The ride felt thrilling, her excitement only partially caused by the rush of air against them. Digging her fingers into his chest, she smiled at the thought of him, and how much he had come to mean to her in the few months she had known him. Resting her head against his back, she sighed her joy that she had chosen to take the ride with him.
She still wore a small elated grin when they reached the cattle guard at the end of their private road and pulled out onto the main highway to turn around. Stopping on the far side, Caleb killed the engine and swung off the bike, facing her.
She thought he might have wanted to talk, but instead he slid his arms around her, placing his palm against the back of her head and holding her against him. Exhaling a loud breath, he dared to let his feelings show, if only for the moment.
“I can’t do this,” he whispered into her auburn locks, nuzzling her ear. Her uncle had filled him in on the parts of their plan she wouldn’t find out about until it was too late, and he had been wrestling with the issue ever since. He knew he needed to take her someplace safe, and what’s worse… he knew what it was going to cost him if he did.
Unsure what he couldn’t do, Bailey looped her arms around him while still straddling his bike. Finding herself caught up in the rush of being close to him, she sighed, curious if he wanted to kiss her as well. The thrill of the idea gave her quivers of excitement, and she stroked the nape of his neck tenderly in anticipation.
To her surprise, he extracted himself from her grasp and slid back onto the seat in front of her. Restarting the engine, he allowed her to cling to him once more. Only, he didn’t steer them back towards the compound.
Instead, he headed down the highway, rolling north. Deciding he wasn’t ready to end the ride, she continued to hold on to him, growing weary as the hour grew late. A short time later, they pulled up at the small convenience store, surrounded by open pasture; the same one they had stopped at on the way down from Midland a few months before.
Although the interior appeared dark, the pumps beneath the awning were open twenty-four hours. Coming to a stop, Caleb killed the engine and opened the tank.
“I guess we’ll head back now,” she gave him a weak smile, standing herself to stretch her legs. The thrill of the moment had passed, and she only wanted to get some sleep.
Without looking at her, he inserted the nozzle, “I can’t take you back.”
Bailey could feel the air slowly escape from her chest, “What do you mean, you can’t take me back? Why the hell not?” She sidled up next to him, reaching for his arm.
Twisting his appendage, he caught her hand and pulled her up so that his face lay right above hers, and he could glare into her perfect green orbs, “They weren’t takin’ you to Midland, little bit,” he breathed. “If you had gotten on that plane…” his voice trailed away.
She could see his eyes squeezed into slits, the crystal blue boring into her, “You said that everything was ok,” her voice grew small.
“Yeah, I know,” he nodded generously, turning back to the hose and closing the tank. “I thought that it was. But The Ranch’s full o’ people, an’ in the end, it’s a lot of responsibility, keepin’ everyone safe.”
“So I was too much of a threat?” she asked angrily.
“Something like that. If you got on the plane; if you chose t’ leave… the guys were to take you away so the boys thought you had gone to school. Then, when you didn’t come back next year, it would be because you had chosen not to.” He cut his eyes over at her, waiting for her response.
Bailey glared at him, anger boiling, “And we left them there?!?” her voice grew shrill.
“Your brothers are fine. They were always wanted; needed. You’re the one no one really cared about,” his face dropped to plant his chin against his chest, ashamed of the part he had played in the group’s sinister plot.
“So what do we do? Go back and get them?” she demanded bitterly.
“No,” his gaze shot up to meet hers, “No, we go on to Midland. We can stay at the apartment. I’ll get a job an’ you can go t’ school.”
“Won’t they just come after us, if they want to get rid of me that bad?”
“I don’t think so,” he heaved a deep breath, “I think we’ll be fine. Anyways, I’ll contact my dad in a day or two, an’ make peace.” Reaching up, he caught a few auburn curls, tugging on them lightly. “I’m sorry. I really wanted everything to work out.”
Glaring at him beneath the fluorescent glow of the canopy, her heart pounded wildly inside her chest. “This is insane,” her mind screamed at her in warning. “I can’t believe they would really hurt me,” she whispered.
Caleb only grimaced, ready to put her back on the bike and be on their way. Believe it, little bit, he mentally challenged, and you wouldn’t be the first.
Maps & Flowcharts
RETAINED
Book 2 in the Irrevocable Series
Samantha Jacobey
Lavish Publishing, LLC ~ Houston
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
RETAINED. Copyright 2015 ©
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Lavish Publishing, LLC.
First Edition
Book 2 of Irrevocable Series
All Rights Reserved
Published in the United States by Lavish Publishing, LLC, Houston
Cover Design by: Nicolene Lorette Design
Cover Images: SHUTTERSTOCK
Paperback ISBN
ISBN 10: 0692420797
ISBN 13: 978-0692420799
www.LavishPublishing.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue
Second Time Around
Fruits of Our Labor
Friend or Foe?
