Free I Think I Love You (Australian Sports Star Series Book 3) by Iris Blobel

finally whispered.
    Taken aback by the question, she shrugged. “You’re my sister.”
    Rachel snorted. “Feel pity for me?”
    “You know that’s not it. You’ve been through something terrible. I’m here to help.”
    Rachel turned and gazed towards the window. “I didn’t know the hospital was going to call you when I gave them your number.”
    “I’m glad they did. I was so worried.”
    Closing her eyes for a moment, she murmured a soft, “Why?”
    Something tore at Sarah’s heart. Here she was with her sister in hospital and they couldn’t have been any more foreign to each other than two strangers on the street despite growing up together.
    When Rachel opened her eyes, she met Sarah’s gaze. “I’m just so tired.”
    Sarah nodded, not knowing how to reply. She rubbed her sister’s hand, hoping Rachel would tell her what had happened.
    They both turned around and looked towards the door when the nurse came in.
    “How are you today?” the nurse asked as she took her temperature and noted it on the chart. Rachel never replied, and the nurse didn’t bother to ask again.
    After a long moment’s silence, Rachel said, barely audible, “Mum kicked me out.”
    Sarah’s gut tightened as she gave a slow nod.
    Closing her eyes, she continued. “It was pathetic, really. I can’t even remember how it started. We were talking about the guy from across the road, joking around—”
    Sarah tenderly wiped her sister’s tears, surprised that Rachel let her.
    Letting out a big sigh, Rachel continued, “I can’t really remember what happened next. She lost the plot, I s’pose. Accused me of bad manners, bad attitude, and everything else under the stars.” She turned to look away again. “It turned out she had a little night out with him the previous week. Next thing I know she goes spastic on me and tells me to leave.”
    Sarah sat with her sister’s hand in hers for a long while. Anger rose within her. Anger against at her mother for putting someone else in front of her own daughter. For not explaining facts to Rachel as they were joking around together.
    She figured this was only half the story, though. From where she sat, she was able to see choke marks on her sister’s neck. Her face was swollen and bruised. She’d have to wait for all of it a little bit longer.
    Now she wiped away her own tears.
    “Let’s get you home, Rachel. I can’t promise you the world, but I can try to help you.”
    She saw her sister giving a hesitating nod.
    “I’ll be back in a second. I’ll just get all the paperwork organised for you.”
    “Sarah?”
    She turned to look at her sister.
    “I don’t want your pity.”
    Sarah nodded. “See, a few years ago when I was about to lose my job and my place, Markus reached out for me, and I said the same thing. Fortunately, he ignored my pride.”
    Rachel stared. “Where are you going with this?”
    “It’s not pity. Sometimes we hit rock bottom, and for a moment or two, we have to try to swallow our pride. It’s hard, I know.”
    By God, she knew. It’d taken days of arguments and bad language between her and Markus before she’d accepted his help. They’d drawn up a contract to make sure she’d pay back every little penny. At her request. Sarah hadn’t liked the idea of taking Markus’ money. A few years later, she appreciated his stubbornness, because owning that house meant everything to her. Not in a material sense, but in a way of feeling secure. No struggles with rent, no bastard of a landlord, no worrying about what tomorrow brought. She was finally settling, thanks to Markus.
    She placed her hand on Rachel’s arm. “Trust me. Been there, done that.”
    Then she left the room, walked to the toilets at the end of the hall, and retrieved her phone. She hit the speed dial button and waited for him to answer, but it went straight to voice mail. “Sorry for not answering your calls. Something came up. Will try again later.” And with a smile on her face, she