Chapter 13
BAILEY - EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD
Teddy’s breathing is slow and steady as he lies facing me, dark curls cascading over his forehead.
Not wanting to wake him, I gently twirl the curls around my finger then release them, watching as they spring back up.
Even though we’re officially boyfriends now, I sometimes forget that it’s okay to touch him like this.
I gently stroke the arch of his brow while running my thumb over his cheekbone, studying his face.
The more I stare, the harder it is to push away the guilt.
I still haven’t told him the truth about everything.
I’m too scared that he’ll kick me out and send me back to my family.
It’s been almost a year since I’ve had contact with them.
I’ve managed to avoid Shane, for the most part, by sticking to Teddy like glue whenever we leave the house.
And I haven’t spoken to my mum at all since leaving.
She hasn’t even tried to call Teddy’s parents to ask if I’m okay. I guess she’s glad to be rid of me.
Teddy’s eyes flutter open, and I’m caught with my fingertip tracing his bottom lip. “Are you being a creeper, baby?” he asks, voice like gravel. His mouth curves up into a bright smile, eyes latching onto mine.
As soon as that word comes out of his mouth, memories of my stepdad bleed into my thoughts. I pull my hand away as if I’d been burnt. “Don’t call me that.”
“What? You don’t like me calling you baby?”
God, why won’t he stop saying it? I shake my head furiously, trying to stop myself from remembering the way Dean’s hand would rest on my lower back, and his hot breath would tickle my ear as he whispered, “Hey, baby boy.”
Teddy grips my chin between his fingers, forcing me to look at him. “I’ll call you whatever you want.” He rolls on top of me, caging me in, his larger body pressing down into mine, warm and solid. He kisses my forehead and says, “Darling,” with a deep Scottish burr.
Then a kiss to my cheek. “Honey.”
On my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “Love.”
Pulling back, his eyes jump to my lips, and he leans down to kiss me, tongue flicking along my bottom lip. My cock twitches, pushing eagerly against Teddy’s thigh as he shifts over slightly, erection hard against mine as he rolls his hips.
“I think … mo leannan,” he whispers.
I can’t focus. The torturously slow movement of his body isn’t enough for me to find release, so I grind myself against him quicker, in desperate motions.
“What does that mean?” I pant, looking into his eyes. When I see how dark they’ve got and the smirk dancing on his lips, a whimper escapes me as warmth floods my body.
Teddy chuckles, pushing off me, making his way down my body. His hands stroke across my chest, down to my hips. “It means ‘my sweetheart.’” Pausing his movements, his face is serious as he asks, “Is that okay?”
I nod, my brain flatlining when he hooks his thumbs into my briefs, drawing them slowly down.
My cock pulses as the fabric drags along the length, catching on the head roughly.
It springs free, slapping back against my stomach, pre-cum smearing in the hair there.
I lift my hips, desperate for his mouth.
Teddy dips his head down and runs the flat of his tongue from my balls to my tip.
I let out a choked cry, running my fingers through his hair, grabbing a fistful of curls.
His tongue rolls around the head of my cock as he pushes back the foreskin with his lips.
Then he takes me fully into the tight heat of his mouth.
I know I’m not going to last long, and thankfully Teddy doesn’t seem to have much patience either. He moves up and down quickly, quietly gagging when he takes me too deep.
“Teddy!” I gasp as he pushes all the way to my base, his throat squeezing so tight as he swallows around me that I lose what little control I had.
“I’m gonna—” His hand moves from my hip to my thigh, lifting my leg onto his shoulder.
Then, he drags a finger over my hole. My breath hitches as he starts sucking me harder, his finger pushing against my opening, and as soon as I feel it slip through my tight ring, I lose it.
White spots blind me for a moment. “Teddy, I’m gonna …
fuck, I’m coming,” I pant. My cock kicks in his mouth with every spurt of cum.
Teddy pulls his finger out slowly and crawls up my body. He leans over me, fisting his cock, tapping it against my lips. “Open up, mo leannan.”
My eyes flash to his, seeing them glint with mischief. I hold his gaze and open my mouth, letting my tongue loll out.
Teddy grips the headboard above me with one hand, while the other starts running over his length.
He keeps the head of his cock resting on my tongue, and I hold still, watching his face as the smirk fades, replaced by a deep frown.
He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, biting down as his hand movements jerk out of rhythm.
