Grim

9

Today was supposed to be the day that Azias and I would leave together to try and figure out who was behind all of this madness. However, I woke to an empty bed and Azias no where to be found in the house. Neither Rose nor my mom knew when he left. He just dipped without saying shit to anyone, and I didn't know how to feel about it.

On one hand, I was pissed. He had lied to me. He promised to take me along with him on numerous occasions yet still left me.

On the other hand, I felt annoyed because Rose kept arguing in his defense, saying that he probably left to keep me safe— that he didn't want to drag me in the mess, but I was already in it! He had no right leaving the way he did. He hadn't even said goodbye.

I knew that the next time we'd see each other, I'd walk up to him, look him in the eyes and say—

"Azias?!" I greeted with wide eyes and a parted mouth. I was beyond surprise to see him return so soon.

"Why you look so surprised to see me?" he frowned as he walked to the closet. His hands disappeared inside the closet, and when they reappeared, he was holding two black book bags that looked exactly like the ones at his house in New York and Pennsylvania.

"I-I..." I was too surprised to even respond. "Where were you?"

He threw the bags on his shoulders before grabbing my jacket from out of the closet. "Why aren't you dressed?" he frowned as he placed my jacket down beside me. "I had to purchase some things for the road and house."

"I showered and everything already, but I wasn't planning on getting dressed." I admitted, "I thought you left."

"I told you I wouldn't," he smiled lightly. "Everybody was knocked when I woke, and I wanted to get some last minute things. I didn't wanna disturb anyone, so I went by myself."

I went into his drawer and took out a pair of his black sweats and a black t-shirt. I quickly got dressed in them before throwing my jacket on.

"So where are we heading?" I asked as I zipped my jacket up. "Will we be walking?"

He opened a small pocket in one of the book bags and took out car keys before explaining, "This safe house has a garage and two cars. I'm leaving this set of keys with your mom and Rose just in case they need to leave the house for any reason." He threw me the keys and then dug into his jacket pocket and took out another set. "We're heading to California."

"Okay," I nodded before letting out a shaky breath.

"You okay?" Azias frowned as he watched me. "If you're having second thoughts, it's okay. You don't have to come if you're afraid."

I breathed, "I'm just a little nervous. I'll be fine."

"Okay, but if, at any point, you change your mind, let me know," he said with care, and I smiled lightly and nodded. "Meet me out front when you're done saying your goodbyes," he instructed before walking off, most likely to get the car started.

I met Rose and my mom in the living room and gave them both tight hugs before saying my farewells and giving them the car keys. Pharaoh was knocked out, but I was sure to leave a quick kiss on his head before meeting Azias outside.

"The ride is a day and some. We'll probably stop at a motel along the way to rest," he informed while opening the car door for me. I thanked him and got in, and he closed my door before walking to the driver's side and getting in. I looked in the back seat and noticed that the two black book bags were there, along with some other bags.

Curious, I questioned, "What's in those?"

"Snacks, clothes, and some...other things..."

Even more curious now, I smiled with a gentle frown, "What other things?!" I turned my head to the side to connect eyes with him, but he avoided my eyes as he started the car. "Hellooooo," I giggled, but he kept avoiding eye contact with me. It was then that I noticed that he appeared a bit shy. Azias was rarely ever shy, but whatever lied in those bags was the reason why he was right now. I needed to know. "Now I'm really curious."

"I don't wanna say it," he said while driving off. Yeah, he was definitely shy about it.

"Can I look for myself then?" I asked, and he slowly nodded.

I grabbed the bags and began eagerly looking through them like a kid that was opening Christmas presents. The plastic bags contained snacks, like he had said, and in the designer bags, there were clothes and shoes. The final bag, a paper bag was the last one to search, and I wasted no time in opening the bag and burying my eyes in it.

"Oh!" I gasped with raised eyebrows.

Condoms, birth control, more condoms, more birth control, more condoms, more condoms, and a phone.

"Someone's expecting a lot of sex," I teased. "What's the phone for?"

It was a burner phone, but it wasn't the one I had before.

"Gave one to Rose and your mom so that they can contact you," he answered, causing my lips to stretch from ear to ear as a wide smile took over my face. "I have one as well, and others for my family."

"You're so thoughtful!" I cooed, and he glanced at me for a second before focusing on the road again.

"The...other stuff...ain't freak you out?" he asked, the shyness still written all over his body. I wasn't used to seeing the always confident Azias shy, but I didn't mind seeing this side of him.

He didn't look as relaxed as he normally was. His fingers seemed stiff as the clenched the wheel. His eyes were forward, on the street, but I felt him watching me from his peripheral view. He was gently nibbling his bottom lip, an act I never saw him do before, and by the rise and fall of his chest, I could tell that he wasn't breathing at his regular rate.

"I freaked you out, didn't I?" he said with regret evident in his voice.

I teased, "What would freak me out is us not putting all of them to use."

I watched in awe as his fine ass smile took over his face as he quietly drove. The nerve of this man to think I wasn't obsessed with him!

I placed the bag down before looking outside of the window, watching the trees as we passed them by. Then, a thought came to my mind, and I found myself pursuing it.

"Can we do it in here?"