Random
Bad News, Baby
Getting By
Eye on the Prize
When it Rains
Mother Nature
Thanks Be Given
Naughty or Nice
If They’re Right
A Christmas Story
Little Voices
Ice Age
Mob Mentality
Close to Home
Rock the Boat
Love Thy Neighbor
Way Down South
Eye of the Beholder
Cold Outside
Home Free
Cry in the Dark
Vengeance is Mine
Won’t Ever Be His
Welcome to Lawson
Maps & Flowcharts
Prologue
Peter Mason ambled down the hall, waking the boys and preparing for their day. Glancing up the stairs, towards the third floor, his chest ached. But, in the end, he knew he couldn’t let it show. Making his way to the bathroom, he slogged through his routine and worked his way to the kitchen, where a pot of coffee awaited.
Taking his place at the table, the boys joined him, smiling and digging into the morning meal before them. Watching the pair, he ate a few bites of the delicious scrambled eggs, not enjoying them nearly enough. Folding his hands under his chin, he put his elbows on the table, still stuck in his funk while he stared at the empty place at their side.
Pete had been trapped between the needs of his community and those of his niece for a while. In the end, his attempt had been small, almost feeble, and probably not enough to save her. Of course, what he had do
ne was enough to disrupt all their lives if anyone were to find out. Just breathe, he reminded himself; you’ll know how it worked out before the day is over.
“Hey, guys,” he leapt to his feet, his heart skipping a beat when Luis and Devon came through the door. Not hesitating for a moment, the two disappeared through the other passage, and he followed them onto the front porch. “I thought you were taking care of Bailey this morning,” his voice dropped in agitation.
“We gotta problem,” the shorter man gasped with hands on his hips.
“What kinda problem,” Pete shifted, already uneasy at their plans; having issues only made it worse.
“Da girl’s gone,” Devon supplied, leaning his tall frame against the railing, “All ‘er stuff’s still in ‘er room, too.”
“Yeah,” Luis corroborated his story. “We scoured the entire compound, comin’ up empty.”
Peter stared at the pair, his jaw slightly hanging, and gasped, “You’re kidding me. An’ no one’s seen her?”
“No one we talked to, no,” Devon turned, hunching over the top rail and scanning the horizon through narrowed slits.
“Did you talk to Bill? Surely, he doesn’t think that I had anything to do with this!”
Luis shook his head slowly, “It wasn’t you.” Staring, he waited for the older man to make the connection.
“Caleb,” Pete shook his honey and silver waves, “Son of a bitch!” He feigned surprise, careful to keep the grin from breaking through to the surface.
“So whadda we do?” Luis wrung his hands eagerly.
“We need a meeting, right away. Gather all the menfolk an’ let’s see if we can find out how long ago they left an’ what we’re gonna do about it.” Slamming the screen door behind him, Peter knew he would be walking a thin line as the day unfolded.
He had put the bug in Caleb’s ear the previous morning, filling him in on the community’s decision about the girl’s future. Not sure if the young man would actually act on her behalf, he had tried not to worry about it, either way. Now that he had, Peter Mason wasn’t sure if he were glad or annoyed that his best friend’s son had run off with his niece, and he certainly hoped no one discovered his part in it.
Second Time Around
Pulling up outside the apartment just before four, the sky appeared pitch black. Killing the engine, Caleb fumbled around in the darkness to locate his key, indicating for his companion to follow. “Thank God I came t’ stay with you guys before we left town,” he mumbled to the groggy girl stumbling up the stairs beside him. “Otherwise, we’d be locked out.”
“Yes,” she agreed, leaning on the railing, “Mine’s in my bag, back in Lawson.”
“You mean at The Ranch,” he corrected.
“Wherever the hell it is,” she pushed her way past him, “Man, I am dragging ass tired.”
“I know,” he turned to lock the door behind him, while she disappeared down the hall. “Crash on the couch or should I take Pete’s bed?”
“Pete’s bed has no sheets,” she called, flicking her own bedroom light back off. “None of them do, remember? We took them all with us.” Making it back to the sectional carrying a pillow, she took the short segment, with her head pointing at the door. Flopping down on it, she exhaled noisily, “This works. Goodnight.”
Caleb grinned at her, lifting her foot and removing a shoe. Her eyes still closed, he wasn’t sure she even noticed. Dropping it on the floor, he pulled the second off, then took care of his own. Lying so that their feet met in the curve of the couch, his head settled on Pete’s arm rest. Man, are we in trouble.
His body ached from the overnight ride, but his mind had been racing since they had refuelled and he had passed the point of no return. I couldn’t let them do it, he told himself for the umpteenth time. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, willing himself to sleep.
Awakening to the sound of his cellphone, Caleb sat straight up in the dimly lit room, only half aware he still lay in the same spot. Flicking the blinking screen open, he heard the voice of his father demanding loudly, “Where th’ fuck are you?”
“Hi dad,” he replied, coughing slightly.
“Don’ hi dad me, you little bastard! Are you outta yur God damned mind?” the man ranted.
