Darkness Torn Asunder by Alexis Morgan Read Free Book Online Page B

that happened within a five-mile radius of the clinic. She no longer bothered arguing with them, not when nothing she said ever made a difference.
    They had never understood why she loved working at the clinic. It had all started back when Jana had been in college. Felicia had been her roommate, and they’d been close from the moment they’d met. But as time went on, between classes and jobs, they didn’t see much of each other. Somehow along the way, Felicia started using drugs, at first only occasionally to ease the stress of the heavy workload. From there, it was a slippery slope into full-blown addiction.
    Jana tried everything to get her friend the help she needed. But without insurance or money, the options were pretty limited. Finally, a doctor at a free clinic managed to pull some strings and got Felicia into a long-term program that proved successful. When she was due to be released, Felicia convinced her family to let her come home and to give her one more chance to start fresh somewhere else. They agreed, on one condition: she had to cut all ties with anyone connected to that dark part of her life. Unfortunately, that included Jana.
    Jana missed her friend to this day, but she’d always be grateful to that one doctor for saving her friend’s life. If not for him, Felicia might not be alive today; he’d also had a lasting effect on Jana’s life. She finished her education focused on one goal—to be the one who made a real difference in a person’s life, especially someone who didn’t have the resources so many others take for granted.
    It was a vocation, one she’d never regretted taking on.
    Meanwhile, Jana glanced at the clock and wondered how quickly she could end the call without offending her mother. “Look, Mom, I hate to cut you off, but I’m having someone I met at work over for dinner tonight. Tell Dad I love him.”
    Then she hung up before her mother could start the usual inquisition about anyone Jana hung out with these days. Normally, she would be happy to know Jana was dating someone, but she wouldn’t be at all pleased to know Emmett was a bartender much less that he’d spent fifteen years in prison. It wouldn’t matter in the least that he’d been wrongly convicted. Considering this was only their second official date, there was no reason to stir that particular hornets’ nest yet.
    Speaking of things her parents wouldn’t approve of, Jana had some definite ideas on how she hoped this evening would play out. Four days—and four lonely nights—had passed since she and Emmett had indulged in that scorching-hot make-out session on the hood of her car. Even now, her body ached from the need to finish what they’d started. She couldn’t remember the last time a man’s touch had affected her so strongly, and she’d tried without success to figure out what it was about Emmett that drew her. Maybe it was because he’d been dragged through hell and walked out on the other side with his basic decency and honor intact.
    Of course, those broad shoulders and that great ass didn’t hurt, either. Okay, that was enough fantasizing for now. The man himself would be there soon, and she needed to check on dinner. A peek in the oven showed the stuffed pork chops were coming along nicely, and the blueberry pie she’d made earlier was cooling on the counter.
    Jana was putting the finishing touches on the salad when the doorbell rang. Emmett was a few minutes early. She stopped in the entryway to check her appearance in the mirror. As soon as she opened the door, she wished she’d used the time to look through the peephole instead. If she’d known it was her sister, she wouldn’t have opened the door.
    Well, yes, she would have, but she might have taken a few extra seconds to think of an excuse to keep her from coming inside. She pasted what she hoped was a friendly smile on her face and said, “Hi, Sis, what’s up?”
    “I was driving by and thought I’d stop.” Marta attempted to push