Birthright

by A. P. Jensen

  Chapter Five

  Even in sleep, Jordan sensed something reach for her. Her hand whipped up and clutched the gloved hand six inches from her face before her eyes opened. Mr. Parker noted the fear before she masked it and released him.

  “We’re almost there,” he said.

  “Here where?” she asked and looked out the window at orange tinted clouds.

  “Texas.”

  “Texas?” She looked him up and down. Mr. Parker didn’t look like a cowboy. He looked like a slick mob boss.

  She couldn’t muster up the energy to ask what was going to happen now. As the plane began its descent, Heath and Mr. Parker spoke in low tones and she ignored them both. She peered out the oval window and saw a deserted runway flanked by daisies and pasture as far as the eye could see. As the jet landed and taxied the runway, Jordan noticed a barn housing two propeller planes and another white unmarked jet.

  As soon as the plane stopped, Mr. Parker and Heath impatiently unbuckled their seatbelts and strode down the aisle to the exit. Jordan followed. Two flight attendants nodded to her as she walked down the steps. She paused on the runway as Mr. Parker and Heath strode to a black Ford truck.

  The setting sun cast the pasture in golden light. She felt as if she landed on another planet. Gone was the sand and red dirt of Nevada. She took a deep breath. The air was sweet and warm. Jordan felt the humidity immediately, something that settled like a dewy blanket over her chilled body. She tipped her head back to enjoy the sensation. Jordan heard a door slam as Heath hopped into the truck and wondered if they would leave without her. Was it time for them to pass her off to someone else? She told herself she didn’t care. People left her behind before.

  “Hey!” Mr. Parker yelled over the jet engine.

  Jordan opened her eyes and saw him glaring at her as he stood half out of the truck, leaning on the open door.

  “Get in!” he yelled and didn’t slam his door until she started walking towards them.

  She climbed into the back seat and buckled herself in. Heath gunned the engine and in a squeal of tires, they were off. Through the tinted windows, she stared at the unfamiliar sight of trees and gentle hills covered in blooming flowers. The serenity of her surroundings lulled her into sleep despite her catnaps. The men in the front seat didn’t speak and no music played on the radio. She wasn’t sure how much time passed, but she roused when the car slowed.

  Heath turned off the main highway and onto a dirt road. Jordan felt a spurt of alarm, remembering how far Haven was from any civilization. She unclipped her seat belt and Heath’s eyes focused on her in the rearview mirror as she pulled on the door handle, which didn’t open.

  “The child safety locks came in handy, Donovan,” Heath said with a broad smile.

  Mr. Parker turned in his seat and glared at her. “What’s going on?”

  “Where are we?” she demanded, tugging on the handle.

  “Jordan-” he began, but she wasn’t listening.

  She slid across the bench seat to the other door and tried to shove it open or roll down the windows. When that didn’t work, she beat the glass with her fist. She was panicked and terrified. She couldn’t be locked up again. She wouldn’t survive it. Suddenly, the door opened and she launched herself onto the dirt road and tried to make a run for it. Mr. Parker yanked her to a halt with an iron grip on her arm. She lashed out at him, kicking and snapping her teeth.

  “Donovan?” Heath asked with brows raised, watching Mr. Parker’s maneuvers to avoid being bit.

  “Wait for us down the road,” Mr. Parker snapped.

  Mr. Parker shook Jordan, but there was no awareness in her eyes. Mr. Parker dragged her off the dirt road to a stream and dumped her in a bed of flowers. Her feet splashed into the water, shocking her into stillness. She thought the water would be freezing, but like the weather, it was warm and soothing. Her chest heaved and she tried to restrain the panic that wanted to envelop her. The stream was wide, but if you took a running jump you could reach the other side. Beyond the stream were more endless fields.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” Mr. Parker growled and paced beside her. “You’re under my protection now.”

  She didn’t believe him. He crouched beside her and grabbed her chin, which was becoming a habit of his.

  “This is my property. No one is allowed without my permission. You understand?”

  The stream tugged her shoes off her feet and carried them downstream, but she didn’t care. They were too big anyway.

  Mr. Parker’s eyes bored into hers. “I’m powerful. Do you believe that?”

  Jordan nodded. Mr. Parker possessed the same feral quality that crept beneath the surface as William.

  “I make you this promise- you will not come to any harm under my roof. I swear it.”

  Jordan stared into her father’s eyes and felt his will pressing in around her. Maybe he didn’t want her, but he wouldn’t make a vow unless he meant it. His hand tightened ever so slightly and she nodded again.

  “No running, no hysteria. Let’s get to the house before it gets dark.”

