AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swallow hard and turn to him, our eyes meeting. He means it. He’d kill everyone here to keep me. My chin quivers, and a tear breaks free, not because he’ll never let me go but because I want to be here.
The past few days with this family have been the happiest I’ve ever been. Every day I stay with Ajax, I hate my mother a little more. She did this. She made me need him, want him.
So I don’t fight when his lips touch mine. Instead, I lean in.
After all, no one has to know how much I want this, right?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Lulu
“Alright, Piglet, time to do some schoolwork. Daddy’s orders,” I call out, grabbing her subject books out of the school supply box.
“Awww.” Her groan carries out into the living room, making me laugh.
“Has she ever been enrolled in a public school?” I ask Ajax.
“No.” He shakes his head, not glancing up from the laptop he’s typing on. “I need to be able to travel whenever I need a . . . release.” He hesitates, his eyes meeting mine.
I gulp at what I see, pleasure and anticipation.
“I refuse to leave her at home. I can’t protect her if I’m not there.” He frowns, turning back to his work.
“What . . . what about her mom?” I whisper, chewing my lip.
His fingers freeze on the keyboard, and my heart stops. Ajax slowly lifts his eyes, blazing a trail up my body.
“Gone,” he answers shortly.
Why did I open my big mouth? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I stand frozen. Ajax continues to stare, his anger obvious. Andrew would have beaten me by now. I wait for Ajax to stand and advance, but he doesn’t. Instead, he blinks and turns back to his emails.
My hands are shaking as I thumb through the books.
“English, science, and math today, please.”
His politeness after seeing such anger on his face throws me off, and I don’t know what to do. Chewing my lip, I pull out the books he wants.
I flinch when his large hand covers mine, his body looming as he stands beside me.
“You’re mine.”
I don’t look up at his words.
His right arm crosses over his body, and his finger hooks the side of my chin, turning my face toward him. We’re millimeters apart.
“I don’t hurt what’s mine.”
His lips are gentle, sweet.
“Punishments are harsh, and they’re meant to teach a lesson. But they’re earned.”
My chin quivers, but I nod. Ajax and Andrew are not the same.
“I have a few more things to sort with the hunting lodge bookings, but then I’ll go set up outside. You won’t run.”
“I won’t run,” I repeat.
