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Hisjaw clenched. “Iwasn’t asking.”
“Istill feel compelled to respond with, no, thanks,”Irepeated.
Acar honked from behind us.Thedriver had come to an abrupt stop becauseAxelhad left his door wide open in the middle of the parking lot, leaving little room for other cars to maneuver past him.
Axelignored the honking car. “Getin the car,Piya.”
“No.”Isidestepped the crazy asshole.Hemoved with me.
Thesound of more honking tore through the air.Trafficswarmed as other cars tried to weave through the parking lot, also realizing they were trapped because ofAxel’scar.Thepile-up of cars and honking escalated, butAxelwas wholly unbothered by the chaos he had havocked.
“Hey!Moveyour car,” someone shouted.Irecognized the man as one of the dads fromPoppy’sschool.
“Axel, move your damn car.You’recreating a scene inPoppy’sschool.”
“Allyou have to do is get in the car, and this scene will disappear.”
Myfists clenched. “Youknow very well thatI’mnever getting in that car with you.”
Blackorbs gleamed in the afternoon sun. “Get.In.The.Car,”Axelenunciated as ifIwere an errant child he had to subdue.
“In.Your.Dreams,”Ispat back.WhenAxelstepped forward, my voice rose with hysteria. “Stopthis nonsense.Youcan’t just come into my life and turn it upside down.Youcertainly don’t get to bring your insanity to my daughter’s school—whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?”
Axelthrew me over his shoulders with a parking lot full of witnesses, includingPoppy’steachers and the parents of her new classmates.
Oh.
My.
God.
“Stopit!Stopit!Stopit!”
Myeyes darted around the parking lot to take stock of the witnesses.Whatif someone snapped a photo ofAxelmanhandling me, and it got back toJay?Istarted thrashing, practically throwing a fit.Ihadn’t acted this unruly in years, butIcouldn’t get myself under control.OnlyAxelcould incite such rowdy and wild behavior out of me.
“Axel, please, please, please put me down.Ican’t be linked to you.”
“Thendon’t make this worse.”Axeldidn’t bother opening the passenger side door.Heleaned into the open driver’s side door and tossed me inside.Mybutt landed on the center console.Ow.
Iswiftly scooted to the passenger seat and pulled at the door handle.Itwas already locked.
“Everyoneis watching,”Axelreminded to stop any further escape plans.
Oh,God.Myeyes scanned the parking lot.Numerouscars were backed up in the lot, with everyone watching the spectacle.Theircuriosity was piqued by a grown woman being manhandled in daylight.Thesepeople knew my husband and had kids in the same grade as my daughter.Ididn’t know if they recognizedAxelor me while we were arguing outside.However, they were paying attention now thatAxelhad caused a scene by picking me up.Mostlikely, they had their phones out to record “woman pulling a jailbird escape.”IfIstepped out ofAxel’scar now, any one of them could snap a photo.Insidethe car was safer with fewer chances of being recognized.
Ibuckled up asAxelslipped inside the car. “Drive.Fast.Please.”Icould only articulate one-worded instructions.Ineeded to get out of here and keep this situation from escalating.Axelwas the lesser evil compared to what would happen if we were photographed together.
Axelpressed on the accelerator without buckling in.Thecar took off at full speed, leaving behind everything that could ruin our lives.
Thoseprying eyes had nearly caught us, and the anxiety from the escape had my heart thumping loudly.Acrazy burst of energy surged through my system.Myharsh breaths filled the enclosed space.Asensory overload sharpened my vision and heightened the touch of cool leather against my skin.Myears were sensitive to the soft music playing from the car’sBluetooth.EvenAxel’snon-recognizable scent hit me stronger than usual.
Howeversmall of a rush, the threat of getting caught in front of an entire school and having us exposed in public was a shot of adrenalineIhadn’t experienced in years.Ihad killed this part of myself years ago for my daughter’s sake.
Iclosed my eyes.Poppy.MylittlePoppyseed bagel.ItappearedAxelhad familiarized himself with everything, including the most crucial thing in my life.Whywas he so determined to ruin the lifeIhad built for her?
Enoughwas enough.Icouldn’t letAxelkeep blindsiding me, especially when it came toPoppy.
“Axel, you can’t see my daughter again.”Igot right to the point.
