Unwanted Surprise

Chapter 21

"I left because you and Axel's lives were in danger. Because of me." Daxton explained.

"Okay. And you couldn't tell me that? I am--was your fiancé and you couldn't explain this to me?" I argued, not accepting that excuse. I leaned off the counter and went to the fridge to find something to eat. "You can go back to wherever the hell you came from because Axel and I will be fine without you. Like we have for the past four years."

"Ari--" Daxton started but I interrupted him.

"No, Daxton! Dammit, you can't just come here and expect me to forgive you just because--"

"Lance, Jeremy, and Sam were behind everything." I froze when he said that. Lance? My ex-boyfriend?

"You're lying." I breathed, not wanting to believe that Jeremy or Lance had something to do with what Daxton was talking about. "I saw Jeremy the day you left and he was nice to me. There's no way he had anything to do with this. He hasn't even bothered me since you were gone." I turned to face Daxton, arms crossed over my chest.

He sighed deeply. "That day, Jeremy killed two people." My jaw fell open. What? "He's been in prison since I left, that's why he hasn't been in contact with you." I shook my head, baffled.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I asked, secretly starting to believe him.

"You didn't think Sam was capable of something like kidnapping you, but he did? No one's perfect, Ari." Daxton explained.

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you left. We could've all left together. Gone out of the country. Something." I started to get angry again.

"They said that if I didn't leave you and Axel, they would kill you both." I gasped at his words. Were they really that ruthless? I blinked many times and covered my mouth, leaning against the counter.

"Oh my god...." I whispered to myself.

"I know." He answered. I shook my head.

"No, Daxton. I found..." I gulped. "A few days before you left, I found the email Jeremy sent to you. But I thought--" Tears burned my eyes, but didn't fall. I couldn't believe he was behind this entire thing. "Wait, but if he knew you were gone and didn't mess with me all these year, why did you come back?"

"I--" He started talking, but then a horrifying thought came to my mind.

"If you're back, what if they saw you take Axel to school?" I started to freak out and grabbed my keys. Daxton grabbed my wrist, pulling me back.

"Wait, you don't know that." I yanked my wrist out of his hand angrily.

"Are you crazy?! I'm not gonna sit here and speculate when our son could be in danger!" I moved past him and ran out the front door and into my car. I didn't care if Daxton followed or not. I just needed to get to Axel. I drove as fast as I could to Axel's school, running red lights and all. When I reached his school, I hopped out my car and was about to run into the building when I saw a man and a little boy.

That little boy had dark hair and the man was whispering something to him. The little boy frowned and tried to yank his hand out of the man's larger one, but the man gripped tighter and scooped him up.

"No! Let me go! Help!" The little boy screamed.

"Axel!" I yelled, recognizing that scream. The man spotted me and started running with my baby. "No!" I sprinted after the man, but I wasn't fast enough.

"Mommy!" Axel screamed, reaching out towards me. I was breathing hard and tears streamed down my face. I couldn't lose him too. I just couldn't. Just when I was about to collapse from exhaustion, a man came out of and tackled the man that had Axel.

Fists flew and Axel scrambled away from the two men and ran towards me. I ran and fell to the grass hugging him tightly.

"Oh my god, I thought I was gonna lose you!" Axel gripped me tight, shaking violently. I wiped his face and searched his body, making sure he was okay.

"Who was that man, Mommy?" Axel whispered, clinging to me, scared. His eyes flitted all around, as if looking for someone else to come out and take him.

"I don't know, baby. I don't know." I looked over at the men and saw the man that tried to kidnap Axel run away to his car and drove off.

"Hey! Is your kid okay?" The stranger jogged over, rubbing his bruised knuckles. 

"Are you fine, Axel?" I asked, quietly and he nodded vigorously. "Yes, he's okay. Thank you so much." The man brushed it off and knelt beside me.

"Oh, it was nothing." He smiled at me and I was mesmerized by his beauty. His hair was golden blonde and he had light brown eyes. His teeth were crystal white and judging by the tailored suit he was wearing, he obviously came from money.  I scoffed when I realized who he was. He was one of the men that worked in Daxton's building. I met him before, but never really held a long conversation with him.

"Nothing? I almost lost my son and you say that's nothing?" I looked at his hands. "You even bruised yourself." He chuckled and looked at his hands for a second before looking back at me.

"Well, I guess it was something. I'm just glad both of you are okay." 

"What do you say, Ax?" I asked Axel. He turned to the man and grinned.

"Thank you for saving me Mister." He held out his tiny hand and the man smiled back, shaking Axel's small hand. "What's your name?"

"Michael. Michael Ginobli." Michael answered. I smiled at the exchange.

"I'm Axel and this is my mommy, Arielle. But I call her mommy." Axel said proudly and Michael laughed loudly. 

"Oh I know who you guys are. Always in those magazines. But I don't read them. My daughter always does." He shuddered as if it disgusted him and a faint smile appeared on my face. Finally someone who wasn't obsessed with my family.

"How old is your daughter?" I wondered, standing up and dusting the grass off of my legs. Michael did the same and I had to lean my head back to look him in the eye. He seemed to be around Daxton's height. What is it with me and tall men?

"She's four. But reads like and eight-year-old. She mostly looks at you guys' pictures though." He shook his head. "Smart little girl." An idea popped into my head and I spoke before I could stop myself.

"Why don't we get together for a playdate? It'll be my way of thanking you."  Michael cocked an eyebrow and I blushed. "Not us, of course. Axel and--" I trailed off, not knowing his daughter's name. Michael smirked at me.

"Natalie. And sure, why not? Your place or mines?" He asked, looking at his watch.

"Mine. How does three sound?" He handed me his phone and I typed my number and address into it.

"Perfect. See you then. It was nice meeting you, Axel." He looked at me. "Arielle." The way he said my name made me want to melt into a puddle, but restrained myself. I was too old to be acting like this.

"You too Michael." I answered and Axel waved.

"Bye Michael!" He shouted as Michael made his way to his luxury car. He winked and drove off, leaving me wondering if I should take advantage of this once in a life time opportunity.