Safe with You

by Shelby Reeves

  Safe with You

  A Saved Novel

  By Shelby Reeves

  Safe with you

  Book 1 in the Saved Series

  Copyright 2015 by Shelby Reeves

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means.

  Photography and Cover Design by Lindee Robinson Photography

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referred in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated, with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Acknowledgments:

  To my husband, who I love more than life. I’m truly blessed to have you as my soulmate! Thank you for always putting up with me!

  My parents- Thank you for loving me and being there for me.

  Mary Lynn and Kaela, my sisters from another mother, I love you girls so much! Mary Lynn you have supporting me from the very beginning when I told you I wanted to write a novel. Kaela, you need to move your butt to Alabama! Oh, and thanks for loving me and supporting me through this journey!

  My best friends- You girls know who you are without having to name each and every one of you. You girls rock! I love y’all!

  Shannon- Girl I don’t even know where to start with how awesome you are! I love our conversations and I can’t wait to hug you in person! Love ya bunches!

  To the fellow authors who have helped me and given me advice…Thank you!

  To all the blogs that have shared my author page, teasers, and helped promote me…Thank you for helping me get my name out in the book world.

  And finally, to all my readers, y’all’s support keeps me going! Thank you!

  Prologue

  We have moved yet again; four different states in the last year. Why do you ask? It’s simple really. My parents would rather be happy themselves than worry about my happiness, and safety for that matter. It will all be okay in a few months, though. As soon as the clock strikes twelve the morning of my eighteenth birthday, I’m gone. To where I don’t know, I will just be ecstatic to be away from them. My mother probably wouldn’t bat an eyelash at my sudden disappearance. Dad? Well, he wouldn’t be coherent long enough to care, neither will mom for that matter. The thing is that my parents are on the run from people they owe money to, drug dealers to be exact. This is my life, sucks doesn’t it? It sucks that as soon as I get settled in at my new school and make friends, we move. So the last couple schools I was at, I didn’t even try to get to know anyone because I knew we’d be leaving soon.

  You see, what my parents fail to understand is that you can’t run from things because it will always catch up to you somehow, someway. If they would just pay the darn people their money all of this would be over. The problem is that we have no money. My parents just live off the system because they are too lazy to get a job. If I had another choice I wouldn’t be anywhere near them, I’d be on my own. Don’t even ask me how we even have a roof over our heads. I don’t even ask, I am just thankful I somewhere to lay my head at night.

  Out of all the different places I’ve been, this one has to be the strangest. I swear there is only like a thousand people, maybe less, in this town. I am pretty sure I will see tumbleweeds floating around at any given moment. The biggest attraction in this no red light town is the school. When people talk around here, it’s like a timewarp and I am sent back to the old days. Almost everyone here is wearing boots. Do they not have any other kind of shoes or are they not allowed to wear anything different?

  One thing for sure is we don’t fit in this place at all. This has to be the worst choice, besides the obvious, they have made. We look like outlaws for goodness sake! Another thing, if those people ever catch up with us, no one would know because everyone basically lives miles from one another. No, I’m not joking. Everywhere I turn there is a field.

  The name of this place? When my parents first told me I laughed in their face. Brilliant, Alabama. So far it doesn’t look that brilliant. They think that we won’t be found here? It has been said that in these types of towns that everybody knows everybody. My parents are so stupid.

  Story of my life. Welcome to it.

  Chapter One

  Cassie

  My first day at a new school is always the same. You get stared at, the teachers make you stand in front of the class while they introduce you, and it is always the same awkward situation when people ask you where you are from. My parents have grilled me relentlessly on what to say when I’m asked those questions. Never give out personal information, keep a low profile, and lie whenever is necessary. That’s their golden rule. I abide only because I want to live and simply because I’m tired of moving, which makes no sense whatsoever because we will move anyway.

  This school is different from the others, by a long shot. It’s small, very small. Hence, the ‘everybody knows everybody’ theory. The dress code here seems to be boots, jeans, and t-shirts, guys more so than the girls. If the girls wear jeans they have holes in them. A select few dress like they are from the city. Basically, I stand out more here which unnerves me. How am I supposed to keep a low profile here? My parents better not expect me to change my attire just so I’d “fit in”. Truth be known, I look like a gothic kid compared to these people. Maybe not that extreme, but close enough. I look like I’m from the rough side of the tracks. My light brown, dry, flat hair hangs loosely past my shoulders. My eyes look like a dull shade of brown and my clothes look like I bought them from a thrift store. I did, but no one needs to that bit of information. Needless to say, I look like I come from parents who are drug heads. I do, but I will just keep that bit to myself, too.

  As usual the school day drags by. What I didn’t expect is for practically everyone to wave or say ‘hi’ to me. I am afraid they would start asking the typical questions. You know, the questions like, “Where are you from?” or “Why did you move here?” Normally, I get asked those questions a lot. I’m afraid to talk around these people, though. My accent is way different from theirs and I’m afraid people will start looking at me like I’m an alien or some weird creature that isn’t from the planet earth.