  Jordan rose and Mr. Parker’s eyes flicked down to her bare feet. She walked on the springy grass beside the dirt road and saw Heath waiting patiently before an open iron gate with a large P on the front. The gate wasn’t connected to a fence because on either side of the gate was the river. Anybody wanting to continue had to pass through the gate. There was no alternative. Heath reversed the truck onto the grass so she could get in without walking on the road. She clambered into the back seat and neither man spoke as they continued on.

  The stream ran on either side of the dirt road lined by trees and flowers. For several minutes, a cloud of dirt obscured her view and then she felt the truck rumble onto smooth concrete. Heath revved the engine again as the sun sent its last rays across the sky. A long driveway lined with tall trees led to a beautiful home made of dark wood and tinted glass. Wide front steps led up to a wraparound porch where a woman stood. On the left side of the house was a rectangular building, which turned out to be a garage. The door rose as they approached and she caught a glimpse of ten cars before Mr. Parker tugged her out of the truck towards the house.

  The woman standing at the top of the steps dressed in white capris and a light pink shirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was in her mid-thirties or so with brown eyes and freckles sprinkled over her nose. She and Jordan were the same height, an inch or two over five feet.

  “This is Jordan,” Mr. Parker said.

  He released her and continued into the house, leaving Jordan at the bottom of the steps. The woman took in Jordan’s dirty clothes and shoeless state and looked to Heath for an explanation. Heath looked extremely uncomfortable and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.

  “I’m Kelly,” the woman said, breaking the awkward silence.

  Jordan’s stomach churned as she suspected what position Kelly had in this house. She remembered Heath mentioning Kelly in the jet and she wanted to back away, but she couldn’t move. Heath cleared his throat and rocked back on his work boots.

  “She’s Donovan’s daughter.”

  “She’s what?” Kelly said in a faint voice.

  For a moment, Kelly seemed incapable of speech and Jordan saw the devastated look on her face before she composed herself. Jordan took a step back when Kelly walked down the stairs so they were face to face. When Kelly’s arms rose, Jordan tensed. She wasn’t prepared for Kelly to wrap her in a secure hug and rock her from side to side as if they’d known each other all their lives. The gesture was so far removed from Jordan’s world, she didn’t know how to react. Kelly finally drew back and held Jordan at arm’s length. A frown marred her face as she took in Jordan’s guarded eyes.

  “Welcome home,” Kelly said.

  She ushered Jordan into a foyer where Jordan stood beneath a glowing glass globe melded with color. Straight ahead was a sweeping staircase that divided the room in half. To the right was a sun
ken, airy living room. The décor was expensive looking, but not unwelcoming. On the coffee table was a glass cowboy boot with red Gerber’s in it. The walls of this house were made of glass, which made it seem as if the trees and pastures were part of the house. The wraparound porch continued around the house and in the semi darkness, Jordan saw Heath cross a bridge over the stream to a house in the middle of the pasture.

  Kelly passed the staircase and poked her head into an open doorway on the left side of the house. Mr. Parker sat behind a huge desk, talking on a phone. Three walls of the room were covered floor to ceiling in books with long ladders attached to the walls. In the corner of the room was a seating area with an unlit fireplace. The fourth wall behind Mr. Parker led onto the porch. Mr. Parker scowled as Kelly sailed in. Jordan stopped in the doorway and made no move to enter. Kelly rounded the desk and plopped down on his lap.

  “I’ll call you back,” Mr. Parker said into the phone and tossed it on the desk.

  “I’m glad you’re home,” Kelly said and kissed him. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing me a daughter.”

  “It’s a long story,” Mr. Parker said.

  Kelly patted his cheek affectionately and rose. “I expect a full accounting later.”

  Mr. Parker opened his mouth to say something, but Kelly already exited, taking Jordan with her. Beside Mr. Parker’s office was a straight tunnel made of glass lit by tiny globes hanging from the ceiling. Jordan squinted and saw that the tunnel ended at a pair of closed glass doors.

  Kelly waved an airy hand. “That leads to the pool room. I’ll show you tomorrow.”

  They walked beneath the staircase and entered a fancy dining room with a chandelier hanging above a long, black dining room table with a scarlet running cloth and huge vase of white lilies. To the left, through an archway was another sunken living room. This one looked more lived in with a book face down on the coffee table and a huge bag of potato chips on the couch. Once more, there were no walls, just glass that looked out to the backyard and sides of the house. To the right was a beautiful kitchen made of gleaming wood. Kelly started towards the tinted glass refrigerator and peered through at the contents within. Jordan stopped beside a huge marble island and watched.

  “Hungry?” Kelly called over her shoulder.

