Page 86 of Blaze & Ajax

“Thank you for putting up with me.”

He said nothing as he let me go and coughed. “Well, I better head out. Let’s see if we can figure out how to help Ajax. I’ll text you with any news. Oh, and I’ll pack a bag for you, so you’ve got your own things over here. I’ll be back later tonight.”

“Thanks.”

He gave me a curt nod and left.

Later that afternoon, Ajax finally woke up, not looking much better.

“Let me make us something to eat,” I said. “Alpha dropped off a shit ton of groceries.”

He nodded and yawned. “What time is it?”

“It’s around four in the afternoon.”

“Okay, I’ll try to eat, but I need to call and make an appointment at that outpatient clinic and call those doctors that were referred to me before I chicken out and before they close. First, I gotta piss.”

When he stood, I rushed to him and held him. “Are you okay? How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do?”

Ajax chuckled softly and held me back. “Who is this caring man, and what have you done with Blaze?”

“Blaze is dead. It’s just Aiden.”

He squeezed me so tight that I couldn’t breathe, but I was okay with that. “I like this Aiden, but Blaze is pretty cool, too. Don’t kill him off just yet.”

We separated, and he went off to the bathroom. As soon as the door was shut, Ajax groaned loudly. “Fuck, I keep forgetting about this disaster.”

I laughed. “We’ll get it fixed,” I yelled back.

I dumped a jar of spaghetti sauce into a small pot before I filled a larger pot full of water and put it on the stove to boil. Thank fuck, Alpha got groceriesthat were easy to cook and put together. He even bought a large pre-made salad and a bottle of dressing.

I scooped out some of the salad mix onto two small plates and poured some Italian dressing on top.

Ajax came out of the bathroom, walked over to me, and pulled me into another fierce hug. “To answer your question, I’m still bleh. My mood isn’t great, but… I feel kind of stable now and not like my world is going to come to an end or something.”

“That’s something, at least.”

He eased me back, cupped my face, and pulled me into a kiss. It was slow and tender, making my toes curl. I hadn’t earned that kiss, but I’d take it for the gift it was. Ajax was good at giving me sweet things like that.

“I’m not sure what I would’ve done had you not been here,” he said when we pulled away.

“You would’ve been fine,” I said, but that was a lie. He’d been far from fine.

“I’m not so sure.”

He gripped my face again, leaned down, and rested his forehead on mine. “Thank you for… saying you love me.”

“I… didn’t just say it. I meant it.”

“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that while at the hospital. I was so scared.”

I pulled away and stared down at my feet, still feeling unworthy and guilty. “I’m with you all the way… as long as you’ll have me.”

“Forever, then?”

I looked up at his pretty, dark eyes and nodded. “Forever.”

The water started boiling, so I dumped the noodles in.

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