Rendered (Irrevocable Series Book 1)

by Samantha Jacobey

  “You mean you had him…spying on me?” Her disbelief evident, her eyes narrowed in anger.

  “Yeah.” He nodded, toying with his half empty mug. “I wanted to see if you would lie to me. Or if you were gonna be honest.” He shrugged, not sure if it was a wise choice to reveal their connection. He knew she would discover it eventually and saw no point in continuing the farce. “You have Caleb walk you home every night, an’ he’ll watch out for you.”

  “Anyone else I should be on the lookout for? Any other spies who’ll be reporting on me?”

  “No,” he clipped the word crisply. “Just Caleb, my best friend’s son.”

  “Well, I’m glad we got that out in the open, then. And I guess this is goodnight.” Bailey didn’t wait to hear any more and stomped out of the room. Her family had always been centered on respect and honesty. Closing the door to her bedroom, she flopped down on her bed and stretched out on her belly, turning her head so that she could see the nightstand beside her.

  And here I thought I was the one being deceitful, she grumbled to herself, staring at the long edge of her Dewitt phone in disgust. But it turns out ol’ Uncle Pete was on to you from the beginning. Or rather, didn’t trust her from the beginning. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep, not sure if things had been resolved or if her troubles had only just begun.

  Thirteen

  Keeper

  Bailey sat on her bed, listening to her brothers’ laughter in the front room. They were playing one of the games that Peter had provided for them and making quite a ruckus about it. Slipping into her jeans and a tee, she crept down the hall in her bare socks to peek in on them.

  Standing at the entrance to the living area, she could see the giant screen of the television. Her eyes grew wide as she realized that one of them played a sniper, shooting people at a distance and laughing as blood squirted from their heads.

  “What the hell are you doing?” she blurted out, stomping into the room. “This doesn’t look like a game for kids!”

  Startled by her sudden appearance, Jess leapt to his feet. “It’s ok, sis. Pete got it for us!” He looked so small, standing before her and waving his hands to emphasize his point. “It’s called Call of Duty, and it’s about saving people.”

  “Saving people,” she spoke loudly. “It looks like it’s about killing people!” Anger boiled over inside her, and she whirled around, prepared to confront her uncle about his choice of entertainment for her young siblings.

  “What seems to be the problem?” Peter spoke calmly from the hallway behind her while using a towel on his freshly washed curls.

  “The problem?” she shrieked. “You let them play this? This crap isn’t fit for anyone, much less a pair of nine-year-old boys! Are you out of your ever-loving mind? They’re shooting people!”

  “They’re not real people,” he replied snidely, moving past her and making his way into the kitchen. Dropping the towel on the back of a chair, he began pulling things out of the fridge and placing them on the counter. “You boys want pancakes today?”

  “Yes!” they sang out in unison, not missing a beat on the electronic blood fest.

  Bailey stood, jaw hanging open for a full minute, her eyes moving back and forth from her brothers and their rampage, to her uncle and his calm acceptance of it. Finally, she found her voice. “You really don’t see a problem with this?” She indicated the pair with an open palm.

  Staring at her through the narrow window that connected the kitchen to the living area, her guardian blinked at her for a moment. Finally he shook his head. “No, I don’t have a problem with it. They’re boys, Bailey. Guts and gore comes naturally, an’ the sooner they get tough, the better off they’ll be.”

  Glancing back at the pair seated on the floor, she managed to close her mouth, making a disgusted sound as she did. “Mom and Dad would be furious if they knew this was happening.”

  “Well, like we discussed last night, your mom and dad are gone.” Peter went back to preparing his batter. “It’s just us now. We’re the family, an’ that means we go by what I think’s best. I don’t believe it’s gonna hurt them, an’ you need t’ back me up on this.”

  “Back you up?” She glared at him. “I may not be able to do anything about it, but I’m damn sure not going to back you up.” Storming back to her room, she slammed the door behind her. Son of a bitch. I can’t believe that he’s actually allowing them to play that shit. Wait, allow isn’t the word. He’s encouraging it!