  Jordan shook her head, but when she saw Kelly rummage in the fridge, she cleared her throat.

  “Um, no. No thanks.”

  “Are you sure? It’s no trouble.”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Well, in that case, you must be tired. Let’s go to your room.”

  My room? Jordan watched Kelly bound up a narrow stairway in the corner of the kitchen and followed dubiously. The narrow staircase was plastered against the glass wall of the house. It was a bizarre experience, like riding a glass elevator. As she climbed the stairs, she glanced out at the trees and roof over the wrap around porch. Slightly disoriented, she continued on. At the top of the narrow stairs was a long hallway filled with closed doors. On the left side of the hall were two pairs of closed doors with the main staircase between them. On the right side were three doors, widely spaced apart.

  Kelly turned to the first door on the right. “This is your room.”

  Jordan didn’t move.

  Kelly gestured into the room. “Go on.”

  Jordan shook her head. “I don’t need a room. I can sleep on the couch for now.”

  When Kelly frowned at her, Jordan felt a flicker of confusion and embarrassment. What was she doing here with these strangers? Mr. Parker tolerated her for now, but sooner or later he would get rid of her. She kept expecting someone to show up and take her to another group home.

  “You aren’t going to sleep on the couch. Well, not unless you want to. I think this room would suit you better,” Kelly said.

  “I don’t think he would want me to have a room,” Jordan said with a glance down the stairs to the closed door of Mr. Parker’s office.

  “He wouldn’t bring you into this house if he didn’t intend to give you what you’re entitled to as his daughter,” Kelly said.

  “He didn’t have a choice.”

  Kelly raised her brows. “No one forces Donovan to do anything.”

  Jordan didn’t want to argue, so she didn’t reply.

  “I think you’ll like it,” Kelly said with a persuasive smile.

  Too weary to argue, Jordan walked in and was bathed in warmth and comfort. Her feet sank an inch into lush, soft carpet. Straight ahead were French doors that led onto a deck. To the left was a bed for a princess with a wooden canopy and filmy white curtains. The bedroom was done in shades of lavender and pale gray.

  “I’ve been working on this room for a while,” Kelly said with a smile. “It has the best view.”

  In the corner of the room three steps led up to another pair of French doors. Kelly opened the doors with a flourish and Jordan stared. The room was a hexagon shape with floor to ceiling glass covered in the gauzy yellow curtains. There was a sitting area with two couches, a separate armchair and desk.

  “It’s beautiful,” Jordan said.

  Kelly’s smile wavered. “Donovan asked me to decorate this room a year ago. Maybe he was planning to bring you home.”

  “That’s not possible,” Jordan said through stiff lips. “He never wanted anything to do with me.”

  “Donovan can be stupid and he says a lot of things he doesn’t mean, but you wouldn’t be here if he didn’t want you to be.”

  Once again, Jordan held her tongue. Kelly walked onto the deck and a cool breeze swept into the room. Jordan stepped out and saw that the deck extended along the top floor of the house.

  Jordan inhaled. “What’s that smell?”

  “Country,” Kelly said with a smile.

  “Country?”

  Kelly stared out into the darkness. “No place smells like Texas. Where are you from, Jordan?”

  “Nevada.” Jordan absently scratched her bandaged arm.

  “Are you okay? What happened?” Kelly reached out, but Jordan tucked her arms behind her back.

  “It’s nothing.”

  A strained silence fell over the two women as they examined one another. Kelly cocked her head to the side as she took in Jordan’s ill fitted clothes and gaunt appearance. Jordan had faint bruises and scars around her neck and both of her arms were bandaged. There was a dark stain on the knee of her jeans Kelly suspected was dried blood.

  “Who raised you?” Kelly asked.

  “Mostly foster parents.”

  Kelly took a step closer and Jordan waited for her to lash out. It was what she’d come to expect.

  “I don’t mean to be intrusive. It’s just- Donovan never told me about you.” Kelly looked out at the pastures dusted in faint moonlight and tried to get a hold on emotions that skittered everywhere. “I’m not at my best right now. I’m still in shock. Forgive me.”

  “You’re his wife?”

  Kelly nodded. “We don’t have any children.”

  “I found out he existed a few hours ago,” Jordan said.

  Kelly waved a shaking hand. “This is… a lot.”

  “I don’t have to be here.” There was no way Mr. Parker would let her stay if his wife didn’t want her here.

  Kelly’s eyes widened. “I want you here. It’s just that, when he told me to decorate this room, I assumed… Never mind.” She clasped Jordan’s face between warm palms. “Welcome home, daughter. Whatever you need, consider it given.” Kelly kissed her on the forehead. “First things first. Clothes. Have any?”

