Coming Home (Homeward Bound Series Book 1) Read Online Free

physical pain ever could.
    “I’ll be back,” he added gruffly as he shuffled out the door with his hands buried in his pockets.
    I watched him go and couldn’t help that my eyes were drawn to his tight butt. Dark denim stretched tight across his spectacular arse. My heart raced and the beeping on the machine increased and went haywire.
    For a couple of minutes I was alone with my scattered thoughts and I was thankful for that. I hadn’t realised how much I just needed a moment to catch my breath. A moment to take stock. I’d come home to the only home I’d ever known. To the place which, for so long had been my safe haven, as soon as I had the thought goose pimples covered my body. All that had been taken away from me.
    A faint knock on the door shook me from my dark thoughts. “Excuse me.”
    I raised my head and my eyes locked with a small grey-haired nurse. She had calm, caring, and compassion etched into every wrinkle. She had dazzling green eyes that sparkled with years of wisdom. There was something more there. Something I didn’t understand. Something I couldn’t place. But I wasn’t scared.
    “Hi,” I growled. I hadn’t realised how dry my throat was until that moment when I went to speak and it barely came out audible.
    “You gave us all quite a scare, Zoe,” she scolded half-heartedly.
    “More than just a bloody scare, I’d say,” Spencer growled, stepping back into view. He lent on the door frame, his muscular forearms folded across his wide chest casually.
    “Spencer!” she chastised.
    I couldn’t hold back the smile. It pulled on my cheek. Bloody hell, it hurt like a bitch.
    “I didn’t realise how much seeing you smile would make my day,” Spencer replied, his eyes never wavering from mine.
    “Spencer McLaren, get your butt out of this room before I give you a hiding!” the nurse admonished.
    With a dramatic sigh and over exaggerated huff, Spencer pulled himself upright and dug his hands back in his pockets. “I’ll be just outside if you need me.” He sounded so strong. There was no room for argument or debate. I thought he was going to spin on his heel and do as he was told, but if he did that…well then, he wouldn’t be Spencer. My Spencer. So instead, he strode across the room pointedly, dropped a light kiss on my forehead, winked at me, and then marched from the room.
    “Just call me if you need me!” he tossed over his shoulder.
    “Out!”
    For a couple of minutes I watched as the green-eyed nurse checked monitors, my IV lines, and changed the hanging bags of medication. Then she turned on me and I can’t explain the sheer terror that flooded my body. I knew, deep down, that she wouldn’t hurt me. It didn’t make it any easier to swallow. I was paralysed with fear that she was going to ask how. Ask why. Ask what. Those were questions I didn’t have the answers to.
    I didn’t realise I was shaking until she called me on it. When a frigid hand landed lightly on my wrist, I jumped, sending scorching pain through my body. “Breathe, Zoe. It’s okay. You’re going to be fine.”
    “Okay,” I heard the word tumble from my lips and tried to force myself to believe it.
    “Zoe! Zoe, look at me. I need you to look at me.” Her voice was so soft, it was like a thick, warm blanket wrapped around me. I felt my shoulders sag with relief. “You are safe. You are loved. And you are going to be all right. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Neither is that boy just outside the door. Right now…right now I need you to let me take a look at you.”
    I didn’t mean to, but I felt myself cringe.
    Twenty minutes later I had tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t say a word. I’d been poked and prodded and bathed in ointment. Not a word had been spoken. It was torture, pure and simple.
    “Zoe, sweetheart, you will be okay. I promise.” I don’t know if it was the sincerity in her words or her motherly tone that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I couldn’t