Page 146 of Rose
Bianca entered with her usual calm, her energy soft but rooted. “Shugga baby, what’s wrong?”
Ahzii turned, barely able to hide the panic in her eyes. “Ma, what if everything goes wrong? What if you don’t like Savior? What if his parents hate me? I don’t care if they do, but what if Ms. Marley doesn’t like me? That’s his aunt, his second mother. He said she practically raised him.”
Bianca laughed gently, walking up to her daughter. “Aww, you like him.”
Ahzii scowled. “Of course I like him. He’s my fu—sex partner,” she corrected, though her cheeks betrayed her with a slow blush.
Bianca arched a brow. “Zii, baby. I know what a fuck buddy is. Had a few in my past life. But Savior? He ain’t just that to you. Kiyan was a fuck buddy. You didn’t throw surprise dinners and stress over his family. You didn’t smile just from hearing his name.”
Ahzii blinked, thrown. She hadn’t realized how obvious she was. Bianca’s voice softened.
“You care if his people like you because you like him—real like. Maybe even love.”
Ahzii froze.
Her heart thudded, hard, like it was trying to reject the word. She opened her mouth, “But what about Will—”
“Loving another man doesn’t mean you stopped loving Will,” Bianca said gently, cutting her off. “It means you’re healing, baby. It means you’re allowing yourself to feel again. And that’s okay.”
Ahzii swallowed. The ache in her chest felt like guilt and hope braided together.
People were starting to fill in the room. Laughter, hugs, drinks. Family.
“Do you like him? For me?” she asked, barely above a whisper.
Bianca looked at her, then smiled. “Yes. And I haven’t even met him properly yet. But I see the change in you. You still got more healing to do, but the way he treats you… the patience, the care, the way he looks at you like you hung the damn stars? I don’t need anything else to know he’s right for you.”
She paused, her own eyes glistening. “And seeing you smile again? That’s all I ever wanted after Will.”
“No, Ma. Don’t cry. If you cry, then I’m gonna cry, and Kyre’s gonna cry, and you know she dramatic as hell. Plus if Sav sees me crying, he’ll burn this whole place down.”
Bianca burst out laughing, wiping her eyes. “And that’s exactly the kind of man I hoped you’d find after William.”
She pulled her daughter into a hug, soft and warm and grounding. Then she walked away, leaving Ahzii to her thoughts as the room filled with the people Savior loved most.
Did she love him?
She didn’t know yet. But she was sure of one thing.
She could. And that scared her more than anything.
Savior walked in blindfolded, guided by Sincere and A’Mazi on either side of him.
“Bro, Sin, make me bump into one more thing and I’m beating yo ass,” he barked.
“That was Mazi that time,” Sincere laughed.
“My bad, bro. We almost there,” A’Mazi said, trying not to chuckle too loud.
Savior was tense. Ever since Ahzii left, he’d been asking questions—none of which the boys answered. He even called her. Texted her. Nothing. And now here he was, blindfolded and walking into God-knows-what, with nerves curling in his stomach like fists.
“I need a fat ass blunt after this,” Mazi muttered. “Yo ass worse than a woman getting ready.”
Sincere snorted. “Who you tellin’.”
As they approached the door, A’Mazi fired off a quick text. A second later, the door creaked open.
Ahzii motioned silently for them to come in. Savior stood still, blindfolded, unaware she was right in front of him until her fingers wrapped around his.