  At least their lunches look good, I think to myself when I walk through the lunch line.

  “Hey there new girl!”

  I gasp, almost dropping my plate in the process from the surprising outburst behind me. I turn around to find a girl about my size, though just a bit taller, with a friendly smile on her freckled face. Her blonde hair is in braided pigtails and her blue eyes shine through her bangs. “I’m Jessie or Jess whichever one you prefer. And you are?” I stare at her hand like it is foreign to me.

  I clear my throat, trying to find my voice. “Cassie,” I say smoothly, trying hard not to let my accent show. Though it kind of sticks out like a sore thumb around these people.

  “Awesome name girl. Where are you from?” There it is…the same dang question I get asked all the freaking time.

  I tell her the only place I had felt at home. It’s where all my friends still lived and where Zack still is. It’s the place I miss more than anything. “Indianapolis, Indiana.”

  She whistles low. “Good lawd girl. What made your family move all the way down here?” Dang it…there’s the second one, the question that always follows the first one.

  “My parents just decided they wanted to live somewhere different…so here we are,” I answer with a nonchalant shrug.

  “I’ll say.”

  W
e continue to move down the line and once I pay for my food I glance around the small cafeteria for a place to sit.

  Jess bumps my shoulder, causing me to almost jump out of my skin again. I wish she’d stop scaring me. “Come on Yankee, you can sit with me.”

  Seeing no other choice, I follow her to a table that sits against the wall.

  Jess gives me insight on who is okay to be around and who not to give the time of day. Judging by the evil glare I am getting from one girl, it is safe to say that Jess is right about not hanging around her. Wow, I’ve been here for four hours and I’ve already pissed someone off. I think I’ve made a new record.

  Jess is miraculously by my side at every turn after lunch. I didn’t plan on making friends, but it’s hard not fall in an easy conversation with her. She ends up being in all my afternoon classes.

  Gym class is my favorite. Most kids do whatever. Some play basketball, girls huddle in a corner and practice cheering while others just relax on the bleachers. Jess plays basketball with some of the other girls. I run. Running is like therapy to me. Whenever I’m feeling down or pissed off, I run. Running helps me to let go of my negative and somber thoughts. Putting my headphones in, I crank up my music on my little old mp3 player and take off. Since the gym is kind of small, I have to be careful I don’t run into anyone or anything.

  I have no idea what time my parents made it home last night. It’s pretty sad that a teenager is more mature than they are. Who keeps the house clean? Me. Who cooks dinner half the time? Me. Who is the only one with a sane mind? Me.

  My thoughts are derailed when a heavy force plows into me, causing me to lose my balance and fall into the wall. My head thumps against the concrete, shooting pain throughout my skull. The last thing I remember before blacking out is a deep voice calling my name.

  ****

  Through the throbbing in my head, I hear low murmurs. What the heck happened? Why is my head throbbing like someone hit me with a baseball bat?

  “What a good way to welcome the new girl, Bo,” a voice with a southern drawl says. I even hear a grunt so one can only assume the guy punched whoever is next to him.

  “It’s not like I meant to do it on purpose. I just didn’t see her,” a deep voice replies.

  “Both of you quit bickering and focus on the fact that she is still unconscious!” Jess?

  Groaning, I force my eyes open. I almost scream in surprise when I notice two guys hovering over me. The guy on my right has light brown hair that falls over his honey colored eyes. His facial expression almost seems broody.

  The guy on my left has short sandy blond hair with blue eyes. His chiseled jaw has a light stubble that runs across his jaw line. His stare isn’t intense like the guy on the right. They seem…concerned?

  Am I in Heaven?

  Slowly, I tried to sit up, but give up when the throbbing in my head worsens.

  “Easy there, darlin’,” the guy on the left says, pushing me gently back down.

  I groan. “What happened? I feel like I’ve been plowed over by a mac truck.” My remark makes the guy on the right and Jess, who is standing at my feet, laugh loudly.

  The guy on the left cracks a smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Uh…sorry about that, I kind of ran into you,” he murmurs nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. My gaze drops from his face to his chest. His shirt fits snugly around his biceps and his pretty good size chest. No wonder I was knocked out.

  “Can you go get some ice please?” the guy to my right asks Jess. She nods and runs off.

  “I’m fine. Just give me a minute and I’ll get up.” I wave my hand around in the air, dismissing them.

  “I think we should take her to the nurse,” the hot guy on the left says to the hot one on my right.

  “Yeah, she did hit her head pretty hard,” the seemingly broody one replies.

  “No, I’m fine,” I say to them.

  They ignore me and just continue to talk like I’m not even here. “As soon as Jess gets here with the ice we’ll take her,” the guy on the left whose name I still don’t know says.

  “Hey.”

  “You don’t think she has a concussion do you?”

  “Hey,” I say a little louder.

  “Probably, I’d be surprised if she didn’t have a big ole knot on the side of her head.”

  “Hey!” I shout, then wince. They both snap their heads in my direction. “If you two don’t mind I’d like to get up so I can go get ready to go home.”

