Running From The Big Bad Wolf

21

"No!" I squealed out, eyes wide.

Rhydian kept running around the room, climbing on chairs and jumping from one to another.

"If it means I'm putting myself at risk, so be it!" I snapped as I picked Rhydian up from his midair jump and carried him out of the room.

I took him upstairs to bathe him when I hit a dilemma. I've been in the same clothes since I've been here. All my clothes are at Eric's, just like Rhydian's clothes.

I bathed Rhydian and wrapped him in a towel and took him to the spare room. It was our storage. Boxes of toys, old clothes and other stuff got stored here.

I rummaged through till I found something of Eli's that was still too big for Rhydian but dressed him in it anyway. Then I went to Eli's old room and opened the door.

The nostalgia hit me like a brick wall. I felt the tears form as I looked at my brothers possessions. They remained untouched. Like he was still here. Everything exactly where it is meant to be.

I was going to put Rhydian down for a nap, but I couldn't do it here. I moved on to my room and opened the door, closing it behind me.

I laid down with Rhydian for twenty minutes, playing with his hair, till he dozed off.

It wasn't long after that, I hear the soft tap on the door.

Shuffling off the bed, trying not to wake Rhydian, I went to the door and opened it to see Axel. With a sigh, I walked out and closed the door.

"I'm not marrying you, Axel." I stated in a flat tone.

Axel looked irritated at me. "I'm not telling you to do this for you or me. Do it for Ryan." Axel begged at me and I was surprised he was begging. "Ryan needs his mother. He needs his mother more than he needs me." Axel added in a defeated voice.

It actually hurt me. Axel picked my hands up and held them.

"Please, do it for our son." Axel begged.

I sighed out loud, not knowing what to do. "I want to protect Ryan, I do. I will do anything, Axel. But I won't marry you."

"I'm doing it for your protection. For your safety!" Axel stated at me.

"Do it for Rhy."

"How am I suppose to carry on raising him if you are dead!"

I looked down at the ground, taking deep breathes.

"Look, I'm not doing this to be selfish. Or to keep you."

So what I heard was this isn't about feelings, or also known as love. Maybe the reassurance that I needed.

"Fine." I whispered out  "I'll do it. But only for Rhy." I added on, looking up at Axel. "I'm doing it for Rhy. Not for you."

Then I spun on my heel, walking away. "Oh, by the way, Rhy needs clothes." I added over my shoulder.

"Caity,"

I spun back to him. "No. You don't get to call me that. I have conditions, Axel."

Axel shrugged and nodded. "Absolutely."

I stood at the top of the stairs, slightly surprised that Axel was agreeing to me.

Quickly recovering, I continued. "One. Rhy needs to be outside. He has endless amounts of energy."

"Supervised."

That's better than nothing. "Two." I held two fingers up, showing him. "I want to go outside."

"Yeah, with Ryan."

I looked at him with a sadistic grin. "Oh, no. With and without. I want to be able to leave freely."

I watched as Axel's jaw clenched, how he took a deep breathe through his nose and released it. "Supervised." He repeated.

That is still better than nothing.

"Three. I'm not sleeping with you."

I then felt his hands on my waist, pulling me to him. My hands flew to his chest as I tried to pull away.

"Im not saying you have to sleep after our nightly activities." Axel grinned at me as I gasped at him. "Don't look too shocked!" Axel chuckled.

"I'm not fucking you, Axel. Not again. Never again." I whispered harshly to him, seeing his eyes go cold.

Axel held me tighter, squeezing me. "Oh, baby, do you really think you'll keep your word? You didn't last time."

My breathe hitched in me. "Last time was for comfort, my brother just died!"

I could feel his breathe on my skin, down my neck, so close to me. "But you weren't complaining. You, so soft and squirming under me, how you moaned," I could feel his lips on my ear, my breathing shallower. "You called out my name, you dragged your nails down my skin, you tightening under me."

Axel pulled me closer to him, I could feel every muscle against me. I gasped.

"I-I-I am n-n-not sleeping with y-you." I stuttered out. Axel smirked again, wider.

"We will see. But I will accept the first two conditions. Is there anymore you wish to add to that list."

My heart was in my throat, thumping loudly, as I tried to breathe.

I may as well take advantage while I can. "Yes." I recovered. "Stop staring at me!" I told him, pushing him away. "If I remember correctly, you told me years ago, I wasn't your type and you weren't interested." I teased at him, freeing myself from his grip and taking the railing for support.

Axel's eyes went dark as he narrowed them. "Times change, Caity."

It really grinded me that he still calls me that. "Well, look at that." I said loudly heading down the stairs. "You've grown to love me and I've grown to hate you."