“No, I’m not. Please, jus’ hear me out,” the younger Cross rubbed at his eyes, allowing the phone to drift away from his head to check the time. The other end remained silent, which he took as consent to speak, “We’re in Midland. You can tell th’ rest o’ them not t’ worry; I got this covered. I’m gonna get my job back, an’ Bailey’s gonna finish school. An’ then we’ll be home. That’s what you promised her, an’ I’m holdin’ you to it.”
“You’ll be home today! What th’ hell were you thinkin’, carryin’ her off like that?”
“Dad, I only got one thing to say to you, an’ then I’m gonna hang up. An’ I know you’re gonna understand, ‘cause we don’ want any trouble. We jus’ wanna be left alone, an’ let her finish school. You understand?” Caleb waited again, ready to make his bluff. “Clayton Hill,” he finished calmly.
The line dead silent, the young man watched her prone body taking shape in the hazy morning light. A full minute later he could hear the sound of ragged breathing. “Dad?” he spoke more quietly.
“Are you threatenin’ me?” the older Cross finally managed.
“No, dad. I’d never do that. What I’m sayin’ is, you should let us be. Let me take care o’ her, an’ let her finish what she needs to here. Then I’ll bring her home; I swear.” He waited for a moment, but no other sound came over the connection. “Please dad, let us do this. Let me do this. You know I’m right about her.”
“No son, I don’t,” the other man spoke more calmly. “You an’ I both know this’s a community decision, an’ they ain’ gonna like it.”
“Then don’t tell the community where we are. Otherwise, then I might be forced to reveal certain things to certain people,” he lay back down as he spoke, “An’ no, that ain’ a threat. I jus’ wanna be clear where we all stand, in case there’s trouble.”
“Oh, there’s already trouble,” John Cross growled, “I’ll see if I cain’t buy you some time son, but there ain’t no guarantees.”
Caleb chuckled into the device, “Nope. Never are. I’ll call an’ check in later. Let you know how things are goin’.”
“You better’d,” the older man challenged.
Running his fingers through his blond spikes, the young man’s hand relaxed against his chest, still holding the device. Tapping the back cover with a nervous finger, he pondered their situation until he fell back to sleep.
Several hours later, Bailey rolled over, blinking into the light to discover Caleb stretched over the other end of the couch, breathing loudly. Spying the cellphone in his hand, she stood, quietly sliding it out of his grasp. Flicking the screen to open it, her heart began to pound, the name John Cross appearing at the top of the call log.
“Hey,” Caleb’s voice startled her, as he reached for the phone.
“Your dad called you?” she panted, staring into his clear blue eyes.
“Yeah,” he huffed, pulling himself up, “An’ it’s ok. He’s gonna calm everybody down. We get t’ stay here an’ take care o’ business, an’ then we go from there.”
“Uh-huh,” the girl peered down at him with wide green eyes, “Why do I find that hard to believe?”
He rolled his tongue for a moment, unsure of her demeanor, “Are you mad?”
“Mad? No, I have people wanting to kill me every day. Why should I be mad?” her voice rose steadily as she spoke. “Oh, because this is the second time you have lied to me… yeah, that’s why!”
“Lied to you?” he got to his feet, “I don’t think I have ever lied to you, Bailey.” He paused, considering his actions more closely, “Maybe I never tol’ you everything, but I never lied,” his tone became equally loud.
“For your information, leaving important shit out… is lying. But you grew up in th
e sticks, so there’s no accounting for your screwed up values,” she hissed.
Towering over her, he took a step towards her, “An’ here I thought you’d be grateful for me savin’ your life.”
“My life wouldn’t have needed saving if you had been honest with me in the first place!” Turning on her heel, she stomped out of the room, slamming her door behind her. Son of a bitch! Moving over to the corner she had made her desperate call from a few short months ago, Bailey slid down the wall, facing the room.
I have no money, she pondered. And, I have no phone; both of them are in BFE, along with all my other must have belongings. Pushing her face into her hands, she willed herself not to cry. I told you to stay away from him; why didn’t you listen?
A few minutes later, Caleb came in to perch on the foot of her bare mattress, facing her. “Well, it looks like you an’ I need t’ talk.”
“There’s nothing to say,” she pouted into her palms.
“Ok, then I’ll talk, an’ you listen,” he folded his arms across his broad chest. “I realize there’s a lot o’ things I ain’ told you. But they aren’t things you need t’ know.” Her face shot up to glare at him as he continued, “I’m lookin’ out for you, little bit. I know you don’ see it that way, but I swear - ”
“You were going to let them take me!” she cut him off with a quivering lip.
“Uh, no. I jus’ hadn’t figured out how I was gonna stop them,” his clear blue orbs glared at her. “Trust me, if I thought you knowin’ woulda helped, I woulda tol’ you. Ok?” He inhaled deeply, pulling his eyes away and running his fingers through his hair.
“What we need t’ do now,” he continued more calmly, “Is t’ get ourselves together. We need sheets for the beds, we need food, an’ we need a plan.”
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 17
