Read Online Liberty At Last (The Liberty Series) by Leigh James - Free Book Online Page A

possible. I’d fallen asleep with his coat in the back, near Catherine. She was asleep, too, her head hanging at an odd angle, like she was a rag doll.
    I sat up and tried to wake her. “Catherine. We’re almost to the hotel,” I said. She woke up quickly, squinting at me like I was a bad dream.
    “We need to take her cuffs off,” I said to John. I wasn’t sure how this was going to work. “Where are we?”
    “Austin,” John said. “I’ll send the guys up first. Then we’ll go up through the side door, or something.”
    I looked down at myself and winced. “I’d like to go through the side door,” I said. “I’ll scare everyone in the lobby.”
    John came into the back. “You need to rest,” he said, and kissed me lightly on the forehead. He turned and saw Catherine watching us with mild interest. “So do you, honey,” he said gently, looking at her.
    “Don’t ‘honey’ me, John. Don’t you ever get tired of all the platitudes?” she asked, and yawned. “I know mom sure did.”
    I watched his whole body tense. “Your mother misses you,” John said, ignoring her snub. “Not that you’ve asked.”
    “Your girlfriend already filled me in. I’m sure Mom’s fine — always is,” she said, sounding bored. “Are we getting out of here? Because I really need to pee. I need to wash my bleeding foot. And I desperately need a cigarette.”
    “What?” asked John horrified. Out of everything, this is what he was going to freak out over — the fact that she smoked. He’d never sounded like such a dad to me before.
    Catherine let out an exasperated sigh. “I am twenty-four years old,” she said. “I smoke. I swear. I actually really want some vodka, too, once I take a shower.”
    John just stared at her. Oh honey, you don’t know the worst of it, I thought. What was he thinking? If the drinking and smoking bothered him, he was in for the nastiest surprise of his life. She’d put out cigarettes on me for fun.
    Did he think this could still be his little girl, after years of violence?
    Someone rapped on the side of the van and I jumped. Matthew opened the door. “Must be a slow night because I got three rooms, all adjacent,” he told John. He handed him the card keys. “You want me to do some shopping?” he asked.
    “Yes,” said John. “Are you up for it?”
    “I’m fine,” said Matthew, looking at the three of us. “I’m pretty sure I’m doing better than you guys.”
    “I need clothes for the girls,” John said. “Mediums and smalls. Pajamas, clothes, shoes. Toiletries. Deodorant.” I laughed when he said that. “Get poor Liberty some pretzels, candy bars, and a book or a magazine. And Catherine would like a pack of cigarettes.”
    “Actually, I’d like a carton of cigarettes. And a bottle of good vodka,” Catherine snapped.
    John sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Thanks Matthew. Call me if you need me.”
    “D’you want me to send one of the guys back down?” Matthew asked, eying Catherine.
    “I got it,” John said. He didn’t stop pinching the bridge of his nose, though.
    “Maybe get some Ibuprofen, too,” I told Matthew. He looked at John.
    “I have a headache,” I said, defensively.
     

 

     
     
    I’d never had a shower feel so good in my whole life. I washed my hair four times. When I ran out of shampoo, I called for John. He brought more from the guy’s room. I shaved, for the first time in many weeks, and ran my hands down my legs when I was done. They were so smooth they were like new.
    I noticed I was still shaky when I got out of the shower. The mirror was covered in steam, so I used a towel so I could see myself. I inhaled sharply when I saw my reflection. My cheekbones protruded painfully from my face. My collarbones jutted out from my chest; even my neck looked painfully thin, breakable. My head looked too big for my body now. Even my breasts looked small.
    I’d managed to hold down half of my meal, but I had a long way to go. I kept