Tainted Cure (The Rememdium Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

is gonna break me. Right in two.”
    Her cell phone buzzed with an incoming call. Regina exited the car, a wide smile on her face. Ever since they were born, the bond between her and Reed was sometimes eerie.
    “Your timing is perfect as usual. I was on the verge of a major pity party.”
    “One of the many perks of being a twin is sensing disturbances in our mutual force,” Reed’s laughter was deep and hardy. “So, you home now? How was your shift?”
    Unlocking the front door, Regina flicked on the lights and held in a deep sigh. Though she loved Reed with ferocity, hearing his voice made her miss his presence all the more. He’d moved to Laredo, Texas over twenty-five years ago after joining U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. When Fred was still alive, they made the yearly trek to Laredo for Christmas. The tradition ended when Fred died. After Jesse ran away, Regina refused to go, preferring to not celebrate the holidays without her daughter. The plan to revive the holiday visit on her own ended when she found Jesse two weeks ago. She hadn’t seen her brother since Fred’s funeral, and Regina missed him more than she was willing to admit out loud.
    “I’m sure not quite as exciting as yours. Aren’t you supposed to be keeping our borders safe from drugs and bad guys?”
    “Only on days I’m at work.”
    Regina stopped in mid-stride as goosebumps appeared on her arms and neck. “You aren’t in Laredo, are you? Don’t tell me you drove over seven-hundred miles…?”
    Racing to the front room, Regina pushed the curtains back and peeked out the window. Headlights blinked twice then shut off. Under her breath, she muttered, “I’ll be damned!”
    Tossing her phone on the couch, Regina opened the door and stepped outside. Reed climbed out from behind the wheel of his SUV. In seconds, his hulking 6’4” frame lumbered up the driveway to the porch. He flung his beefy arms around Regina’s shoulders.
    “You should have told me you were comin’! You know, given me a chance to cook somethin' for dinner?”
    Reed smiled and held up a sack of food with a big, red bow on top. The smells wafting from inside gave away the fact it was Italian. “Which is exactly why I didn’t give you fair warnin’. You can’t cook for squat. Here, take this inside so I can get my bags.”
    “Ass,” Regina replied, giving Reed’s arm a playful smack. “Wait, bags? And what’s the deal with the freakin’ bow? Your way of sayin’ Italian take-out is what you got me for Christmas?”
    “Yes, bags. They come in quite handy when someone moves. You know, to store all your belongin’s in? Ain’t no way I’d let the movers handle my treasured collection of hats and boots.”
    Regina’s heart thudded in her chest. She looked down at the bag and noticed a note was attached. Reaching inside the door, she flicked on the porch light and peered at the paper. Written in her brother’s atrocious scrawl, it read, “An Italian feast to celebrate my retirement with.”
    “You…retired? Boots? Hats? Are you movin’ back for good?” Regina stopped as her voice cracked with emotion.  She watched her brother amble up the steps carrying two large suitcases on each side.
    “Yep. I need to be here to help my niece. Oh, and her mother. She’s sort of a scatterbrain at times. Then again, the bowl of lemons she’s been handed hasn’t helped much. The way I figured, she needed someone rough and tough to lean on. Remember all the years you’ve given me grief about not marryin’ or havin’ kids and I always said I had my reasons? Well, takin’ care of you and yours would be one of the answers.”
    Reed grinned and walked past her, turning his body sideways while passing through the threshold. Dumbstruck, Regina simply stared at his rigid back. She couldn’t believe he was home.
    Rather than bursting into tears from the amazing turn of events, Regina followed Reed inside and shut the door. Just as she’d done her entire life, she