  When Jordan shook her head, Kelly clucked her tongue. She whisked out of the room and came back carrying a pair of sweat pants and an oversized shirt that said The Academy across the front.

  “You’re tired. In the morning, we can make a list of all the things you need.”

  “Thank you,” Jordan said, fingering the soft material that snagged on the calluses of her hand.

  Kelly smiled. “No problem.”
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  With that, Kelly walked out. Jordan moved unsteadily over to the bed and sat gingerly on the very edge of the mattress. Only in magazines had she ever seen a room so beautiful. Mr. Parker was wealthy and Jordan had absolutely no idea what to think of him. Kelly thought she would be staying indefinitely. Having a home and family was so foreign, she couldn’t conceive it. Maybe Mr. Parker had another unknown daughter and this was all a mistake.

  Banishing further thought for the moment, she walked into the bathroom and flipped on the lights. The bathroom was done in lavender and white tile. The bathroom contained a tub, shower stall and beautiful vanity with a huge rectangular mirror covering one wall. Even the towels matched.

  Very cautiously, she tiptoed on cool tile. Any moment now, she expected Mr. Parker to barge in, tell her she didn’t belong here and show her the door. She remained motionless for several minutes, but when Mr. Parker didn’t appear, she began to strip. Slowly, she unwrapped the bandages and winced when she had to pull her jeans away from her knee wound. She didn’t look at the nasty puncture wound on her arm, courtesy of William. Her whole body was battered and she swayed with exhaustion.

  She stepped into the shower and let warm water beat soothingly over her. Out of habit, she washed quickly. She crossed the tile to the vanity and opened up a cabinet on the side of the mirror. On the shelves were a hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, facial cleaner, rubber bands, headbands and moisturizer. Jordan stared in patent disbelief. She couldn’t understand why Kelly would buy all of these things for an empty room.

  With a towel wrapped around her wet hair and dressed in Kelly’s pajamas, Jordan walked back into the bedroom. She flipped on the light in the walk in closet and gaped. On either side of the closet were long metal poles to hang clothes. At the far end of the closet were cubbies for shoes. The closet was three times as big as her room in Haven. Hastily, Jordan closed the closet doors and faced the grand bedroom and shook her head. This can’t be for me, she thought. She draped the towel around her shoulders and walked onto the deck. The fresh air cleared her mind and she leaned against the railing, staring out into the night. First, her desperate escape from Haven, the massacre and now her father showing up after all this time… He was wealthy and angry and she so didn’t belong here. He would realize that soon enough.

  “Jordan?”

  Mr. Parker stood two feet from her.

  She turned to him and blurted, “Kelly showed me the wrong room.”

  “No, she didn’t.”

  She twisted her hands together. “Mr. Penn forced you to take me. I don’t have to stay here.” Her chest quaked and the fear of being put back into the system choked her, but she knew that world. This one... She didn’t belong here in this nice house with these people. She felt as if she were tainting the room just by bathing in it.

  “There’s a death certificate with your name on it. You don’t exist, Jordan. If the government found out someone faked your death, they’d launch an investigation. Penn got you out before they dug that deep.”

  “I don’t know why all of this is happening,” Jordan whispered. “I don’t belong here.”

  “There’s nothing to go back to. Kelly would kill me if I let you go.”

  Jordan blinked. “She doesn’t even know me.”

  “She doesn’t need to. All she knows is you’re hers now, the daughter she always wanted.” When Jordan stared at him, he shrugged. “Is it the room?”

  “No.”

  “It’s not too purple?”

  “No. I like purple.”

  He didn’t look surprised by that revelation. He waited for her to continue, but she didn’t know what else to say.

  “There’s no way out of this for either of us. Get some sleep,” he said.

  Mr. Parker walked to the opposite end of the deck and turned into what she assumed was his bedroom. Jordan walked into her room and stared at the bed for a minute before gingerly crawling across the soft covers and sliding beneath.

  The house was enfolded in silence. The quiet seemed menacing somehow. She sat up in bed with her back against the headboard and stared around the room. She lay back down and stared up at the canopy. After an hour of tossing on the soft bed, she dragged the comforter to the floor and lay with her back against the wall. She looked around the dark room and felt edgy and restless. She grit her teeth and lay face down on the floor, rubbing her face into the carpet, which smelled of lavender.

  Her body tensed as faint throbs of pain drifted through her body. Another hour passed without sleep. She wrapped the blanket around her, walked into the bathroom and locked the door. She clambered into the bathtub, curled into a ball and finally drifted into uneasy sleep.