  They glance at one another like I just said something stupid until the broody one speaks first. “We do mind actually.”

  “Yeah, you are not going anywhere yet, darlin’,” he says with a smirk.

  “Excuse me? First off, I’m perfectly fine. Secondly, don’t call me darlin’ because I don’t even know you and quite frankly, it’s kind of creepy. And finally, do not tell me what I can and can’t do.”

  Guy on the right snickers while the one on the lefts jaw drops.

  “She’s feisty. I like her, Bo.” So guy on the lefts name is Bo. What a weird name…

  The guy on the right falls over laughing. What the hell? “I happen to like my name thank you very much,” Bo replies, clearly amused.

  Holy crap, did I just say that out loud?

  Before I could embarrass myself even more, I force myself to sit up, and then after a minute, I stand. Jess finally returns with the ice. With a smile, I take it from her and press it against the knot I’m sure is forming. Bo hands me my mp3 player with a smile. I mutter a ‘thank you’ and walk off.

  I don’t get very far before my feet are swept out from under me, causing me to shriek. “Put me down!” I demand, but Bo just laughs. There is a part of me, a rather insane part, that likes being in his arms. Yeah, I’m just going to use the ‘I-just-hit-my-head-so-I’m-kind-of-out-of-it’ excuse.

  “Cass, he’s not going to so you might as well give up,” The guy, whose name I still don’t know, states. Wait…how did he know my name?

  “Everyone knows your name darlin’.” Either I spoke my thoughts out loud again or he just read my mind.

  “So much for being invisible,” I mutter to myself.

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing,” I reply quickly. He just shakes his head and keeps walking.

  “I am capable of walking you know,” I huff.

  “I didn’t say you weren’t.”

  “Then why are you carrying me?” I retort.

  “Because I can.”

  “What kind of reason is that?”

  “A good one,” he simply states.

  “I like her accent. I wonder where she is from?” Now the guy is talking to Bo again like I’m not even here.

  “I don’t know, J. She definitely ain’t from around here so she has to be from the city.” Well, I finally know the other God’s name now.

  “She’s from Indiana. Indianapolis actually,” Jess speaks up. I want to shoot her a glare, but I can’t see where she is.

  “God, that has to suck,” J grumbled like it was the worst thing in the world.

  “Do you two always do that?” I ask, interrupting them.

  “Do what darlin’?” You’ve got to be kidding me!

  “Stop calling me darlin’ you are creeping me out with that.” I glower my eyes at him. “Do you two always talk about people like they are not even here?”

  He smirks. “No, we just do that to you.” Ugh! This is going nowhere!

  “Do you always think out loud, darlin’?”

  Now he is just pissing me off! “If you call me darlin’ one more time I will punch you in your throat!” I threaten him. His body shakes with laughter.

  “Did she really just threaten you, Bo?” J asks as he laughs at me.

  “Apparently, J.” He laughs along with his friend or whatever he is and continues to carry me into the school.

  Chapter Two

  J

  “Thank the lord above this is our last year of high school.” Bo, my step-brother g
rumbles. “I think I’d rather be out on the ranch all day every day instead of listening to a teacher try to shove knowledge down my throat.”

  I hold my fist up for him to pound it. “I second that brother.” We bump knuckles and utter a prayer that we make it through our senior year without wanting to blow our brains out. “The only reason I survive school is for football.”

  “Yeah well, the only reason I survive is because of the girls…and football, of course.” Bo wiggles his eyebrows up and down while I try to come up with a reason why I shouldn’t punch him. He isn’t blood, but he is my family so I think that’s the only thing that is saving him from being on the other side of my fist at times. Bo likes to test my patience…a lot.

  Bo and I have known each other since we were running around in our diapers still. He is technically my step-brother, yet, I consider him my real brother. We always have each other’s backs when the other needs help.

  Girls tend to annoy me with how they flock us, well mainly Bo, because I don’t fall to my knees and claim my attraction to them. Bo is a sucker for them while I on the other hand, am waiting for that one girl who brings me to my knees. She would have to be one hell of a girl to do that and she can’t be from this school, that’s for sure. I know every girl in this school or rather have heard about every girl in this school and their…extracurricular activities, so to speak.

  Take Ellen, for example, who is currently feeling up Bo. She is a class A bitch, she’s fake as all get out, and she flashes her daddy’s money all the freakin’ time. She likes to let everyone know her father is the Mayor of this small town and that she could get away with whatever she wants. I can’t stand her. It doesn’t matter to me if she is the popular chick in this school. It doesn’t matter that to me how beautiful she is on the outside. On the inside, she is as cold hearted as they come and likes to make people’s lives hell. Ellen is a five foot five inch bully with bleach blond hair and blue eyes.

  She turns her attention to me and my mouth forms a thin line. I gave into her one time by mistake and she thinks I’ll slip up again so she can have her way with me. She bats her long, fake eyelashes at me and I gag right in her face. Her eyes narrow into slits at me and she turns back to Bo who is eating it all up. I shake my head and look away from her to almost being knocked back into the wall.