Read Online Steal My Heart by Linsey Lanier - Free Book Online Page B

was Jack the Rabbit? She wanted Jack. She wanted his soft head to cry on.
    She must have done something very bad to make Mommie go away. Mommie must be very angry with her.
    She thought about school. Mommie was supposed to come and get her. Gramma dropped her off in the morning, but Mommie was supposed to come after school. She was sure of that. But Mommie didn’t come.
    Instead, the man was outside waiting for her.
    He said hello. He said her name. He told her he had candy. But she didn’t get candy. Instead, she got…scared.
    Mommie always said not to go with a stranger. Even if they had candy. But when she stopped to think about that, the man grabbed her and put his big smelly hand over her mouth. She tried to bite him. She tried to kick him, but she couldn’t get away from him. He dragged her into the back of his car and they drove away. She’d gone to sleep. And then she woke up in this room.
    “Mommie,” she said softly and started to cry.
    The door opened and she saw the horrible man standing there.
    She caught her breath. Stop crying, she told herself. He would be angry. Only bad girls cry.
    He stepped inside the room. His face was wrinkled and his nose was crooked. His hair was thin and white. His eyes were light blue. Not like Mommie’s gray eyes. Not like her eyes, either. Her eyes were a darker blue. He smiled and his face crinkled like Santy Claus. But he still looked mean.
    He had a glass of water in his hand. “How are you doing there, my little girl?”
    She shook her head. She wasn’t his little girl.
    The man didn’t like that. With a grunt, he tossed some cookies on the mattress. She didn’t want any more cookies. “I want my mommie’s food.”
    He tilted his head. There was a flash in his eyes. But he spoke softly. “Well that’s a good thing because your mommie is coming for you.”
    Her mouth opened. “Mommie’s here?” Her chest felt like it did when she ran too fast in the yard chasing her ball.
    “No, but she’s coming.”
    “When? When is she coming?”
    “Soon.”
    She looked past the man to the open door. “Now?”
    His shook his head and smiled his mean smile again. “No. Not now.”
    “Not now?” Tears welled up in her eyes. Her nose burned. “I want Mommie now.”
    “She’ll be here soon.” He held out the glass of water. “Are you thirsty?”
    She wiped her face and licked her lips. She was very thirsty. But she knew the water would make her sleepy again. Mommie had good water. Mommie would be here soon.
    “Come have a sip.”
    She couldn’t help it. She was so thirsty. Carefully, she climbed off the bed and stepped toward him. She reached for the glass.
    He tipped it to her lips. It tasted good, but it made her feel sleepy already. He touched her hair. She didn’t like that, but if she didn’t let him, he’d take the water away. She gulped it before he could.
    “That’s right. Take a big drink.” He wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger. “When your mommie comes, she’s bringing a surprise for you.”
    She wiped her mouth with her hand and took a step back. “A surprise?”
    “Yes.” He laughed softly to himself, as if he was thinking of a funny joke. “Your daddy’s coming with her.”
    She blinked. “I don’t have a daddy.”
    “Yes, you do.” He leaned over her and held the glass out. “Come now. There’s a little left. Drink the rest of it.” He brought it to her mouth.
    She pushed the glass away. “No, I don’t want it. I don’t have a daddy.” Her eyelids were closing.
    “You just don’t know him.”
    “No.” Mommie said Daddy was in heaven. Mommie never lied to her. She was so sleepy.
    He set the glass on the table, picked her up and laid her on the bed. Then he sat down beside her. She wished he would go away.  But he didn’t.
    “I don’t have a daddy,” she murmured again as her eyelids shut. The last thing she saw was the man sitting there.
    Watching her.
    ###
    Jean-Claude pulled the starchy hotel bedspread over