Exodus tucked his sheet underneath his mattress, making sure it was snug enough to where it wouldn't come up. He laid a silk sheet over the cotton set, before adding the thicker cover on top of it all. Folding the top part back a bit, he placed his pillows in their correct spots, completing the task of making up the bed.

He used a Clorox wipe to clean off his nightstands, and lit one of Siraj's candles from Etsy on the stand nearest her side of the bed. The candle was strawberry and cream scented, and had realistic-looking strawberries and whip cream as the creative design.

Usually he lit more of a 'manly' incense in his house, but he couldn't recall the last time he had ever since Siraj started staying over. Strawberry scented candles-and candles in general-were one of her favorite gifts, so he made sure to stock up on a few to keep burning.

Exodus's attention shifted when the bathroom door opened, and out came Siraj, who only wore a pair of panties and a cropped but fitted muscle shirt-her go-to lounge outfit. She now smelled of her dove body wash, the first thing Exodus noticed after hugging her.

"You are so obsessed with me." She chuckled at their hug, as if she wasn't just laying in bed with him an hour ago.

"Been that." He kissed the side of her face, relieved to see her smiling. He shook his head as she climbed back into the bed that he'd just made up, but followed right behind her.

As she cuddled up on the side of him, Siraj's smile slowly faded away as she unlocked her iPhone. Her nicely arched eyebrows then furrowed to form a small frown once her phone was taken away from her, meeting Exodus's gaze.

"Why you ain't singing to me shordy?" He pretended to bite her jaw, listening to her laugh when he lightly nibbled on it. Beyoncé's Dance For You was currently playing from the speaker, which Exodus had previously been using during the time he'd spent cleaning up the bedroom.

"You know I can't sing and you be letting me blow your eardrums anyway." She smiled at the way he always wanted her to sing to him, as if she had a good voice for real when they both knew it was far from it.

"Sing to me." He stared down at her, waiting on her to begin singing along with one of her favorite songs.

"I'ma take this time to show you how much you mean to me, 'cause you are all I need. No money can emphasize, or describe the love that's in-between the lines. Boy, look into my eyes." She wrapped her arms around his neck, her head tilting back to let him kiss her.

Her hands drifted to hold his face, being positioned to lay on her back so that Exodus could have more access to her mouth. He'd kiss and suck on her tongue all day if she allowed him to. He was infatuated with her kisses.

"I love you." She mumbled softly, trailing her lips to leave gentle kisses on his face.

"I love you the most. Look at me. You sad mama?" His gaze locked on hers, and he watched her eyes lower in defeat at his question.

"Stop. I'ma start crying and you gon' feel bad." She covered his face with her hands, her stomach fluttering at the way he smiled at her.

"I wish I knew how to fix it for you. You making me sad 'cause I don't know how." He chuckled, causing her hands to slowly remove from his face.

"Do you regret getting me pregnant?" She asked him, though it didn't have any correlation to the conversation at hand.

"I don't regret shit I ever did with you. Why you thinking like that?" He scanned over her expression with a small frown on his face, and all she did was shrug. She was trying not to cry for the hundredth time.

"You regret being pregnant by me?" He returned her question. Siraj hesitated for a couple of seconds, before slowly and truthfully nodding her head yes.

"I didn't regret it three days ago. Now I feel like we just ruined th-I don't know. It's just not as exciting anymore since they're not happy for us. My feelings hurt." She mumbled, rubbing circles in her palm with her thumb.

"I'm not gonna cry." She sniffed, looking up towards the ceiling to stop her tears that wanted so badly to fall, blowing out a slow breath to calm herself down.

"Yes you are. That's aight baby." He wrapped his arms around her, knowing that she was pouting just as she began crying. She knew her crying didn't bother him, but it was beginning to piss her off.

Siraj was such a family person, which explained why she literally didn't have any friends. It had always been just their two combined families, and they meant everything to her. The fact that they weren't on good terms was literally turning her world upside down.

It hurt badly to know that her brother didn't want to see her right now, much less want to talk to her. He was so upset about her being pregnant by Exodus that if he saw her, they both knew he'd probably put his hands on her and he didn't want to do that. Being pissed was an understatement.

As far as how he was feeling towards Exodus, everybody should be relieved that Semaj hadn't really upped his gun on him yet-because every part of him wanted to. If their fathers hadn't stopped their fight, Semaj would've continued fighting until one of them died-and his adrenaline didn't wear off easily.

Even Adonis wasn't speaking to Siraj. He felt as if she'd chosen 'a nigga', in his words, over her own family, over her own father-and everyone knew how close the two of them were. In a way, Siraj knew that she did indeed choose Exodus. She chose her man, the father of her child. She chose her peace, and chose the love the came out of her relationship.

She didn't blame herself for her father not being able to understand why she was with Exodus. It wasn't for him to understand, and she would have to learn to just be okay with that. It was easier said than done though.

"I don't regret our baby. I'm sorry. That's not what I meant by that." She sniffed, her face nuzzled into his chest.

"I know." His tattooed hand rubbed up and down her back, his eyes locked on the wall, though he wasn't really focused on it.

