A New Life Series - Starter Kit

by Samantha Jacobey

  “You won't really have any meetings or anything like that, and I will not be coming to visit you.” Eli looked like he had been kicked. “I will not see you again after today until we have the meeting; six months from now. I can't say I’ll be happy about that; I mean it's only been five weeks since I even heard of you… but I’m going to miss you.”

  Tori felt a stab of sadness, and realized he was truly someone she could trust, so she asked in a much softer tone, “Is this what you think is best for me or what they think is best for me? If you tell me to go because you want me to, I will.”

  “I don't want you to go!” Eli's voice cracked, and he drew a deep breath, holding it before continuing. “What I mean is, I don't want you to go, but I know it is what’s best for you. I’m just afraid that this is goodbye, and I’m really not ready to tell you goodbye. I told you that my spare room is yours, and I would never go back on my word—it will be waiting for your return.”

  The door opened, and Debra stepped out. “I need to take her back to her room,” she informed Eli quietly. Even though she did not know any details about their relationship, Debra understood how hard this would be on the both of them.

  Tori gave Eli a quick kiss on the lips, then stood to follow Debra down the hall. Watching the floor as she walked, neither of them spoke until they were back inside the small chamber.

  “Don't give up,” Debra said reassuringly. “If things are meant to work out between you and Eli, they will.” Tori looked surprised the woman could be aware of the couple's plight, but Debra only gave a knowing smile. “For now, I need to tell you a little bit about where you are going. We need to get your clothes and everything together today. Tomorrow, we have to take care of any loose ends early, because your plane leaves at two pm. That will put you in LA at about four pm.”

  “LA?” Tori interrupted, “You guys are sending me to LA?” She quickly became overtaken by conflicting visions of LA and leaving Eli.

  “Yes, we are,” Debra smiled broadly at her surprise. “It makes sense for logistical reasons, and we have a retired agent there who is going to be giving you a job and helping you out, basically. He runs a music store and builds custom guitars. He could use a little help, so it’s a nice fit for him since you already play. Plus, he owes Jim a favor, which Jim is cashing in on for you.”

  “Well, now, I don't know if I want anyone using up favors just for me,” Tori started to protest, but deep down she had already been hooked; a music store! Although it had been a few years since she had touched a guitar, playing was the one thing other than alcohol that made her feel good. Besides, Henry had taught her to play, so that made it even dearer to her.

  After hearing where she was going, she felt eager to get on with it. Plus, Eli had promised he would be waiting for her return in six months, and that was something very good to look forward to. A smidge of fear tickled the back of Tori's mind, but she did her best to push it away. It was the fear of good things happening, because they, sooner or later, would lead to something bad.

  Debra told Tori someone would bring dinner by to her in a little while, and for her to go ahead and pack up her things in the suitcase Eli had delivered if she wanted. Finally, she told her she would see her in the morning and let herself out before locking the door behind her.

  Tori sat in the silence after she left, not really sure if she were happy or sad. So many things were happening at once; so many things left to come.

  Standing, she picked up the suitcase and let it fall open onto the bed. Inside she discovered the book of German fairy tales Eli had given her. The last time she had seen it, she had left it lying on the floor next to her bed back at the hospital. He must have gone back and gotten it for me. As she cracked it open, a broad smile crossed her face when she read the note he had penned inside.

  Bound

  Book 2 of A New Life 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.

  BOUND. Copyright 2014 ©

  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

  2015 Lavish Publishing, LLC

  Book 2 of A New Life 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: 0692024360

  ISBN-13: 978-0692024362

  www.LavishPublishing.com

  .

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Give Me Wings

  Half-way Home

  Music Maniac

  Old Habits

  Get a Routine

  Making a Way

  No Need for Help

  No Place Like Home

  Same Old Life

  One Man's Fantasy

  Hold on Tight

  Love Thy Neighbor

  Rock Bottom

  A New Leaf

  One of the Girls

  Down the Road

  All My Sins

  Forgiveness

  Loose Ends

  Destiny or Fate

  Like New

  His Little Girl

  Nobody's Angel

  Run Away

  Prologue

  Special Agent Eli Founder sat on his bed, staring at the small volume of German Fairytales. He had retrieved it from the hospital for her, and intended to place it inside the suitcase with her belongings, a special message penned on the first few pages.

  The problem was, he had been about the task for over an hour and was still torn with what he should write. The girl had moved him in a way he had never expected, and although he could admit to himself that their relationship would more than likely end, it hurt. He wanted the chance to let it play out, regardless of where it led. He wanted the chance to love her. Most of all, he wanted to cling to the possibility that they would have more time.

