Line of Fire

Line of Fire Read Online Free PDF Page A

Book: Line of Fire Read Online Free PDF
Author: Jo Davis
of his parents’ car, Tommy grimaced as his dad hit every bump in Cheatham County, and tried like hell to hold in the stream of curses threatening to erupt. Wasn’t their fault his head was pounding, he was pissed as shit, and ready to shoot somebody.
    Namely the fucker who’d snatched the opportunity to enjoy Shea’s company on Saturday clean away from him.
    How well did she know this dude? How long had they been going out? Had they . . .
    His mom’s worried voice cut into his bleak thoughts. “You okay back there, sweetheart?”
    Had he groaned aloud? “Fine, Mom.” For the life of him, he couldn’t manage to sound cheerful. Thankfully, his folks wouldn’t expect him to be Mr. Sunshine after what happened at the construction site. They’d be wrong about the reason for his sullen mood, though.
    Bethany Skyler half turned in the front passenger seat to frown at him, and tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear. “I still wish they’d kept you overnight. Damned insurance jackals, shoving people out the door before they can even see straight.”
    Any other day, his mom’s feisty protective streak would’ve made him smile and crack a joke. But he knew how shaken she was and couldn’t bring himself to make light of that. “Insurance had nothing to do with it,” he said, attempting to soothe her lingering fear. “The CAT scan was fine. I’m just banged up some, so there was no reason for me to take up a bed someone else needs.”
    “Still.” With a disgusted humph, she faced front again.
    “Are you sure you won’t let us take you home? Just overnight?” This from his dad, Donald Sr., who glanced at him in the rearview mirror.
    Home to his parents’ would always be the house where they’d raised him and Donny. Not the cramped little apartment Tommy had insisted on moving into last year. In a way, he still felt guilty, as though he’d abandoned them when they desperately needed to cling to their remaining son. But his brother had been gone for two years by then, and Tommy knew it was time to cut the apron strings—for the second time.
    No matter how much he loved them, he needed to be his own man, not a ghost of a little boy haunting his parents’ home.
    And yet . . .
    “Sure,” he heard himself say. “That would be great.”
    His dad blew out a breath and cracked a small smile. “Super. We’ll get you all settled in, and you can rest.”
    He didn’t know what had made him relent. Maybe it was to see the deep lines of stress disappear from his dad’s brow. To watch the tension drain from his mother’s slim shoulders.
    Or maybe he just needed to be fed chicken soup and fussed over by the two people who would always love him. Unconditionally. Or they were supposed to, anyway.
    His folks exchanged a quick glance—the one all parents master that’s filled with indecipherable meaning—and fell silent. It made him feel very much like the kid most of his buddies referred to him as, and for once, he didn’t mind.
    He just felt safe.
    Especially when his dad pulled into the drive and the warmth of their nice, older neighborhood embraced him like an old friend. He pictured Donny stepping onto the front porch to greet him, pull him into a brotherly hug. Peer at his face, tease him about getting into a fight with a Weed Eater or some other wise-assed comment—
    “You getting out of the car, son?”
    “Yes, sir.” He hadn’t even noticed they’d parked. His dad stood on the drive with Tommy’s door open, dark brows furrowed, waiting to see if he required a hand.
    Unfolding himself from the sedan proved to be more difficult than he’d anticipated. His body groaned in protest, already stiff and sore. But he made it without help and trailed his parents into the house. Once he was up and moving, it wasn’t so bad.
    Not compared to the ache deep in his chest. One that had nothing to do with cuts and bruises.
    “Want to go lie down for a while?” his mom suggested.
    How did moms do that? Make a
Read Online Free Pdf

Similar Books

Blood Bond 3

William W. Johnstone

Detour from Normal

Ken Dickson

Saline Solution

Marco Vassi

Saving Ruth

Zoe Fishman