"I really didn't mean that, I promise. I'm sorry." She grabbed his face again, and he met her gaze as she kissed his lips a couple of times.

"You ain't gotta apologize. I ain't mad Raj." He had an unreadable expression on his face, and she stared at him for a few seconds, nodding her head.

"I'm sorry it ain't go how you wanted it to." His voice rasped as he pushed a stray piece of hair back into her bonnet. Exodus was so used to being able to make sure everything was how she wanted since she was his spoiled brat, but he couldn't fix it this time.

"That's okay baby. Are you okay?" She mumbled, her hands never leaving his face. This whole time he'd been constantly checking on her, and she hadn't thoroughly done the same for him yet.

"I'm good. This shit ain't really bothering me 'cause I knew what was gon' happen. My pops ah' get over that shit and Maj will too, eventually. And if they don't, ain't like I can change shit anyway. What's the point in stressing 'bout it if there's nothing I can do, feel me?"

"And I ain't gone lie, that shit fucked with me in the beginning but I'm cool off it now. Besides, I already told you I wasn't coming up off you for nothin'. I'ma take whatever come with you, even if I gotta go blow for blow with Maj every time I see 'em. You worth it." He now laid on his back, lightly shrugging his shoulders.

"I know you sad about it now, but we gone be good. You and my baby gone be good, with or without support. You know that. They gon' get over it." Exodus turned his head to look at her, reaching over to wipe the tears from her face.

He chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug, burying her face right underneath his jaw while his arms went around her waist. He rubbed her back since he knew that she was crying, then eventually pulled her to lay on top of him.

Exodus meant it when he said that she was worth it. He'd walk through the seven circles of hell and back for her without even having to think about it. Love made you do crazy things, and he was without a doubt head over heels in love with her.

"I'm sorry for crying so much," She paused to sniff, lowkey annoyed with herself. "But I just love you so much and I wish they knew that this is why. Like, yo, you are so good to me."

"And it's not fair that they mad at me 'cause they don't see it. Shit, my daddy raised you and Maj grew up with you; you would think they'd know the type of man you are. I love you so so so deep. And I'm about to get mad 'cause I can't stop fuckin' crying yo." She sat up with her legs on each side of him, and he smiled at how obviously irritated she was with herself.

"I love you too shordy. I 'preciate you for fuckin' wit' me the way that you do." His hands rested on her stomach, massaging the firmness of it.

"Stop making me cry." She formed a pout on her face, placing her hands over his.

"They happy tears or sad tears?"

"I'm happy right now baby."

"Then no." He poked her belly button, earning a laugh from her. He pulled her to lay down on top of him again, beginning to tickle her sides which caused her to laugh harder.

He chuckled, his eyes unintentionally lowering as he watched her smile cover her face from how hard she was previously laughing. She was so beautiful to him, and he hated that her smile hadn't been seen as of lately since she'd been in a mood the last couple of days over her pregnancy announcement.

"I know I keep telling you that I got you, but I don't think you believe it enough. You ain't got shit to worry about when you with me and I want you to understand that." He rubbed her face, then lifted his head up a bit to kiss the side of it.

"Why are you so sweet to me?" She truly couldn't fathom the idea of someone being so in love with her the way that he was. It was too surreal.

"I be tryin'."

"I love you." She told him for what had to be the millionth time, but each time she said it felt like the first time he'd heard it.

"I love you too pretty. I'm finna put you to sleep though." He turned her to lay on her back, and she laughed just as his head lowered to go underneath the covers.

The distant sounds of knocking made Exodus throw his arm over his eyes, hoping that if they didn't answer the door, whoever was on the other side would go away. They didn't.

"Shit." He sucked his teeth while lifting himself up from his pillow, carefully unwrapping a sleeping Siraj's body from his.

Her legs were previously wrapped around him, but somehow she was still sprawled across the mattress with no clothes on her body. She smelled of Dove bar soap, which she had used during the shower that she'd taken before going to sleep-being put to sleep by Exodus, as he said she would be.

He put the cover back over her, then walked over to his dresser to grab a pair of boxers. After pulling them on, he tossed on a pair of sweats, and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth as quickly as he could. Hopefully he could get back in the bed soon.

While walking towards the front of the house, he stretched his body out, letting out a low groan as he approached the door. He didn't even look through the peephole, and instead checked the camera app on his phone; not surprised to see Zara standing on the other side.

"Bitch it's colder than Elsa's balls out here, I know you heard me fucking knocking." She pushed past him and into the house with gift bags in her hands.

"Hello to you too, I suppose." He rolled his eyes as he let the door shut, turning the first lock back in place.

"Fuck you. I didn't come for you, my best friend sleep? I know she here 'cause her car outside." She placed her bags on the living room table, then came out of her coat since it was warm in the house.

"If you see her car, where else would she be?" He rose an eyebrow.

"You a lil' sassy bitch, ain't it?" Her arms folded across her chest, and he chuckled, heading for the kitchen to grab himself a drink.

"She sleep. Don't go waking her up either." He told her, scanning over the different drink options in the fridge before ultimately deciding on a caprisun juice pouch.

