Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Lulu

My heart is breaking. How can the world be so unfair?

Mary glances back down at her knee, dry-eyed and calmer, but pain still spears my chest. Every little girl should have their mother, but at least she has her dad. His large hand moves from her cheek to cup the back of her head.

I miss my dad. My chin trembles, and my throat closes.

Blinking quickly, I blow out a heavy breath. It’s been fourteen years, and I’m still waiting for it to get easier. I was only a couple of years older than Mary, and life just never got better.

I jump when strong fingers brush against my cheek. I hadn’t realized I was crying. My face heats, and the tips of our fingers brush when I roughly wipe my tears away with the back of my hand. With a sniffle, I turn away from him.

The same strong fingers that were so gentle just a second ago grip my chin tightly, forcing my gaze back to his, where he holds it hostage.

“Ajax,” he breathes.

I frown, my eyes dropping to his lips.

“My name,” he elaborates.

My face warms again.

“Daddy, can I have ice cream because I hurt my knee?”

Ajax’s lip spread wide. I hadn’t thought he could get any more handsome, but I was wrong. My body shivers in protest when he releases his hold on my chin.

“No, you had more than enough sugar last night. But you can have a Band-Aid with a pig on it.”

The flash of disappointment on Mary’s face instantly disappears. She really does love pigs. The three of us sit on the ground, all awkwardness and sadness gone, and for just a second, I feel normal. Just a small family out for the day, but the illusion doesn’t last long.

“Ahh,” I cry out, staggering to my feet.

A painful grip on my arm is unrelenting, the owner uncaring if I fall. Ajax is on his feet before I am, Mary hidden behind him as he moves to shield her. Something flashes across his face, something dark and cruel. It’s gone just as quickly as it came, but I saw it, and I recognize it. It’s a look I’ve seen before . . . often.

When Andrew gets mad. It’s as if something takes over him, or maybe that’s when the real Andrew comes out. Either way, it’s never good when I see it.

My chest heaves but not in fear of Ajax. I’m not scared of him. I know I should be since I saw what he’s hiding, but I’m not.

Stumbling, I manage to catch myself on wobbly legs.

“Daddy,” Mary calls out. She’s as terrified as I am at the sudden attack.

Steady, I turn my head only to see my mother’s husband, Andrew, standing there, a sneer twisting his face.

“I told you to be quick. Go get in the fucking car.”

He shakes me roughly, shoving me toward the parking lot hard enough that I trip down the first step.

I twist, looking back to try to see Mary. I can’t leave her like this. Her frightened cries are shredding my heart. I need to show her I’m okay, but Ajax has shifted with us, moving so that his tall body continues to shield her.

He’s a good dad, and my heart pulls again. The sight of Ajax protecting his daughter eases me slightly. No one is hurting her, not while he’s around.

“It’s okay, Mary.” My voice is cheery, hopefully enough to fool her. “I’m sorry,” I mouth to Ajax. He doesn’t respond; he just stands there with his strong arms crossed over his chest. A wall of strength .

A breath shudders into my chest. I need to leave before I start crying on the steps of the grocery store. Humiliation rolls through me. I hate that they saw this, but they’re not the first, and they won’t be the last.

Quickly, I turn away. I can’t stand to see Ajax’s blank stare anymore.

“Did you even go into the damn store? Fucking useless,” Andrew hisses, his foot connecting with the back of my knee.

My leg buckles, forcing me to rush down a few steps clumsily, but I don’t fall.

I shouldn’t stop again. I know better, but Andrew’s already mad, and I can’t help myself, so fuck it.

Huffing one last deep breath, I try to calm myself and turn. I meet Ajax’s gaze, but my eyes drop away quickly.

Mary peeks around her dad’s legs, having stood up. Her small hands cling to him like a lifeline. Lifting my hand, I give her a short wave.

“Bye, baby,” I whisper.

A small wave back is the only answer I get.

My shoulders drop as I turn and walk away, my mother’s husband no more than a step behind me the entire time. His hand clips the back of my head when we reach his car.

“All you had to do was go get fucking groceries.”

Andrew Clarke may be the man whose surname I carry, but he is not my father.

My mom watches from inside the car without a word. I know better than to say anything. Why bother when she’ll just take his side?

Try not to upset him, Lulu. It’s your fault he’s mad, Lulu. Just behave, Lulu.

Swallowing, I slide into the back seat, wrapping my arms around my stomach.

“And don’t think you’re sleeping in the house tonight,” Andrew warns, looking back at me through the rearview mirror.

At twenty-one, this is all I have. A stepfather who hates me, a mother who stays quiet, and a tent to sleep in when I’m locked out.

How sad is that?