He grunts and pitches forward, arms shaking, and I feel the hot splash of his cum hit my tongue, and swallow it all down.
I feel his tongue drag across my stomach, then he collapses onto the bed, pulling me against him. He pushes his tongue into my mouth, feeding me my cum, and I groan at the taste of us mixed together, salty and a little sweet.
I never want to leave here.
With Teddy working at the coffee shop, I wander around town aimlessly, wasting the hours until he finishes his shift.
I’m about to go into the bookstore when my phone rings.
I freeze. No one ever calls me—Teddy would usually text.
I look at the number and see Unknown flashing across the screen.
Letting it go to voicemail, I slip my phone into my pocket and walk back towards the coffee shop instead, with what feels like the weight of a heavy stone in my stomach.
My phone rings again, and this time I hesitantly answer, holding it to my ear. “H-hello?”
“Hello, am I speaking to Bailey Townsend?”
“Um, yes?”
“Your mother was admitted to hospital this morning. She had a little accident and was brought in by the ambulance. She’s okay now and ready to be released. Would you be able to come pick her up?”
I overheat in an instant, and slip down a side road to lean against the cold brick wall. “W-what about my stepdad or brother, she won’t want me to—”
“We tried to get hold of your brother but there was no answer, and your stepfather is currently here on duty and can’t leave. He said we should try to contact you.”
Shit. Shit shit shit. I shouldn’t. I should make her wait there until Shane answers his damn phone. I hate that I’m instantly worried about her. I can’t help it. My body feels like it’s going into shock. “What happened?”
“She was found by a neighbour unconscious in her garden, and had sustained an injury to her ankle. Just a bad sprain, she’ll be okay after some rest ... so are you able to pick her up?”
“Okay,” I say, hanging up.
When I get to the hospital, I see my mum sitting in the reception area. Swallowing down my fear, I tell a member of staff I’m here to take her home. She looks up at me with watery blue eyes, barely focusing, and I can tell she’s been drinking again.
“Shane?” she asks.
I help her up and hand over the crutches the hospital provided before leading her out to the bus stop. She comes willingly, and I stay silent the whole way back to Banstead. Luckily, she sleeps for most of it, and I tell myself I’ll see her to the front door then go straight back to Teddy’s.
Once the front door’s unlocked, I turn to leave.
“Bye Mum,” I say, voice cracking. Everything I’ve been holding together snaps, knowing that I mean forever.
I never had the chance to say goodbye when I moved in with Teddy.
Not that she deserved it. She’d checked out of being a parent straight after Dad died.
“Bailey?” she says quietly.
I turn to look at her, tears blurring my vision. “Yeah.”
Her face turns to stone, and she shoves the door open, stumbling over cans and bottles that litter the floor as she makes her way to the living room.
I can’t help but step inside, taking in the mess before me.
Nothing’s changed. She’s still drinking, and no one’s bothering to keep the place clean.
The place stinks of stale beer and cigarette smoke.
“This is all your fault.” She points to her leg.
I freeze in the doorway.
“I found what you hid in the treehouse,” she slurs, “caught my ankle as I was trying to get down from the ladder. You’re sick, Bailey. I don’t understand where we went so wrong with you. Shane had told me you’d stopped doing it.”
A spike of fear lances through my chest as she picks up her phone, pointing it at me.
“Why did you come back? You should have stayed away.”
A breeze hits the back of my neck as the front door swings open and Shane comes in. “Hey, look who came home. Do we need to make a welfare check on Theo?” he says seriously.
I flinch at the accusation. I wouldn’t—I would never hurt Teddy.
“Shut up Shane,” Mum barks, glaring at me. “I want him gone. He’s fucked in the head—doing it all over again.”
Shane squints at me. “What’s happened?”
I open my mouth to speak, but invisible fingers wrap around my throat, making it impossible.
“Your brother is a fucking psychopath. Animals in the treehouse, mutilated. Just like what I used to find in his room.” Her face turns thunderous as she looks me dead in the eye.
“I should have told the police years ago what happened to your father. I protected you because I wanted to believe it was an accident. But it wasn't, was it? This shit has been going on for years.” She pushes the keypad on the phone three times, looking past me to Shane. “He’s never going to stop.”
I can’t breathe.
“What are you doing, Mum?” Shane asks, shoving past me.