"You don't run me. Matter fact, you don't run anything except that mouth." Zara made herself comfortable on the couch, grabbing the Roku remote.

"You can run a fade lil' ass girl." He referred to a fight, making her wave him off.

"No thanks. Wouldn't wanna do you how Maj did ya'." She smirked while glancing at him, and then laughed at the instant mug on his face.

"That nigga ain't do me nothin'. I'm good from the shoulders. You know that, he know that, yo' daddy know that, and everybody else know it too." He mushed her head with a little force, and she dramatically made her neck jerk in the opposite direction.

"Boy now you just lying 'cause mama told me that daddy slapped the shit out you and you ain't do nothing about it. She even showed me on the ring camera." She teased, though she was very much lying about the last part.

"I wouldn't give a fuck if she did. What, I should've swung on him? That shit barely hurt anyway." He lied as well, causing Zara to laugh, and him to join in a few moments later.

"Nah though, all jokes aside, I'm sorry I didn't defend y'all. I was lowkey caught off guard on how everything went down, and by the time I got my brain together, y'all was already gone." She had her attention on Criminal Minds, but could feel him looking at her.

"You good. I wasn't really looking for no 'defense' anyway 'cause I knew what was gon' happen. I didn't think pops would flash out like that though." He shrugged his shoulders, now looking at the TV as well.

"Not gone lie, if it was any of my other friends, I would be mad at you-y'all-too. But since it's my sister, and I trust you, I'm not. You can't act like it's the most normal thing ever though." She glanced over at him while pulling her legs up into the couch.

"I ain't say it was, I just don't think it should matter to nobody 'cause the only two people in my relationship is me and her. I do understand where they coming from though, like ion blame them for being mad, feel me?"

"But at the same time, she already pregnant. What niggas want me to do? Snatch my nut out of her?" He was briefly cut off by Zara choking on air through a laugh, causing him to amusingly roll his eyes.

"Wellll, I mean, you could've cut it off before pregnancy was even a possibility.." She trailed off while making a yikes expression.

"I couldn't have even if I wanted to. My baby had me wrapped around her finger before I even got out of jail. Soon as I came home, she had me on lock. I ain't stand a chance." He leaned back in the couch, finally beginning to stick his straw inside of his caprisun.

"Yeah, she told me about how y'all started and stuff. I love y'all together. But just like you, I think daddy, Baba, and Maj all have a reason to be mad. If you were in their place, you would be too." She told him, and he shrugged in response even though he knew it was true.

His Baba-Siraj's father-definitely raised Exodus as if he was his son by blood, just like Semaj was. All of them grew up as siblings, so to see Exodus and Siraj together definitely threw everyone for a loop. The pregnancy was only the rotten cherry on top.

In a way, Adonis felt like his daughter had been taken advantage of. With no details of how their relationship started, the thought of Exodus grooming her crossed his mind, as well as Emmanuel's mind. After all, he had literally been around for over a decade before she was even born.

Emmanuel was also disappointed in his son for going after a young girl who he considered to be his daughter. It just didn't make any sense to him. He would've thought a relationship between any of them would disgust them since they were literally a family, and had been since before any of the kids were even thought of.

Still, Exodus knew the real. He knew that he'd never looked at Siraj in any explicit way until last year. Even then, he didn't want to pursue anything with her. But she was persistent and knew exactly how to get what it was that she wanted-and that so happened to be Exodus. Now, she had him.

"Like I told her, they'll get over it. I was down to talk to them about it and help them get an understanding, but them niggas went straight to being physical. I'm down for that too, shit." He shrugged again.

"Mhm. You talked to Mari recently?" She asked, though it didn't technically correlate with the conversation.

"Nope."

"So you don't see nothing wrong with not talking to and fighting both of your brothers?"

"Man, Zara, I done fought both them niggas plenty of times before. This ain't nothing new. Niggas is mad over some BS. I'm not finna stress over beefing with them behind my ole' lady. Like I said, they gon' get over it-or don't. I don't give a fuck 'cause regardless, I'm not breaking up with her." A mug now rested as his expression as he became slightly irritated.

"I didn't mean to make you mad. I'm all for you and the bestie, but I'm also all for our family. I just think all of this mess ain't worth it. Who would've known the local Caresha and Diddy could start all of this?" She blew out a dramatic breath, smiling once he laughed.

"You is fucking annoying, yo." He chuckled, shaking his head at being referenced to Diddy, again.

"Anyway, let's get off that topic 'cause I don't want you to swing on me big brudder. Juh' vibe." She stood from the couch, and he shook his head again, letting his eyes follow her as she walked back over to the table. He'd forgot about those gift bags for a second.

"I brought my godbaby some gifts. When I was going grocery shopping at Target, I saw these little onesies and they're soooo cute. And I got some blankets, and a binkie that I saw too." She gestured him to come closer, making him get up from the couch to go look.

He was glad that she was supportive of his relationship and the baby that was on the way. Despite saying he didn't care whether they had support or not, it made him feel good that his little sister was there for them.

Scrumdilly yum yum, a purr purr! 😍