Chapter Seventeen – Louise

Working at the animal sanctuary had been just what she needed; by the end of the day, the tension she’d brought to work had gone. The more time Louise spent with the animals, the more she began to realize that this was what she wanted to do with her life.

Getting in her car, she started the engine and then sat for a moment, collecting her thoughts. She could accept Zak’s help and keep her life exactly as it was. Zak had told her she didn’t need to work, that he could easily support them. Her pride said, hell no, she could not be dependent on a man for everything. But she also knew she was lucky to have a choice. She could do volunteer work, and help at the sanctuary: her work was appreciated, and she loved it. If ever she had a vocation in life, this was it.

Putting her car in reverse, she backed out onto the road and headed home, her decision made, at least temporarily. She wanted her life to stay the same as it was. Or as near the same as possible, since Zak was now a huge part of it.

Switching the radio on, she sang along to the music, feeling lighter and happier. Even Ajax was a dim thought at the back of her mind. Surely he would grow bored and go back to his old life once he figured out she wanted nothing to do with him.

He had no hold over her. No leverage. And she wasn’t going to give him any.

Her positive frame of mind lasted until she heard a motorbike approaching. She knew the sound, and it wasn’t Zak’s. Ajax had found her.

He drove straight toward her. The back road she was following was too narrow for her to maneuver out of his way, not that he would have let her anyway. He was playing chicken. For one instant Louise thought about putting her foot down on the gas, to show him she would not be intimidated, but she wasn’t sure if he would pull out of her way. Ajax was used to winning this game, and she was not going to take the gamble.

Louise slowed the car and then pulled over to the side of the road. Ajax rode straight at her and stopped with perfect control, with his bike touching her bumper. Then he got off his bike and walked around to the driver’s door. Maybe she should back down the road, and try to get away from him that way. However, Louise knew she would only be putting off the inevitable; he would track her down and play the same game, again and again.

“Hello there, Lou.” He took off his helmet and stood grinning at her, as if he had already won. Well, she was going to wipe that grin off his face. He could not hurt her, and he could not make her do something she didn’t want to do.

As long as she stayed inside the car. If he made a grab for her, she would run his bike over, and drive away from him.

“What do you want, Ajax?” Louise asked stiffly.

“I want you to marry me.” Ajax produced a small box and flipped the lid open, revealing a diamond ring.

If Ajax had offered her a ring a year ago, when she was pregnant with Storm, she would have been the happiest girl alive. But now, after all she had been through, there was no way she was going to be sucked in. No way. Yet a part of her kept screaming that here was the father of her baby, asking her to marry him. Wasn’t this where they belonged? Didn’t she owe it to Storm?

“Why?” Louise asked. Not exactly the words he expected to hear, but his smile only faltered for a second.

“Because we belong together. You, me, and our baby. Us against the world.” He took the ring out of the box and held it out to her. “Come on, try it on.”

“I don’t want it,” Louise said firmly.

“That’s not what you said to me when you told me you were pregnant,” Ajax said. “You begged me to marry you, to look after you. You said you would do anything for me.”

“That was then.”

“And this is now. What, do you think you are better than me now? You think because you got yourself some famous new boyfriend, that you can just ignore our history?” Ajax punched her in the gut with his words. No wonder he looked so pleased with himself, he’d found his leverage. At least, he thought he had.

“No, I just met him. He’s nothing to me,” Louise lied.

“Then take the ring.” He held it up against her window.

“No, I don’t need it. I’m doing OK.”

“What, living with that old man in foster care, and cleaning up shit from abandoned animals?” Ajax asked. “Is that the life you want?”

“I’m happy.” Louise gripped the steering wheel. “So now that we have that cleared up, you can move your bike, I have to go home.”

“Oh, no, I am not finished.” Ajax put the ring back in the box, and put the box in his pocket. “See, I thought I would try being the nice guy. But you are right, that is not really me. I’m a bad boy, and this is where it gets bad for you and loverboy.”

