Free Fall To Pieces: Broken #2 (The Broken Series) by Chloe Walsh Page A

say those words to her, but Derek was right.
    I needed to give Lee time. If I kept pressurizing her, she would crack, and most likely run.
    What other choice had I?
    It was either; back off and watch her from a distance, or lose her from my life? One choice would kill me; the other would be elongated torture.
    I could live with the torture, so long as she stayed.
    I took the stairs two steps at a time, and didn’t stop until I rounded the kitchen door. Stepping inside, I closed the door and glared at the two idiots in front of me.
    Cam was swaying as she held onto the countertop, obviously smashed. Derek was pacing the floor. They both turned and froze when they noticed me.
    “Listen to me, dipshits,” I hissed. “There are other people in this house, besides you two. Some of us actually like to sleep at night.”
    Derek’s face reddened as he tried to pull Cam towards the door. “Come on, Cam, let’s get you to bed.”
    Cam shook her head and pushed Derek back.
    “Nope, not going…anywhere with you.” Her words were almost inaudible; they were so slurred.
    She took two steps towards the door, before falling flat on her ass.
    “Don’t touch me,” she screamed when Derek tried to pick her up.
    “What the fuck has gotten into you?” he demanded in a shaky voice, clearly upset at her rejection. “I can’t touch you, now?”
    “You’ll hate me…and won’t want to touch me,” she screamed, then burst into tears. “I’m making it easier for you.”
    Derek ran his hand over his head. “I can’t deal with this, Camryn, I can’t.”
    He pushed past me and stormed out of the room. Seconds later, I heard the front door slam.
    “Whoops,” Cam giggled, still crying. “You’ll hate me too,” she slurred at me.
    “Who says I already don’t?” I grumbled, as I bent down and picked her up.
    She folded into my arms, her long blonde hair spilling over her thin body.
    “Touché,” she mumbled, snuggling into my chest as I carried her down the hall.
    When I sa t her down on her bed, she automatically fell sideways.
    Pulling back the covers, I picked her up and placed her back down on the bed, before covering her up.
    “Jesus, Cam, how much did you drink tonight?”
    “Not enough to forget,” she whispered, covering her face with her hands. “Never enough to forget.”
     
     
    *****
     
     
    Lee
     
     
    The tension at the breakfast table was palpable. I felt like I was about to walk into a war zone.
    I hovered near the door, uncertain as to whether I should go in there. I needed to get my purse, but dammit, I was tempted to go without it.
    Cam and Derek were sitting on opposite sides of the table, shooting daggers and throwing insults at one another.
    Kyle was in sitting quietly in the middle, looking extremely interested in his corn flakes.
    Bruno strolled past me, brushing against my leg, before trotting off to find solitude in the living room.
    “I said I was sorry,” Cam snapped. “Let it go.”
    “You mean, you’re sorry until the next time?” Derek shot back.
    “Will you both shut the hell up for two damn minutes,” Kyle growled.
    Shoving her chair back, Cam stood up and stalked past me without a word. 
    “Sorry,” I muttered, leaning across the table to reach my purse.
    “Its fine, Lee,” Derek said in an apologetic tone.
    “Are you going somewhere?” That was Kyle.
    His was staring at me, his gaze intense and unwavering.
    I blushed, and nodded. “Yeah, I’m meeting a friend for lunch.”
    The doorbell sounded, causing me to jump.
    “That’s for me,” I muttered. “I better go.”
    “What are you doing here?” Cam’s voice boomed from the hallway, followed by low whispers.
    I craned my neck around the door and groaned.
    Mike and Cam were talking quietly at the door. Cam’s face was flushed, her features angry. Mike looked untroubled.
    “I’m collecting Lee,” Mike said calmly. “Can you call her, for me?”
    I rushed into the hall, but Kyle moved quicker. Pulling my arm,