Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

Lulu

“I want to match again,” Mary declares, running into her dad’s bedroom.

“Mary Louise, that door was closed. You know better,” Ajax reprimands, pulling a shirt over his head. “Try that again, please.”

“Aw,” Piglet pouts.

“Do not encourage bad manners.” He points at me from across the room.

“I didn’t say anything,” I defend, raising my hands.

“No,” he agrees, “but that smile of yours says it all.” He squints, glaring playfully and making my smile widen.

Ajax rounds the bed and pulls me into his arms before placing a gentle kiss to my lips. I get lost in the feel of him quickly, but the knock on the door brings me back to my senses.

One touch from this man and I forget who I am, who he is. I try to pull away, but he doesn’t let me.

“Come in,” he calls.

Mary opens the door dramatically, making me laugh.

“May I please come in?” she asks loudly.

“The two of you are trouble. It’s a good thing I love you,” he says, looking at Mary and then me.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Help Lulu with the laundry, please, and then it’s time for school. I’ll leave you ladies to it.” He presses a kiss to each of our heads, then leaves the bedroom.

Mary’s shoulders drop, but she joins me at the bottom of the bed without complaint. I pass her a T-shirt to fold. She fights with it briefly before throwing it onto the bed next to the piles of clean clothes I’ve already folded.

“I’ll wear that today,” she tells me.

I laugh, passing her another.

“Can we wear our overalls again today?” she asks.

“Mine are in the wash, baby. I’m sorry. But I laundered yours, and they’re right there.” I point at them hiding in the pile of clothes still needing to be folded and put away.

Mary’s face lights up. “How did you know?”

“I had a feeling.” I wink down at her. “How about you help with these, and then I’ll see if Daddy will let us go explore for an hour this afternoon? ”

“Deal,” she agrees, grabbing a pair of my jeans from the pile.

Our deal hits a snag when it comes to her dad.

“Please, please, please,” Mary and I echo.

I throw my head back and clasp my hands together, the same as the little girl at my side. Ajax laughs and closes his laptop.

“Well, you did do a full six hours without complaint . . . although that snack break took a good hour,” he tuts.

“Please, Daddy,” Mary asks.

“Alright.” He grins, standing. “Let’s go for a family walk.”

Ajax helps Mary put on a jacket, then shrugs on his own coat.

“Shouldn’t she have a coat on?” I frown, sliding my foot into my sneakers.

“She’ll be running around as soon as we get out there, always does. Relax, Momma bear.” He smiles, his hand grazing the small of my back. Leaning in, he gives me a loud kiss.

Mary waits by the door, her eyes watching us carefully.

“Let’s go,” I say in a singsong tone.

“If you think you’re going out in November in just a dress without a coat, you have another thing coming.”

“I’ll be running around too,” I tell him.

“Then a jacket will do just fine.”

I don’t think I have one out here. I grab his off the back of the chair that he’d been working on, then make a big deal of pulling it on. It’s massive.

Ajax is right, and Mary shoots off as soon as we exit, barely giving her dad the time to lock the door. He presses something on his phone screen and tucks it into his back pocket.

“Come here.” He chuckles, lifting my arm. “Mary, don’t go too far. Wait for us. Mary Louise,” he adds when she doesn’t listen.

Ajax rolls the sleeve up until my hand is free, one arm and then the other.

“Thank you.”

“Go play. I know you want to.” He gestures to Piglet.

I’m off before he even finishes, running to catch up with my new little buddy. We skip past the few families parked on the lot, waving and calling “hi” to random people.

We’re close to the end of the lot, where the grass starts, when we say “hi” to another group of people. A few of them turn, and my face turns fire-engine red when I recognize Phil.

“Hey.” His wife waves. “It’s our new neighbors,” she tells her husband with an elbow to the ribs.

His eyes widen under his thick-rimmed glasses. “Oh, um, hi,” he mumbles.

“You guys, come on over and meet everyone.” His wife smiles.

I’d rather be shot with an arrow in the woods.

“We’re actually playing, but Ajax would love to meet everyone.” I grin, pointing at the man in question as he catches up with us.

His hands settle on my waist, holding me hostage. “Is that a fact?” He mutters into my hair, “You’ll pay for that later.”