  Moving to the bathroom a short time later, the girl put on her makeup and styled her hair. Still sulking, she made her way to the kitchen and helped herself to what remained of the pancakes, taking care to sit with her back to the television. Her hunger satisfied, she returned to her room to finish some schoolwork until time to head across the street for her shift at the shop.

  Exiting the apartment, she heard her uncle call out to her, “Remember, straight there and straight home!”

  “Yes, I know,” she replied tartly, closing the door harder than necessary.

  Bailey arrived at work with only a few minutes to spare and felt relieved to see that Caleb was not seated in the dining area, at least not yet. Back in the office, she put her purse away and straightened herself, noting the dark marks on her face were fairly visible when you looked at her squarely. Inhaling deeply, she steeled herself for the comments she felt sure she would receive during the night.

  Out front, she took her place at the register and began taking orders. Deep down, she felt glad that she had proven exceptional at running the device, as cleaning the lobby had been a boring job at best and meant that she would have been stuck where Caleb would have easy access to her if he wanted it.

  Her thoughts fell to the young blond between customers, and her anger at him grew. He could have told me he was my keeper. Neglecting to do so was a lie, plain and simple. Trying to force herself to think about other things, she quickly realized there was no good news in her life and hadn’t been in a while.

  At almost seven thirty, the man in question made his appearance. Stepping up to the counter, he had a fair amount of grime on his face and his shirt covered in some kind of light-colored powder.

  “What will you have?” she asked curtly.

  “Hi!” He smiled, showing his clean white teeth. “I trust you’ve had a better day than me!” He laughed loudly.

  “No, I haven’t,” she spat angrily. “I know who you are, so you can wipe that stupid grin off your face and give me your order.”

  His smile slowly faded, and he spoke more gruffly, “I’ll take a cheeseburger with the works and an extra-large fry. An’ make it a combo.”

  “Yes, sir. Twelve seventy-six.” She held out her hand for his card. Swiping it, she handed it back to him along with his cup. “You’re number five nineteen. Go sit down!”

  Caleb pursed his lips at her surliness, his own blood beginning to boil. “Sure thing, princess.” He pointed a finger at her. “But be sure t’ come an’ see me when you get your break.” Walking away, his shoulders drooped, and he filled his cup while glaring at her openly. Tossing the book on the table, he flipped through the pages to find his place and began reading.

  “Asshole,” Bailey muttered under her breath while rolling her eyes.

  The next guy in line looked around in shock, pointing at himself with an extended thumb. “You talkin’ to me?”

  “No, sir,” she perked up, taking his order and smoothing things over.

  At eight o’clock, she was given her break and gathered her dinner. Standing with her tray in hand, she slid her tongue around inside her cheek, considering eating in the office to avoid him. Deciding to tackle the issue head on, she stomped into the lobby and plunked down on the leather bench facing him.

  “You’re a real son of a bitch, you know that?” she hissed. “And what the hell’re you doing still reading that stupid book? I told you. I know who you are, and I know why you’re here. You can quit acting like you belong.”

  Calm
ly closing the text, the man across from her clenched his jaw, causing the muscles in his neck to bulge slightly. “Le’s get one thing straight, princess. I really do have a job here, and I am takin’ a class. So, I will read whatever the fuck I want. I’m tired! I’ve had a long, hard day, jus’ like yesterday, jus’ like tomorrow’s gonna be. The last thing I’m gonna do is sit here an’ take shit from you!”

  Bailey’s mouth fell open, aware that she had never had anyone speak to her that way before. Even last night, when her uncle was angry, he had been more respectful. “You can’t leave,” she replied more calmly. “Uncle Pete says you’re here to look after me or keep tabs on me or some crap like that.”

  “Yeah.” He nodded, folding his hands in front of him. “I am. My dad sent me, so I took the job to make some money while you’re in school. You know, to contribute to the community.”

  “What community!” She flung her hands up and looked around. “You’re not from here, so who cares if you work here or not?”

