chapter seven
Olivia
Ajax was right. I have more freedom here with him than I've ever had in my entire life. There's a type of freedom to submitting to what we both wanted from the beginning and not worrying about what I should want or what I’m expected to do. When Ajax said I was just too afraid to make that jump, he was right. He knew I needed a push, so in a funny way, by kidnapping me, Ajax really saved me.
He saved me from a life of mediocrity, of doing what my parents want just to make them happy—whether I'm happy or not.
I still love my parents, and I don't hold anything against them. I know deep in my heart that they only wanted the best for me, but their dreams aren't the same as mine.
I still don't really know what my dreams are—just that wherever they take me, Ajax will be by my side. And at this point, that's all I really care about.
So, yes, there’s freedom in submitting to Ajax, in trusting him to take care of everything. I know I’m safe—loved—here with him.
Ajax doesn't pressure me to figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life right now. He's content to let me just exist and float along with what we have going on—like I'm a bottle in the waves of the ocean.
It's nice to take my foot off the gas for once. My whole life everything has been planned. Trying to get straight A's in school, doing extracurricular activities, everything was building up to college and then a successful career. Even if I wasn't sure what I wanted that career to be, I'm sure my mom and dad would have hand-picked one for me if I'd let them.
But Ajax assures me there's no rush and that if I never want to do anything, that he's more than willing to take care of the both of us. Of course, I think I'd go crazy if I didn't do anything, but I'm just not sure what that something I really want to do is yet. I've never really stopped and thought about what I want before. I've always just done what was expected of me, and Ajax is the first person who saw that in me. So, for now, I enjoy going through the motions of the day with Ajax.
He must have had some money saved up—at least enough to be able to take some time off—because he hasn't left me alone at all since we've been here. I go to bed every night wrapped up in his arms after he thoroughly makes love to me. Sometimes he makes love to me soft and slow, worshiping me and making me feel like a revered goddess, and other times, he gets me on all fours and holds me up against the wall as he rails me.
I don't know which I prefer. I love them both, and Ajax always seems to know exactly what kind of loving I need.
Of course, as all good things do, our perfect little bubble comes to an end one day.
We're sitting on the porch swing, as we often do in the evening, watching the sun go down when Ajax’s phone buzzes. He's not on his phone a lot, though he does check it periodically. I don't know what he does on it, and I don't ask. I don’t want to be one of those prying girlfriends.
I glance over at his face as he opens up his phone, and I immediately get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I see his jaw tighten. His nostrils flare, and he swallows as he grips the phone in his hand hard. I feel his hand flex where it’s gripping my shoulder, his arm that’s wrapped around me going taut.
“Is everything okay?” I ask him tentatively, concerned with the sudden change in his demeanor.
He looks up at me with a tight expression. “No,” he admits, “but don't worry about it, honey. It will be.”
I open my mouth to ask what he means, but he takes my hand and stands up, pulling me along with him. “I have something I need to take care of. I'm going to take you back home while I do it.”
There’s a new urgency in his voice that has alarm bells tripping off in my head. “What?”
“It won’t be for long, Olivia, but trust that everything I’m doing is for your own good. There’s nothing for you to worry about, honey.” He strokes my cheek.
I frown up at him, but I can already tell by the set of his jaw that he's resolute in his decision. Still, I want answers. “What's going on? You can't just order me to go home and not tell me what's going on and expect me not to worry. This isn’t like you at all, Ajax. What did you see on your phone?”
Ajax’s lips press into a thin line, and when he speaks, he speaks from between clenched teeth. “Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it.”
I can't stop the hurt from washing over me, so I lash out in anger. “Oh, so that's how it is? You want me to share everything with you, but you won’t do the same. Do you not trust me?”
Ajax huffs out an aggravated breath and runs a hand through his hair. “It's not that, Olivia. I'm just trying to protect you.”
“I'm a grown woman,” I snap back. “I can handle it.” My voice turns pleading. “Just let me help.”
“You can help by doing as you're told.” His eyes flash, and I shrink back from the harshness of his tone.
He instantly looks apologetic and grabs my shoulders to pull me in for a hug. He breathes out heavily like he’s trying to calm himself. “I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to snap at you like that.”
He lets out another heavy sigh before he holds his phone out to me and presses play on a clip.
It shows a bald-headed man covered in tattoos rummaging through what looks like an apartment. I look up at Ajax inquisitively, and he answers my unspoken question. “That's my apartment back in the city.”
My hands fly up to cover my mouth as fear laces through me. “Oh my gosh! Do you know the guy?”