Dreams Stolen at Mustang Creek

Chapter Thirty-Nine

LILAH

T he door opens, and I fake that I’m sleeping. Something I’ve been doing so often I don’t even know how much time has passed. “I brought you something to eat,” he says, coming over to the bed, and I can feel him beside me, his hand running down my bare arm. The last time he took me to the bathroom, he stripped me bare, dressing me in a hospital gown before placing me back in the bed. My skin was crawling the whole time. “I brought you your favorite, and I even got you a donut. Everleigh had some brought into the barn.” I try not to sob out when he mentions people I love. “They set up this huge thing to search for you.” He laughs. “Idiots,” he hisses, “even Emmett’s fucking kid is helping pass out flyers.” I close my eyes even tighter to force myself not to say anything when I think of Lucy. Hoping the darkness finds me where I’m with her riding our horses. “Do you want to eat your burger first or your dessert?”

I open my eyes to see him walking over to the table and putting the bag down, and closing my eyes when he looks like he’s turning around. “My love,” he says softly, “it’s time to eat.”