“I told you, he means nothing to me,” Louise insisted, feeling like she should cross her fingers behind her back.

“Then you will not mind if I tell the world who he is.” Ajax smirked, she had let her expression slip enough for him to see he was onto something. “That’s right, I had a chat with a fan of his last night. Beverly. You know Beverly?”

“I met her once.”

“Great, so you know that she knows all about Zak. Zak Zane, she calls him. And her pops knows him as Zak Pellow.” His smirk became more irritating. “You know, at first I could not figure out what a man could see in you. I mean, yeah, for screwing, I suppose. But now you have a dribbling baby?”

Louise let him talk, as bile rose in her throat. If only she had run him off the road, instead of letting him win. If Ajax had his way, he was going to win for the rest of his life. And Zak was going to lose.

“But then I decided that it didn’t matter. That he must really like you to take on you and a baby that wasn’t his. Hell, I know I wouldn't do it unless there was something in it for me.” He shrugged, and then said in a babyish voice, “So he must really love you. And you love him.”

Louise didn’t answer, she was too enraged to speak. All she wanted to do was roll the window down and punch Ajax in the face for being such an asshole.

“So here we go.” His smirk was gone as he told her his terms. “You put my ring on your finger and come back with me. You bring that squalling baby with you too.” He took a breath. “And in return, I keep my mouth shut about your boyfriend and his history.”

“He wouldn't care if you told the whole world,” Louise spat back.

“I figured you might say that, so here’s the cherry on the cake.” He jabbed a finger at Louise. “If you don’t come with me, I will destroy this happy ever after you think you deserve. I will rip it to pieces and throw the bits back in your face.”

“There is nothing you can do to hurt us,” Louise said, putting her car in reverse. She’d heard enough.

“No, want proof?” He stepped back from her car. “You run back home and take a look in loverboy’s bike. Then tell me I can’t destroy you.”

She backed up the car and then drove forward, pulling around his bike. As she drove off, he yelled, “You don’t get to be happy. You don’t deserve it.”

Louise fought back tears as she drove, forcing air into her lungs. She tried to breathe, but all she could do was sob. She could take anything Ajax threw at her, but he was trying to hurt Zak, and she knew he would not stop there, he would hurt Dean, and ultimately, if he had to, he would hurt Storm too.

But how the hell was she supposed to stop him? And more importantly, why did he want her back? He didn’t love her, he didn’t even care for her. So why?

One way or another, she was going to find out.

When she arrived home, the first thing she did was call Suzie.

“Hi, Louise, how are you?” Suzie asked.

“Have you spoken to Dean?” Louise managed to ask, although she could hardly breathe.

Suzie’s voice became wary. “Yes, he told me Storm’s father was in town. Has he hurt you?”

“No.”

“Has he threatened you?” Suzie asked.

“Yes.”

“What did he say?” Suzie asked.

“He wants to marry me. And if I say no, he will ruin our lives. He will ruin Zak’s life.”

“OK, calm down. I have someone looking into him for me. I am working late tonight, I'll come straight over first thing tomorrow.” Suzie’s voice was comforting. “I promise we will deal with this together, Louise. Stay with Dean, and make sure Storm isn’t left alone. OK?”

“OK.” Louise ended the call and then got out of the car. On shaking legs, she walked over to Zak’s bike. What did Ajax mean? What had he done to Zak’s bike?

As she got closer, the front door opened and Dean stood in the doorway. “Are you OK, Louise?”

She shook her head and burst into tears. “No. There’s something wrong with Zak’s bike. Ajax did something to it.”

Zak appeared next to Dean, but when he saw Louise, he dashed out to her, wrapping his arms around her. “It was Ajax?”

“Yes. What did he do?” Louise asked.

“You’d better come in the house.” Zak led her inside. All she could think of as she went with him was how quickly her dream of a life with Zak had been ruined. One more dream to bite the dust.

And the traitorous thought entered her head: maybe they would all be better off without her and the trail of destruction that followed wherever she went.