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

hold on. Not a moment longer. The tears cascaded from my eyes and over my cheeks and I couldn’t stem the flow. Even if I’d wanted to, I couldn’t. My chest ached. The harder I sobbed, the more if hurt. Broken ribs really were a bitch.
    “Do you want to talk about it?” she offered kindly.
    “No,” I sobbed pathetically, wiping my dripping nose on my arm. I know it was disgusting and unladylike, but right now it was the least of my problems.
    “Sweetheart, you need calm down. It’s okay. You’re okay. Just let it out. I know that’s not your style, to just let yourself be vulnerable. I’ve known you since you were just a little girl, getting into mischief skinning your knees and dislocating your elbow. As long as I’ve known you, Zoe Sinclair, you’ve never let yourself just be. Right now you need to. Let it out, darling girl. It’s too much for you to hold in. It’s too much for anyone to hold in.”
    Her words filtered through and I found myself crying harder and harder. The moment I looked up into those warm, welcoming, sympathetic eyes, my heart broke. Perhaps the only part of me that wasn’t yet broken, cracked wide open.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
    SPENCER
     
    I heard the tears and I wanted to punch something. Anything―I didn’t care. It wasn’t just tears. They were heartbreaking, gut-wrenching sobs that sucked the breath from my body. My beautiful Zoe was battered and broken and bleeding. She was hurt and I couldn’t fix her. I couldn’t help her. I couldn’t put her back together. I couldn’t beat the bastard who was responsible for putting her in the hospital.
    And fuck did I want to.
    Pacing the hall, I couldn’t do anything more than worry and freak out and stress. I was worse than a fucking woman.
    Spying the familiarity of the blue uniformed guy at the end of the hallway, I found myself standing before him before I knew what was happening.
    “Derek!” I forced a smile, sticking out my hand for him to shake.
    “Spencer.” He groaned, ignoring my hand and pulling me in for an awkward man hug. “Is it true? Is it really Zoe?”
    “Yeah.”
    Derek had always been there. Always been beside us. He’d been my best mate since before we could walk and there was nothing about my life he didn’t know. It was the best and worst thing about growing up in a small town. Everyone knew everything about everyone. There was no denying it and no secrets.
    “Well, shit! Has she said what happened?”
    His question was innocent enough but I barely contained the desire to beat his ass into next week. “Nope. I haven’t asked.” I knew I was gutless. I should have asked. The truth was, a big part of me didn’t want to hear the answer. Once it was out there, it couldn’t be taken back. Not ever. The words would haunt me forever.
    “Okay.”
    “Don’t look at me like that!”
    “Spence, you know I have to ask, don’t you?”
    “I know,” I spat through gritted teeth.
    “I’m going to have to ask you some questions too.” Derek shrugged nonchalantly. “Come down to the station later?”
    “I’ll be there,” I promised, clasping him on the shoulder.
    “Cheers. But that can wait. More importantly, how’s our girl?”
    “Off the record?”
    “Absolutely!” he implored vehemently.
    “Honestly? She’s a fucking mess. She won’t admit it and she isn’t saying anything but she’s a total disaster. She’s still Zoe, though. Stubborn as a mule.” I forced a smile.
    “That’s our girl!” He smiled sadly.
    Swallowing the lump in my throat, I wanted to burst into tears. “Yeah, she sure is.”
    “You still in love with her?” Derek asked unexpectedly.
    The coughing fit caught me unawares. “What are you talking about? I’m not in love with Zoe,” I denied honestly.
    “Whatever you say, Spencer.”
    “I’m not.”
    “Okay.”
    “I’m not.” My palms were sweaty and my heart was beating so fast it was going to bust through my chest any