  Running his fingers through his coal black hair, he spoke out loud, despite the fact that he was alone in the apartment. “You better suck it up, big boy. In the end, this comes down to one thing. You’ve still got a job to do. And so does she…” His voice trailed away and he pulled the cap off of the felt tipped pen, scrawling in clean cursive:

  My Dearest Tori,

  I know the past was filled with difficult times, and your future feels uncertain. Understand that you are not alone in your quest and that even though your path will not be an easy one, you are strong, and you will endure, so long as you endeavor to persevere. My thoughts and hopes are with you.

  Yours Always,

  Eli

  Give Me Wings

  Tori could not stop the flutter of excitement as she scurried through the airport, nor the guilty feeling her anticipation produced. Special Agent Debra Paisley, who walked beside her, grabbed her arm, tugging her towards the correct gate.

  Dodging people left and right, the pair moved quickly towards the ticket counter. “Flight eight-six-six, ORD to LAX, here we go!” Debra herself had become enthusiastic as the time of her young charge's departure drew closer, in a nervous motherly kind of way.

  Tori looked around the crowded O'Hare in amazement, the number of gates and flights daunting. She felt very
glad her new friend had come with her to make sure she made it to her flight. “Here hun, bring your bag.” Debra led her over to the boarding area, and Tori had a mad rush of adrenaline as she realized she was actually getting on the plane.

  Stopping abruptly, she latched onto her companion, terror in her eyes. Seeing the petrified look on her face, the older woman guided her over to the side, where a large window afforded a view of the loading areas and runways further beyond. “Just breathe,” she instructed, “You’re fine. We have a few minutes if you need them.”

  Tori felt grateful for her understanding, leaning her forehead against the glass and taking in slow deep breaths. Her friend and mentor rubbed her spine and smiled while giving her a pep talk in a low voice, “Try and relax. Everything’s fine. And it’s going to be great once you get there.”

  Tori looked at her with tears brimming over in her crystal blue eyes. “I don't want to go,” she stated with a slight whine. “You and Eli are the only friends I have. The only people I know. What the hell am I going to do in LA?” Things had been an emotional rollercoaster for the girl, only finding out the previous day that she was leaving, and would not see either of the only two people she cared about for at least six months.

  Debra understood her apprehension, and hugged her close while stroking the girl's long dark hair. “Shhshh,” she soothed. “You know Eli and I will be counting the days until our next meeting. We both will be there; we promise. But now you have to go, sweetheart. We have to give you wings and let you learn to fly.”

  Tori relaxed into the embrace, having conquered her fear of women and of allowing people to touch her out of hand. Then, remembering her makeup, she pulled away and began dabbing her eyes the way Debra had shown her, while blinking rapidly.

  “There you go,” the older woman smiled broadly, “That's exactly how you do it,” trying to lift her spirits, but afraid in the end she would have to put her on the plane in tears.

  Taking quick, ragged breaths, Tori knew her time was short. “Ok,” she huffed, “I'm ready I think.” Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she moved towards the entrance once more. Debra admired her courage and walked beside her right up to the gate. Holding out her boarding pass to the little man in the uniform, Tori gave her a faint smile and disappeared into the tunnel.

  As soon as she was out of sight, Debra let her own tears begin to fall and made her way through the crowded passages towards the parking lot. This was hard for everyone, baby girl, she told herself as she trudged along, but we will all make it through.

  Meanwhile, taking deep breaths, Tori admonished herself for turning into a pansy in such a short time. It used to be you could not make her cry, no matter how badly you hurt her. She would not give in or give you the satisfaction; back when she was tough.

  She made her way through the tunnel and onto the plane, and another wave of panic hit her as she stepped through the door of the massive 747. Looking around, she stopped in awe of the aircraft’s interior. Before her lay three columns of seats, and the chamber seemed enormous. Tori had never flown anywhere before, and became overcome by a strange combination of curiosity and fear. People pushed in behind her, so she moved forward, trying to locate her seat from the entry area.

  Luckily, a flight attendant noticed her dazed expression and asked if she needed any help. Tori quickly wiped the damp spot under her eye and asked where her accommodations were located. The woman smiled in sympathy and led her straight to it. She had been assigned 57 B, so there would be a person on each side of her, but close enough to a window, she might be able to see out.

  Stuffing her bag into the overhead compartment, Tori began to feel calmer. Remembering to pull out her notebook, she grabbed it and her pencil before sinking onto the cushion.

  Dr. Carlisle had suggested that she keep a journal, so she planned on starting fresh with the flight, and wrote the date at the top of the first page. Then she made a note about her seat number. While she wrote, a couple arrived and announced they were the owners of the other two seats. She stared up at them as they asked if she would not mind moving one way or the other so they could sit together.

  Grasping the opportunity, her dark curls bounced when she leapt up to move over next to the window, and began to peer out of it eagerly. Her first flight and she would have a great seat for taking it all in, with only a small bundle of nerves tickling her stomach. Marking a single line through 57B, she changed it to 57A and wrote window seat next to it.

