All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan Read Free Book Online

appointments.”
    â€œOh.” She held silent for a moment, staring into the vast desert night, suddenly feeling an uncomfortable weight on her chest. A car flew past in the opposite lane. There wasn’t much traffic out here. Not much of anything at all. Just wilderness. Wide-­open mesas and stark mountains. She fiddled with the strap of her handbag. “I suppose I could accompany you again—­”
    â€œYou don’t have to do that, Briar,” he quickly cut in.
    â€œI don’t mind,” she heard herself say, and then wondered who she had become. She could almost hear her sister calling her crazy again.
    He glanced at her before facing the road again. “If you’re certain. That would be much appreciated. Bless you, Briar. You’ll receive full wages again, of course.”
    She nodded, and waved a hand as though it didn’t matter, but of course it did. She was saving to buy a house. A home of her own. The house was part of the dream she was working toward. Just one piece of it. The other piece was advancing in her career. Would she have volunteered to accompany Dr. Walker if she wasn’t angling for that promotion? Especially considering how uncomfortable she felt working at the prison? Doubtful. Her less than altruistic motives didn’t make her feel particularly proud of herself, but then it was the reality. She grew up watching her father mistreat her mother day in and day out. Why would she want to surround herself with men like him?
    The rest of the drive passed in relative silence, and Dr. Walker was soon pulling into the parking lot of the clinic. “I’ll pick you up here at seventy-­thirty again.”
    She nodded her thanks and stepped out of the car. With a small wave at her boss, she slipped inside her car and started the engine. Dr. Walker waited until she had her seat belt on before driving away.
    She followed him out of the parking lot, turning in the opposite direction. Dr. Walker lived in a big house outside of town. Her town house was five minutes away.
    She appreciated living in close proximity to work, especially as bone-­tired as she felt. She just wanted to kick off her shoes, curl up on her couch and devour the leftover lo mein waiting for her. As much as she enjoyed puttering around her kitchen and cooking, tonight was definitely not a night to stand over a stove.
    All the parking spots in front of her building were taken and she had to park a ­couple buildings down. It was a nice complex. Not luxury living, but then, there was no luxury housing in Sweet Hill. At least not among the apartments and town houses. Still, it was one of the nicer complexes in town. The tan stucco was clean. Cacti and Mexican heather served as most of the landscaping.
    She was on the second floor. A fact she’d hated when moving in two years ago. Well, mostly her brother-­in-­law hated it, since he was the one who lugged all her furniture upstairs with the help of his brother. She wouldn’t think of asking her dad. She didn’t want his help with anything.
    She was fumbling for her key when the door across from hers opened. Children’s voices crowded the air.
    â€œC’mon, Noah, get your flip-­flops on,” Shelley ordered, holding her three-­year-­old’s hand as she waited on her five-­year-­old. “No, those are your brother’s flip-­flops. Do they look like they fit you? Get the camo ones.”
    Shelly looked up and caught sight of Briar. “Hey, there. How was your day? We’re going to get something to eat. I’m in the mood for nachos. Want to join?”
    Briar shook her head. “I’m beat. Maybe next time.”
    Noah finally stepped out into the hall in the appropriate flip-­flops, and Shelley locked the door behind them.
    â€œBeebee.” Tyler rushed forward and hugged Briar, wrapping his chubby arms around her legs and nearly knocking her over.
    She patted the