Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ajax

Leaving Lulu bound to my bed with her legs spread wide was harder than I expected. Not because the vision of my cum leaking out of her is and will always be one of the best sights I’ve ever seen but because I want her with us.

I swing Piglet’s hand back and forth, causing her whole body to shake, her giggle making me grin. My mind whirls with images of Lulu on the other side of my baby girl, the diamond on her finger gleaming as we swing Mary Lou between us.

Soon, I promise myself.

After a few more lessons, Lulu will be exactly where Mary and I need her . . . with us, permanently and of her own free will.

The RV park being on the edge of town is useful for sneaking off into the night unnoticed, but my eye twitches the farther away we get.

“You ready for the park?” I ask a still giggling Mary as we head toward the town square.

“Uh-huh.” She nods. “Daddy,” she says quietly after a few minutes.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Can we go to the store first?”

“The one with Mr. Duke?” I ask, thinking she wants another hot dog. For a gas station, they have really good food.

Mary shakes her head.

“Oh, the grocery store?”

She nods.

“Umm, sure. You want another ball?” I push, trying to figure out her sudden need to go shopping. She loves the park.

“No. Yes,” she corrects herself quickly.

I chuckle but leave her answer hanging between us. She obviously has something else to say.

Mary glances up at me. “Maybe Miss Lulu will be there again.”

My heart hammers in my chest. Shit, how do I explain this in a street crawling with cops, but I don’t get a chance to gather my words before she continues.

“That man was mean.”

I stop dead in my tracks, pulling her to a halt. Crouching, I turn my baby toward me and frame her face. “Remember what Daddy said the day before yesterday? What I say all the time? ”

Mary frowns. “That I can’t have a Piglet?”

My booming laughter catches the attention of a couple walking close by, and an officer at the end of the road looks back at us.

This girl owns my heart. I never knew I could love someone until I brought her into this world.

“No,” I say, still chuckling. “That Daddy will fix it.”

“Oh.” She nods, her lips curving into a small smile, but it doesn’t last long. Mary glances down, and her shoulders slump. “My heart’s broken. Can you fix that?”

A pain stabs my chest, and just as I’m about to panic, I see it. Her lip twitches. What is she up to? “Daddy can fix anything. What do you think will do it?”

“A piglet.” She smirks.

My laughter is loud and carefree as it mingles with her cheeky giggles. I tickle her sides, and squeals peel out of her.

A few townies stop and stare with wide smiles. From the outside, we look like a loving family. No one would suspect that I have Mary’s new mother gagged, tied, and stuffed with a sex toy that will have her sobbing with pained pleasure by the time we return.

My already wide smile somehow grows even bigger at the thought.

“No piglet for you,” I deny.

Standing, I bring Mary with me and pull her close .

“How about ice cream instead?”

“Two scoops,” she insists, holding up two fingers.

“You’re really in a demanding mood today, huh? How about one scoop with sprinkles, but you have to stay quiet and be a good girl while Daddy talks to the police officers over there? Deal?” I compromise, pointing at where a few uniformed officers and what looks to be a fed stand around the hood of a cruiser.

Mary scrunches her nose and shifts her mouth left to right. “Deal.” She nods.

Offering my pinky, we shake on it.

Time to find out what the feds know.

Approaching the car, I recognize Officer Maxwell and head for him. Holding Mary securely in my arm, I raise my other hand and place a finger to my lips, reminding her of our deal. My sassy girl makes a big show of zipping her mouth closed and throwing away the key.

I press a kiss to the side of her head with a chuckle.

“Officers”—I nod, acknowledging the others around him—“I was just wondering if there is any news on the case?”

“We can’t discuss an ongoing case,” Maxwell rushes, eyeing Officer Smith, who had let slip about the murders earlier.

“Seems like someone already did.” A woman glares. Everything about her screams fed—black fitted suit, practical but smart shoes, and the lack of respect for the local law enforcement .

Officer Maxwell looks away.

“And you are?” the fed asks with a raised brow.

“No one.” Officer Maxwell waves me off. “His RV is parked on the RV park, and Garcia searched it. Just him and the kid.”

At the mention of her, Mary gives a bright smile and an enthusiastic wave before clutching at my neck again. She’s practically vibrating. I have a few more minutes before the thoughts of ice cream overrides her good manners.

“This is my daughter. I’m Ajax,” I say, offering my hand.

The fed eyes my outstretched hand for a second before wrapping her own around it, giving an overly tight squeeze as she shakes.

“Agent Collins,” she mumbles, looking back at the map spread on the cruiser’s hood.

Collins. The name doesn’t sound familiar, but her face sure is. She’s been at press conferences and is a member of the team that hunts the I-90 killer, the newbie. Usually stoic and hard, her face is now soft, and the barely visible smile changes her look completely. The woman is practically giddy.

Her long nail taps down onto the map of the town, no doubt where they found the bodies. Markings for the rail track just above her dark finger confirm it.

I tamp down my own smile. She thinks she’s going to bag herself the most notorious serial killer the Northwest has ever seen .

The probie has something to prove.

I wrap my other arm around Mary and pull her closer to my chest. I won’t be the one who helps her do it.

Officer Smith sees the gesture. “It wasn’t anywhere near your home.” He smiles.

“Officer Smith,” Collins snaps.

Smith swallows hard, giving me a sheepish shrug when the agent looks away.

I nod my thanks with a small smile. He has no idea how helpful he’s being.

“Do you think he left town by hopping on to a train?” I ask, gesturing to where Collins just circled the track markings.

That gets me her full attention. Standing tall, Collins turns to me. “He?”

“They usually are, right?” I shrug.

“Sir, this is really none of your business.” She huffs, folding the town map.

“If we’re stuck here, it is,” I argue. “Officer Maxwell said that we couldn’t leave town. The idea of staying with a madman in town isn’t really appealing. But if he’s gone . . .”

“You can’t stop people from leaving, agent,” a new voice snaps.

A man in his late forties or early fifties storms closer, dressed in a uniform similar to the Greenover officers.

Collins rolls her eyes. “I need to get to the station. My team should be here soon.”

“Your team?” Maxwell smirks .

“Yes,” Collins snaps. “I work as part of a team that hunts serial?—”

Coughing loudly, I jut my head at Mary, but that only irritates Collins more.

“Killers,” Collins finishes loudly.

“Daddy?” Mary whispers.

“It’s okay,” I soothe.

Fucking bitch.

“Daddy will fix it,” I promise.

The new man comes closer. “I’m sorry about that, sir.” He sighs, looking at a restless Mary. “Agent Collins is . . . eager. I’m Sheriff McCallister.”

I shake his hand. “Not your fault, but I think it’s best that I get this one to the park as promised.” Setting Mary down, I take her hand and look at the sheriff’s badge as I straighten. Cromwell Sheriff shines in the winter sun.

“Sir,” the sheriff calls.

Pausing, I turn, and he rakes his hand through his hair.

“Collins’s boss is due soon. I’ll talk to him. Give me a few hours. We’ll have you out of town by nightfall.”

I give one last nod and lead Mary away.

I fucking hope so.