Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
It didn’t feel like a good thing right then, though. It felt utterly terrifying. Her heart raced as she tried to breathe.
“Did you really think you could run from me? That I wouldn’t find you? You always were a stupid bitch, Lilac. Always one step behind. Thick as a brick. Fat. Ugly. Although I see you took care of the fat part. I knew the fucking staff were feeding you behind my back. No way could you eat what I told them to feed you and still look like you did.”
She whimpered. Why was no one coming to save her?
Where was the nurse? Tanner? Someone?
She wriggled around, trying to push his hand off her mouth.
“Uh-uh, no fighting back, Lilac. you know that will make it worse and I’d hate to have to punish you by hurting your friend.”
Her eyes widened as she continued to fight to breathe.
Did he mean? Surely, he didn’t know about Tanner, right?
“That’s right. I know all about your friend and I’m coming for him. I’m going to hurt him to hurt you. And you know I’ll do it, don’t you?”
No! No, no, no! She wouldn’t let Stefan hurt him.
“I’m coming, Lilac.”
“Lilac! Lilac, wake up!”
Lilac opened her eyes, staring around wildly. Sitting up, she grabbed at her throat. She couldn’t breathe! He was choking her!
“Baby. Fuck, Lilac, you’re all right. It was just a nightmare. You’re okay, baby.”
She clawed at her neck. The pain of her fingernails slicing into her skin didn’t even register through her panic.
“Lilac.” Tanner’s firm voice finally managed to penetrate her panic and she gaped at him.
“Breathe.”
She couldn’t!
“You. Will. Breathe. I want you to match my breathing.” He grabbed her hands, tugging them away from her neck. He placed both of them on his chest. “Breathe. Right. Fucking. Now.”
There was no ignoring that command. Her throat relaxed slightly, and she gasped in some air.
“Good girl. And another.”
She took another breath. Then one more. Gradually, she became aware that she was trembling. She glanced around frantically. Was he here? Had he come for her?
“Lilac, listen to me, baby. It was just a nightmare.”
She shook her head. No, no, it wasn’t. It had been real. He’d been here.
“Tell me what it was about.” Tanner cupped her face between his hands.
She tried to shake her head again, but he held her face still.
“Tell me.”
“He was here,” she said in a raspy voice.
“Your brother.” It wasn’t a question.
A sob escaped her. “Y-yes.”
“He wasn’t, Lilac.”
“He was!” The door to her room opened and she shied back with a cry.
“Is everything all right in here?” A harried-looking nurse walked in. “We heard a scream, but we had an emergency down the other end of the ward. Lilac? I’m Grace. Are you okay?”
An emergency? Or a diversion so he could get to her? She wouldn’t put it past Stefan.
He was sneaky like that.
“Lilac had a nightmare,” Tanner explained. “But I’m here. I’ll take care of her.”
“All right. If you’re sure, Lilac?” Grace asked.
“Y-yes.” She didn’t want the nurse here to witness her losing her mind. Abby must have gone home sometime during the night.
After her nap, she’d woken up to find that Raid had dropped off a bag of her clothes. Tanner had helped her put some panties on. Which was just as well, since she’d been wheeled away for an ultrasound soon after.
By the time she’d returned to the room, it had been dinner time. Then she’d fallen asleep watching some reality show on TV.
“Tanner, he was here,” she whispered after the nurse left.
“Baby, he wasn’t here, I promise. It was a dream. I’ve been here with you the entire time.”
“Are you . . . are you certain?” she asked. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him. But Stefan could be tricky.
Tanner drew back the blankets and then lifted her onto his lap. Taking hold of the top blanket, he wrapped it around her as he held her tight.
Ooh, okay. This was nice.
She felt so much more secure.
“I’m certain, baby. I wouldn’t leave you. I promise. I’ve been right here. I haven’t gone anywhere.” He rocked her gently back and forth. “It was just a nightmare.”
“It felt so real.” She sobbed. It was hard to believe that he really wasn’t here.
“Please stop crying, baby,” he murmured. “I hate listening to you cry. I don’t like that he infiltrated your dreams. You should only have happy dreams.”
Yeah. She wished.
The only time she had happy dreams was when they were about him. Reaching over her, he grabbed a tissue and wiped her face clean. Heck, he even wiped her nose!
Yikes.
But she simply lay there and let him take care of her. Maybe he was right. Perhaps she would benefit from giving him control. At least for a short time; she wasn’t sure she could do it as a lifestyle. But to not make decisions, even simple ones like what to wear or eat, could be freeing.