Running From The Big Bad Wolf

23

"Gone. It is gone." I said flatly.

Axel moved closer and that was my cue to leave. I went around the other side of the couch and to the stairs.

"Caity, come on."

"No!" I stated heading to my room. "Absolutely not."

Axel was awkward with Rhydian through the days. Rhydian kept calling him Axe and I thought it was funny, eventually.

Like yesterday, when I said it was bedtime. Rhydian raced around the house, looking for Axel and finding him in his study.

I chased after him, not wanting him to go in there when I stopped at the door.

"Later, Axe!" Rhydian yelled out and I couldn't help it, I laughed.

Axel frowned deeply at us both as Rhydian ran out again and through the house, probably burning the last of his energy.

Thirty minutes later, I was sneaking out of the room, Rhy finally asleep.

I found myself in the kitchen, making a tea for myself when Axel came in.

"That wasn't funny." He pouted and I nodded, not looking at him because I had a grin on my face, the words replaying in my head.

I went to the pantry to get a teabag when Axel stopped me. "Can you stop avoiding me?"

"Nope." I answered. For the past four nights, Axel has been trying to 'woo' me. And stupid me was falling for it. Again. So I would run away, putting myself to bed early.

I can't have those feelings stirred up. I don't care if we are married. It is in name only.

Axel boxed me in to the corner, making me face him. "Axel, don't." I warned him.

"Why not?"

"Because, I'm not your type." I threw in his face.

Axel's face tightened at my words. "I lied." He simply said to me. His face was close to mine and I had no where to go. I was trapped against the corner of the kitchen bench, each one of Axel's hands on each side of me. "You can't deny it either, Caity. I've seen you blush these past couple days."

I didn't know what to say next, so I rambled. "I don't know what you are talking about. I've been too busy with Rhy, playing with him, if you haven't noticed, he is exhausting."

I saw the amusement in Axel's eyes as I tried to stop myself, but it kept pouring out. "I think he might be ADD or something because he turns a whole room around and you've seen him go. He is -" I froze as I stared wide eyed at Axel. He was kissing me and I was frozen.

It took a while but my senses woke up and I pushed Axel off me. "Don't do that."

"Caity."

"Don't call me that either." I warned at him.

Axel smirked as he stepped away, his dark eyes on me. "I'll get you to love me again." He said. It was like a promise.

So the next night, I planned on putting Rhy to bed and staying put, but things don't go to plan. When do they? We were watching a movie, Rhydian and I, a cartoon movie about a mouse that cooks, and the next thing I know, I'm being carried.

"Rhy?" I mumbled out in a sleepy tone.

"He is in bed, babe." I heard Axel's voice and I stilled. I went rigid.

Axel dropped me by accident and I landed on the ground with a thump. I looked around and noticed I wasn't in my room. I was in my mother's old room. Except it was different. The bedspread were different.

"Caity, calm down." Axel stated as I shot up, ready to leave. "Let him be, he is in bed asleep."

"That's where I am going." I pointed out, my hand on the door handle.

"Hold up." Axel snapped, his hand covering mine. I glared up at him. Why does he have to be so tall.

"Will you stop!" I growled at him. "This, this marriage means nothing. Stop trying. Stop pretending that it does! Even you said that!"

"I lied!" Axel snapped at me, making me pause.

"No." I could feel myself pale. "Don't. No! I only agreed to do this for Rhy. Not you!"

"And I want you alive and safe, Caity."

I took a deep breathe and dropped my hand. My stomach was twisting inside me and my pulse was racing. I can't go through all this again. "I'm not doing this again, Axel. I already left once."

"Yeah, with my son!" Came his growl before I watched him take a deep breathe to calm down.

I placed my hands up in surrender. "What do you want, Axel?"

"You."

"No. I left because I had to. Because you are a gang leader. You have probably killed people. I didn't return because when I found out about Rhy, I didn't want that life for him. He deserves a happy life, away from all of his father's sins."

"You don't get to decide what happens on how Ryan grows up."

"I'm his mother! I do."

"Then give me another son."

I frowned as I registered the words. "Excuse me?"

"Give me another son." Axel said the words so smoothly and calmly, it made me angry.

"No." I shook my head. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"I will not be bringing another child in to this world. Not for you to groom and create a monster. No. I won't allow it. Will not allow it. I will never be allowing you to have sex with me again." I stated, crossing my arms and keeping my chin up. I can't have another baby, Rhydian is a handful as it is.

Axel leaned down to me so our eyes were level. "Whether you like it or not, buttercup, sooner or later, you will give me another son and you will be doing it willingly." He threatened through squinted eyes.

I held my breathe, trying to keep the tears at bay. As soon as Axel moved away, I left the room, going to mine and curling up to Rhydian. I will not yield to him!