  “Not...this one,” he managed through gritted teeth, then leaned back in the seat and ran his hand through his hair, only making it worse. “I need a shower,” he continued more calmly.

  “Yes, you do. You’re a mess.” She frowned. “Why didn’t you go get one before you came in here?”

  “Because I was afraid if I went home, I wouldn’t make it back over here, all right?” His voice sounded strained, still filled with raw emotion. “Look, Bailey…” He flopped forward, leaning on the table. “Neither one o’ us’re callin’ the shots here. Between your uncle an’ my old man, we’re jus’ th’ pawns. Fightin’ ain’t gonna do either of us any good.”

  Glancing at her plate, he flicked his fingers at it. “You should eat. Your break’s gonna be over before you can finish.”

  Lifting a strip of chicken, the girl reluctantly complied. Watching her, Caleb’s anger began to subside, and he knew he needed to have his say. “I really am sorry about your parents. I know losing them was hard.”

  Bailey cut her eyes up at him while continuing to eat, hoping to finish before she had to return to the front.

  Turning to look out the window, Caleb watched the lights on the street for a moment, then pushed on. “I’m not really your babysitter…or jailer. They’re worried about you. They didn’t want you gettin’ into any trouble.”

  Finished with the meal, the girl wiped her face on one of the brown paper napkins from the rack. “That’s why you followed me and Ked?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded, stabbing the table with a stiff index finger. “An’ that means they was right. You did need lookin’ after. So we should call a truce an’ make the best of it.”

  “No, thanks,” she retorted, getting to her feet and taking her trash with her.

  Returning his hand to his hair, Caleb sat for a moment, then made his way to the bathroom to try and remove at least some of the dirt from his arms and face. Back at his table, he gathered his things, preparing to wait outside for the remaining few minutes before he walked his charge home. Beyond the exit, the cool spring air felt refreshing, and he leaned against the wall for what turned out to be a short wait.

  When Bailey came out the door, she headed to the light with long strides. Catching up to her, Caleb caught her arm and spun her around to face him. “Ok, if this is how it’s gonna be, I wanna make one thing clear.”

  “What’s that?” Her green eyes sparkled like embers beneath the streetlamps.

  “You wanted a friend.” His nostrils flared as he spoke.

  “Friends don’t lie and keep secrets from each other.” She lifted her chin bitterly, yanking her arm free.

  “That’s a child’s view o’ the world. You better grow up, princess, ’cause nothin’ is black an’ white!”

  Bailey stomped her foot and wrinkled her nose. “Why do you keep calling me princess?”

  “Because you are,” he half sneered. “You grew up with rich parents in a big house, an’ you reek o’ money an’ privilege. But you’re in a different world now, an’ all that shit is gone.”

  Her brow furrowed at his emphasis of the word gone, but he ploughed on.

  “If you wanna make it here, make it in Lawson…you better get yourself together. There ain’t no place for the weak, an’ ain’t nobody gonna carry your ass. You’ll either get with the program or you’ll get left in the cold.”

  “Lawson?” she demanded, crossing her arms.

  “That’s where we live. That’s our community. It’s where your uncle’s been takin’ the boys to get them acclimated. You’re the one no one’s sure about. An’ like I said, you better get your shit together,” his voice had dropped to a low growl, and he glanced down at her slender frame. “That’s all I can say. That, an’ we can be friends if you want. An’ if you don’t, then fuck off. Light’s green.” He pointed, indicating that it was time to go.

  Fourteen

  Walk the Line

  Bailey climbed the stairs slowly, Caleb’s words turning in her mind. They hadn’t spoken to one another since he had told her to fuck off, and that was fine with her. Reaching the top, she turned towards the end of the balcony and the door to the apartment. Glancing down, she could see he stood, arms folded across his chest, waiting for her to go inside.

  Letting herself in, she wasn’t surprised to find her uncle once again sitting half naked in his favorite spot. Thankfully, he didn’t speak when she entered and allowed her to go to her room in peace. Closing the portal behind her, she noticed that her hands had begun to tremble, partly out of anger but mostly out of fear.

