Free Gone (Gone #1) by Stacy Claflin Page B

bed? This nightmare wasn't going to get even worse, was it?
    He set his glass down, and smiled again. "In case you forgot, my room is next to yours. So if you need anything tonight, that's where I'll be."
    She let out a sigh of relief. It was bad enough that he was trying to convince her that she was his daughter, but at least that was all it was. At least he wasn't trying to make her into a wife.
    "I'm not used to you being so quiet. Hopefully after a good night's sleep, we'll be able to pick up where we left off." He went back to eating.
    Pick up from where? What had happened to the real Heather? Macy took the glass in front of her and drank it down. She looked at the food sitting on the table, but didn't dare take more, even though she could have eaten it all. Her stomach had been empty, so she had to take it easy or she would throw up, and he would make her clean it up again.
    "Are you full?"
    She nodded.
    "You want dessert? I can save it for tomorrow. I know how much you like cold pie for breakfast."
    Cold pie for breakfast? That sounded weird, but also good. She shrugged her shoulders. Then she went back to the bathroom, with her mind racing. As she brushed her teeth, ignoring the fact that the toothbrush was obviously not new, she decided to stay awake as long as possible. She would make her escape after he went to bed.

 
     
    Communication
     
     
    Chad entered the bedroom, relieved to see Alyssa sleeping. He hadn't wanted to deal with her any more than he had to. The looks she shot him while they spoke with the cops told him that she blamed him for all of this. It wasn't his fault Macy had run off with that kid. He didn't tell her to do that. In fact, he had set up the rules to avoid exactly this.
    He didn't buy the story the cops were trying to sell them. He'd been studying her online profiles, and Macy's latest status update was nothing more than her flipping the bird at him in front of the whole world, especially since the post was public. She was saying loud and clear that she wouldn't be controlled. At least that's what he hoped. He couldn't bring himself to think about the alternative.
    Reading through the comments on her post, it looked like a lot of her friends agreed with him. They were begging her to come back, and some kids were even apologizing for making fun of her at school. Everyone but the police and his family thought she was off having fun, and probably checking her account to see everyone's reactions.
    Chad sat down next to Alyssa and picked up one of the photo albums. It opened to a page full of pictures of a camping trip they'd taken when the kids were younger. They all looked so happy roasting marshmallows. There was even a picture of him kissing Alyssa. A smile crept across his face as he remembered Macy snatching the camera and taking the picture, giggling and teasing them.
    He set the scrapbook down and ran his fingers over Alyssa's hair. What had happened to them? They had been high school sweethearts, and each other's first love. Neither one had ever even gone on a date with anyone else. Maybe that was the problem. They knew each other too well. There was no more mystery or magic.
    Only laundry and errands.
    Chad had thought that would improve once Alyssa stopped working. Instead, the house was no cleaner, and they argued more. Apparently, not working only magnified the fact that he was so busy. It gave her more time to fret and fuss about them not spending as much time together as they used to.
    Didn't she understand that it wouldn't last forever? Once he made enough with his blog to support the family, he would be able to quit his job. He could work on his blog at night and they could have the days to spend together. Or he could work during the day, and they could have long romantic evenings like they used to.
    Alyssa stirred in her sleep. He brushed some hair away from her face. Her eyes opened and a look of surprise covered her face—but he saw none of her usual disdain.
    "Shh." He