,” she sighed, hugging him tighter against her, her heart pounding against her ribs. “But if he does, I want to spend it with you.” She could feel her pulse in her neck, the thrill of him driving her insane. Never in her life before Texas would she have dreamed of kissing such a boy, and yet here she was, allowing him to fondle her in a very public place, should anyone be watching.

  But who’s going to be watching? she justified her actions. It’s
still practically dark, and there aren’t many people out and about at this hour to see. Still, she had grown uncomfortable and needed to slow down before they skipped school all together. Pushing on his chest firmly, she managed to put some space between them. “You’re driving me crazy. You know that?”

  He leered down at her, his fingers tracing her jaw. “What, am I your first bad boy?”

  Blinking at him for a moment, she rested the back of her head against the glass. “Yes, you are. And I can’t say I don’t like it, because I do. But it scares me.”

  Closing the distance, he kissed her hurriedly, aware of the bus slowly lumbering towards them. “I’m gonna get you, Bailey. I’m gonna get you hot and naked, I swear to God!”

  She trembled at the boldness of his words, finding them beyond comprehension and her inability to calm her excitement even more so. She wanted to be sweet and innocent like she had been before her parents died. But things were different, and she slowly understood that; like yesterday, those times were gone for good. Please, God, don’t let Pete take the boys to the ranch again, she pleaded silently, terrified yet powerless to stop what might happen if he did.

  Nine

  The Truth Within

  Bailey fumbled through the rest of the week. She had become caught up in the excitement of her romance with Ked and thought of little else. The boy put his hands on her whenever they were close, and she made no effort to turn him away, almost craving it when they were apart. She knew it wasn’t right, allowing herself to be pushed and pulled by the tide of desire.

  By Friday, she had become a nervous wreck, dying to know if her uncle would leave her alone again, torn by what might happen if he did. That morning, at breakfast, she finally found the courage to inquire if they were going back to the ranch. Glaring at her plate, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him when she asked, having realized they would probably use her bed when they did the deed, since his mother would be at his place.