  Tori watched as the plane filled, periodically peeking out the window to see if anything had changed outside. The couple seated next to her was obviously very passionate about one another, as they were kissing and petting one another quite heavily. The sight of them made her heart heavy, remembering Eli's bed and how comfortable she had been sharing it with him.

  She felt relieved she had chosen the window and would have something else to draw her attention. Turning and placing the spiral so she could write more privately, she made a note about public displays of affection being annoying to her. Expressing her feelings on paper gave her feeling of vindication, and she managed a tiny smile to herself as she watched the carts roll around on the ground below.

  At last, the door closed and everyone had their seat. An attendant stood at the front of the plane and began to give directions. Tucking a few ebony locks behind her ear, Tori leaned forward to listen more closely, catching something about emergency exits. She hadn't thought about the possibility of a crash; she could feel her heart rate jump as she strained to catch ever word.

  She gripped the armrests on each side of her tightly when she felt the plane begin to roll. The guy sitting next to her glanced over from his lover and laughed. “Relax, babe. We aren't even in the air yet!” Giving him a worried glance, she tried to do as he instructed, leaning back against the headrest and taking deep breaths.

  Folding her hands into her lap, she watched out the window and could see the asphalt below the plane racing by. Tori felt a lurch, and then the saw the ground dropping beneath them, causing an odd sensation in her chest from the optical illusion it produced. Leaning towards the tiny window, she pressed her fingers against the glass in awe as they climbed, still feeling the undulation of thrill and terror in the pit of her stomach.

  The plane tilted upwards for several minutes, and then leveled out. Still gazing out the window, she thought the ground looked like a giant quilt, with the blocks and sections pretty well defined, a repeating pattern of dark and light falling across them.

  Soon after, another flight attendant came by pushing a large cart with drinks and snacks on it. Tori picked up a bottle of water to sip while she watched the world pass beneath her. Not wanting to witness the show to her right, she remained focused on the tiny portal to her left. Peering out into the horizon, she noted how everything began to get blurry before it disappeared.

  She watched the clouds for a while. She looked over the parts of the wing she could see. Eventually, she had to admit, flying in a plane was pretty boring. Not like riding on a bike with the wind in my face and the road whizzing by beneath me. She sat drumming her fingers against the glass for a while, and began to replay the events of the last month or so in her mind. After a few minutes of reflection, she decided to write a brief summary in her journal. She wrote:

  I woke up in Mercy Hospital in Chicago thirty-six days ago. I spent four days in the hospital portion, and then was sent over to the mental health ward for twenty-nine days. I spent two nights at the federal building and one night with Eli. In that short amount of time, my life has completely changed. I have gone from being the property of a group of mercenaries, living a life of pain and anguish, to a young woman headed to a halfway house, a job, and a future. I have two friends, Eli Founder and Debra Paisley…

  Special Agents Eli Founder and Debra Paisley had been assigned to her committee; a group of federal agents who were overseeing the acquisition of knowledge the girl possessed about several illegal organizations. They were also working towards form
ulating a plan to integrate her into a normal life.

  Because actual proof of her age had not been available, Tori had been evaluated by Dr. Bennet, who determined her age to be under fifteen years. The girl had strongly contested his findings, but to no avail. She was currently on conditional release according to the terms of the agreement that the Feds had offered, and she had accepted. She had come to realize that all of that was the easy part, and the hard part lay ahead.

  Tori pushed her hand against her chest; the folded yellow piece of paper in her pocket made a slight crinkle noise beneath the pressure. On it were two addresses—the halfway house and a music store. The first would be her home for the next six months. The second belonged to an old friend of Jim Godfry’s, who had been in charge of the committee.

  Jim had called in a favor to get her a job; he claimed the move would allow her to learn to support herself, but she suspected the real purpose had been so he could keep tabs on her. The girl had not been raised under the best of circumstances, and had proven she could be dangerous, even lethal, when she chose to be. They don’t trust me, and why should they?

  Just then, a red light came on behind the words fasten seatbelt, and Tori hoped that meant the journey had come to an end. Closing her notebook, she straightened in her seat and ensured her belt securely fastened. Watching out the window, she could see different parts of the wing moving, and that seemed somewhat interesting to her, or at least it distracted her from the fear of crashing while the plane descended.

  She had read a book about planes once, so she knew the large parts that moved on the back were called flaps and were for landing. She looked for the smaller pieces out on the tip of the wing, called ailerons, which were used for steering, but wasn’t so sure she could locate them on the enormous wing. She supposed these parts were run by hydraulics, which could be sabotaged if she were to ever want to disable a plane; not that I’ll have any need of such an idea, since my life is on a different path.