"Mariyah you’re not going to clean the place.You can stand on top of whoever is cleaning and make sure they do a proper job, hire a company.Also I need you to hire a full time housekeeper, one that is willing to live there and a cook.If we need a gardener you need to get on that too."Mariah’s head was spinning.
"Zak, I can't be responsible for all of this, I start my job again on Monday, my leave is over.I need to get myself sorted out.I can't keep expecting Caleb to support me."
"I don't want you working anymore, so go ahead and quit."Mariah’s eyes opened wide.This was one of those visits where it was going to get ugly, she felt it.
"I'm not giving up my life Zak, I need to earn money to support myself."He shook his head looking like he wanted to smack her.
"Mariyah, I just told you to quit your job.What should your reply be?"She rolled her eyes at him.
"Yes master, as you wish master...What cave did you crawl out from?Gees"
"Okay smart mouth, how bout this, do as your told else you get a smack."
"Go to hell, I'm not going to let you run my entire life.I am capable of making my own decisions."
"You just don't fucking get it.Okay Mariyah have it your way, stay at your job, honey I’ll have you fired within the week, now if I recall, it's better for you to quit, that way if you ever need to apply for another job, it won't look so bad on your resume."Now Mariyah understood why she should be planning her escape.This guy wanted to control every aspect of her life.
"Fine Zak you win, as always you win.I don't know why I bother."She was going to escape him.It was the only way she would have any chance of a normal life.
"Good girl.Now come and give daddy a kiss, I need to touch you."Mariyah moved over to him and sat herself on his lap.She kissed him, she kissed him like she was never going to kiss him again.She truly did love him and that itself was the hardest thing about leaving him.It had to be done, he wasn't going to change."Why are you crying?"He asked when she pulled away.Mariyah was unaware of her tears.
"It's all just too much, I'm so scared that you’re making me do all this and it's not going to work out with us.Zak I want you think about what you are doing carefully.I'm happy to help you sort out your life but you can't keep me like I'm merely an object to you."Trying to reason with him one last time
"You’re right Mariyah if it doesn't work out I’ll simply kill you that way you won't be fucking anybody else and I can have piece of mind.I swear to God sometimes I feel like you deliberately try and piss me off."He shoved her off him."You don't want to be with me?Fine kid but know this, you will never be with anybody else.Don't fuck with me babe, you will not like the outcome."
"Why do you get so worked up for?It's normal for me to have these insecurities, I'm giving up everything and you won't try and help me through it.Zak, you are expecting me to believe in your word but I know nothing at all about you.Can't you see where I'm coming from?"
"I'll be out in a few weeks, so I'm not going to bother sorting you out now, just know this, when I'm out you have nowhere to run.Nowhere where I can't find you.Everything you are doing now will not go unpunished.I'm limited to what I can do to you in here with you but trust me kid, it's a whole different ball game when I'm out."That was it, Zak had just made up her mind.She was leaving, today she would tell Caleb that they needed to leave as soon as possible.No more holding off, no matter how much she loved Zak Michaels, he was not going to change.
CHAPTER 10
"Caleb we need to hurry, I don't know how we are going to get away without being noticed.Have you said anything to anybody?"
"Not a soul.I’ve found us a nice place a few hours from here, it's a busy place so we could get lost in the crowd.We need to leave say around four in the morning, I'm sure if you are being followed they won't suspect you to go anywhere at that time."Mariyah nodded her head.
“What about our things?"
"Honey just take what you need, your clothing and anything that's important to you."
"I'm sorry for everything Caleb I swear I'll make it up to you."
"Shhh that's enough, it's going to be fine.We will get through this okay?"Mariyah nodded her head and went to the task of packing her clothes.This was really it, she was leaving Zak for good.Her heart sank, she was going to miss him but more importantly, she was going to be in constant fear now, the thought of Zak finding her.He would kill her for this but it was a risk she was willing to take.Zak didn't seem to empathize with anybody, he was so set in his ways.All Mariyah wanted was a life where she didn't have to worry about every last thing she did.Zak was easy to get riled up and she was always getting herself into some sort of trouble.
Finally she gathered everything she wanted to take with her.She felt it necessary to write Zak a letter, explaining why she had to leave.Hopefully he would forgive her and let her live her life without him.The letter she wrote was short and sweet, she said what she had to say, ending it with love always Mariyah.
Leaving it on the kitchen bench, if Caleb wanted to say something he didn't.They were ready all they had to do now was make their escape without being noticed.Caleb hurried packing their belonging in the car.He was quick and quiet.When he had finished he asked her if she was ready and she nodded, she was as ready as she was ever going to be.
"Okay, let's go."Quietly they made their way to the car which Caleb had wisely parked in the garage.They entered the garage through the back and opened the front with the remote once they were set and ready.Caleb drove slowly not wanting to draw any attention to them.It seemed like it was going well, nothing out of the ordinary and nobody seemed to be following them.They continued to drive along the road in the dead of night.Caleb made great time and they didn't stop once until it was lunch time.
***
The house that Caleb had chosen was very nice.It had a nice garden, the inside had been cleaned and the furniture looked new."Did you buy all this?"
"Yes, it's okay, we still got some money left from Betty's inheritance, it’s okay, it’s been long overdue for us to have a change.Do you like?"Mariyah grabbed her brother into a tight embrace.
"Caleb I love it, it's perfect.Thank you."She couldn't believe he had all this organized while she was busy organizing Zak's home.Caleb was one in a million, she adored him more then she adored anybody in her whole life."Did you tell Valeria anything?"
"No, I think it's for the best we don't communicate anymore.I don't trust anybody Mariyah, nobody at all, this is too dangerous a situation to take risks.It was never serious between us anyway, she was just a friend.Now let’s get some rest then we can unpack."Sounded like a fantastic idea.