  Glaring down at the Dewitt phone, she knew she had one chance to save herself and her brothers. Lifting it, she quickly flipped through her list of contacts. Reaching over to ensure the door was locked, she moved to the far side of the room, putting her back into the corner and sliding down the wall beside her ironing board. Biting the side of her thumb, she listened to the ring.

  “Nanna?” her voice cracked when the call connected. “Nanna! It’s me, Bailey!” She sobbed loudly, clutching the phone and pressing it against her ear.

  “Bailey? What time is it?” She sounded groggy, and the girl could tell she had woken the older woman.

  “It’s late, Nanna.” She sniffed loudly. “But I had to call. We need your help.”

  “My help? What’s happened? Where’s your uncle?”

  “He’s here.” She took a ragged breath. “Something’s wrong though, Nanna. He had some guy watching me. He told me things tonight, something about some other town where they’re going to take us. And he’s letting the boys play horrible games and teaching them how to kill people.”

  “How to kill people!?! Good lord, Bailey, would you stop blubbering and start making sense? Let me speak to Peter—right now!” The woman’s voice had become shrill.

  “I can’t.” Bailey wiped at the tears. “You have to believe me! Something isn’t right here! We need you to come and get us and take us home!”

  At that moment, her bedroom door swung wide, and her uncle swept into the room, butter knife in hand. Easily locating the girl in her semi-hidden position, he snatched the phone from her hand, glancing down at the screen. Lifting the device to his ear, he said simply, “Hello, Mother.”

  Bailey couldn’t hear what her grandmother said, but his expression remained calm. “Yes, I know it’s late. I’m sorry. She’s just upset. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.” Ending the call, he stared down at the black screen for a moment before offering it to her. “You’re stuck here, Bailey-girl. My mother doesn’t want you there. Believe me, I tried to convince her to let you stay. Do you wanna finish this school year?”

  The girl stared up at him, brushing her auburn hair out of her eyes. “What do you mean do I want to finish school this year?”

  “We’re going to The Ranch. Soon. If you wanna finish this year, you better’d walk the line.” His hand stiff, he pointed the tips of his fingers at her sharply. “If I have any more trouble outta you, we’ll leave, an’ you won’t
get the chance t’ finish the year. You got that?”

  Bailey gaped at him, terror causing her chest to heave. “And what if I don’t walk the line? Do you think you can force me to do what you want?”

  The grin spread slowly across his face, and her eyes dropped to stare at the salt and pepper curls that covered his muscular chest. She wasn’t sure what she had expected him to say, but the fact that he left the room without saying anything, closing the door quietly behind him, scared her more than any words he could have spoken.

  After a fitful night of sleep, Bailey awoke early the next morning and stared at the ceiling for several minutes. Taking her clothes into the bathroom, she had a hot shower and prepared for the day. She thought her world had been turned upside down when her parents died. I guess that was only the beginning, she sulked.

  Grabbing her purse and backpack, she sat them on the end of the couch and joined Peter in the kitchen. Seeing the usual eggs, bacon, and toast, she took her seat on the far side of the table, facing him, and remained quiet.

  Setting the dish in front of her, her guardian filled his own and a cup of coffee. Maintaining the silence, the pair cleaned their plates. Leaving her to deal with the dishes, he went to get the boys dressed for school. Half an hour later, they were ready to leave and made their way down the stairs and into the parking lot.

  During the drive, Bailey considered what Ked might think of her missing the bus. Of course, he should be in class, and she briefly wondered how he would react to her presence. Exhaling a loud sigh, she tried not to let it bother her, as there wasn’t really anything she could do beyond muddle through and stay out of trouble, as her uncle had demanded.

  Glancing over her left shoulder, she could see Jase sitting behind the driver’s seat, watching the traffic out his window and bouncing his feet merrily. Still considering her options, she quickly realized that she could get away alone if she wanted to run. He said he tried to get Nanna to keep me. He really doesn’t want me here, so if I ran, he’d probably let me go.