Page 124 of Deeper

Pen started to say something, but then she suddenly noticed me and how close Zander and I were standing. Putting two and two together, her mouth dropped open. “Oh my God, Zander, she’s gorgeous!” She gushed in her extra sweet baby voice. She extended her hand towards me. “Pen.”

Zander held me close, proudly. “This is my lady, Bianka.”

It was only right to be polite, so I shook her hand and offered her a smile.

“You should putherin your next video,” Pen told Zander.

He didn’t disagree. “I’m workin’ on it.”

Pen faced me, the friendliest smile on her face. “So what modeling agency are you under?”

Thatmade me laugh. “Oh, I don’t model.”

Pen frowned. “You should, you’re beautiful!” She turned to Zander. “I love how you guys are matching with the burgundy and black. You have to take pictures, you have to.”

Owen chuckled and pulled Pen close. “Yo, let them live, okay?” He tossed Zander a helpless look. “My brother got this record he trying to put together with Saadiq, you should hit him up. Rem’s been on the lookout for a solid singer, and we can’t just stay in house with Galen.”

Zander’s eyes lit up at the offer. “Oh, wow, I’ll definitely have to link up with him. Thanks for considering me.”

“Nah, wifey’s been playing your albums and I’m impressed. Leave that pop shit alone and you could really take over the R&B game. Weren’t you in that boy band?”

Zander kinked up his nose and nodded silently.

Owen tapped his chest. “Bet you if you stick with the R&B route you’ll get a Grammy. You got something in your sound that’s unique, it’s urban, it’s foreign, it’s American influenced. You got it.” Owen appeared thoughtful as he looked around the party. “But listen, this a party. We won’t get into all that now. Hit up Remy and we’ll talk later.”

Zander promised and Owen and Pen left us alone.

“Holy shit, Owen Dymond wants to work with you.” I took a step back and examined Zander and couldn’t believe how he wasn’t freaking out. “Oh my God, what if you get a Grammy next year?”

Zander stepped forth, hovering over me. “Bianka, if I win a Grammy for ‘Canvas’ orAbstractI will fucking marry you.”

My mouth dropped open and my heart throbbed. Even if he wasn’t serious, the idea that he didn’t mind saying it out loud made me feel full. We hadn’t known each other long, but to think of this beingthatreal, to have a future with rings? I didn’t know what to say as my feelings consumed me.

Zander stared into my eyes. “What?”

I should’ve let it go, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Didn’t want to believe in someday. “You’d marry me, just like that? You can see us together in six months?”

Zander’s brows furrowed as he took a step closer, frustration arresting his handsome features. Soon, he grabbed my wrist and steered me over to a quiet spot in the yard away from the cacophony going on. With his back to the party, he peered down at me. “Yes. This isn’t a fling to me, or a game, Bi. Don’t you want us to work?”

“Yes,” I admitted breathlessly. I didn’t want to feel desperate for love, but what I felt for Zander was scary. The fact that he was all in with me, was almost too good to be true. “I just… I’m falling heart first here, and I’m scared that I’ll hit the ground and crack.”

Zander shook his head as he came forth and brought his arms around me. The Dymond Dinner was long forgotten as his entire focus was on me. “We’re in this together. Hand in hand. Heart in heart. You fall, I fall. Yeah?”

I bit my lip to stop myself from being dramatic and crying—because this was an A-list event! “Okay, you’re the first man to meet my father, and as you can see, I don’t know if there will ever be a bridge there. If this goes the distance, and it’s time formeto meetyourparents, will they treat me like Nazanin?”

Zander looked off, appearing thoughtful as he raked a hand through his hair. He returned to me, an earnest expression in his dark eyes. “My family is very close and protective. At first, my parents didn’t want to meet Jo; they were too loyal to Ishani. We grew up together. She was my first everything. Naturally, Shani was a big part of our family. I know my mum and Naz still keep in touch.

“My mum’s a lover. She’s super warm and welcoming. My dad…he can be reserved, but if he knows I’m serious about you, he won’t question it. You’ve made me happy and open when all I wanted to do was freeze up. My parents will love you.”

I let the sound of cackling in the distance distract me and keep me from breaking down right there. Nazanin was one thing, but it was nice to know the battle wouldn’t extend to his parents.

Zander reached out, thumbing at my jaw tenderly, smiling just a little. “Your folks never met your boyfriends?”

I shook my head. It was too late by then.“I didn’t really date all like that. In high school I hung out with some guys, but Rod was my first real, serious boyfriend.”

“Until he fucked up,” Zander was quick to note.

“They always do,” I said bitterly.

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