I shiver at the threat. His gaze scorches my back as we leave him to the wolves. After yesterday, I make sure to stay within sight. Looking back, I see Ajax has been pulled into conversation with a few men. They point at a newspaper, then pass it to him.

Mary and I play near the water’s edge but don’t cross it today. Slowly, other kids join, some hunting for pretty stones with us while a few more play farther up on the grass.

“That’s a pretty rock.” I smile at one of the kids.

“Your mom’s nice,” the little blond boy around Mary’s age says.

I wince, not knowing what to do. Should I correct him so that she doesn’t have to?

“I know.” Mary nods before I can decide. Her shy eyes peek at me from beneath her lashes.

I blink quickly. Oh, Piglet. I sit on the cold grass, watching them play, adding in words of encouragement when needed. Last week, my life was miserable, and my nerves were constantly on edge. How had I gotten here with this perfect family? Noise from the other adults filters into my thoughts.

Okay, so Ajax may not be perfect, but everyone has flaws. I roll my eyes, angrily pulling up pieces of grass .

“Mommy, can I go play over there with the other kids?” Mary asks, slowly approaching. Her little face screams anxiety. She’s worried I’ll correct her.

“Sure, baby,” I manage to get out. “I’ll be right there if you need me.” I point at a spot under a tree, closer to where all the kids have congregated. Ajax won’t be able to see her from where he is, but at least I’ll be close enough to keep watch.

“Will you save my rocks so we can paint them later, please?”

“Absolutely.”

Piglet holds my hand until we get to the spot I point at.

“I’ll be right here,” I repeat when she hesitates.

She starts to leave with her new friend, but spins back to me. Rushing over, she throws her arms around me and squeezes me tight. I hug her back.

“Right here,” I whisper, stroking her hair.

She leaves me a mess, having no idea how much she just shredded my heart and fixed it with one hug.

I sit down heavily, emotionally wrought. How can a situation born of something so dark make me feel so much joy?

Andrew won’t be the only one in hell, but at least Ajax will be with me.

I stay lost in thought, glancing up every few minutes. My fingers flick at small rocks and stones in the grass by my hips.

A pained cry makes my head shoot up.

Mary !

I scramble up and rush over. Mary is on her knees crying, her scratched hands look red and sore. Her new friend is crouched, patting her shoulder while the other kids crowd around. A few of the older boys are laughing.

I drop down in front of her. “Mary.” I frame her face, wiping her tears with my thumbs. “What happened?”

“Mommy. I, he, I.” She struggles to speak through her tears.

“He pushed her,” the small boy tells.

My heart turns to stone, following his finger to one of the older kids. He’s as tall as I am.

“Is that true?” I ask Mary.

She nods. I tuck my hands under her arms and help her to her feet.

“Let me see,” I whisper, gently bringing her open palms closer. A few small stones are stuck to her skin. Softly, I knock them off and blow warm air onto the irritated skin. “We’ll clean them, and Daddy will kiss it better.”

“Okay,” she hiccups.

“Are you hurt anywhere else, Piglet?” I whisper. My voice is as shaky as my body.

“My knee.” Her words end on a wail when she looks down to see her newly repaired overalls ripped. The yellow and pink threads are loose, the flower distorted and ruined.

“Piglet,” one of the teens laughs .

The redhead boy who pushed her starts to make oink noises, his friends joining in, and I snap.

Standing, I spin and advance quickly. The little shit doesn’t react, just laughs more until I put my hands on his shoulders and shove him with all my might.

The prick falls heavily, letting out a sound close to a scream. His friends’ laughter turns to him, and his face flames.

“Fucking bitch!”

“Consider yourself lucky it wasn’t her dad, you little shit,” I spit out.

My chest heaves, my breath catching. I can barely breathe. I gather Mary up into my arms. Every cry she gives breaks my heart.

“Come on,” I say, holding my hand out for the little boy. He doesn’t argue, and we head for the lot where the group of neighbors still stand.

“Where’s your mom?”

He points at a beautiful blonde sitting on a lawn chair with a group of women next to where Ajax’s group is. I escort him over, not letting his little hand go until his mom has a hold of him. Without a word, I walk through the group, past everyone asking questions, desperate to get my baby home.