Page 157 of Rose
A server entered with perfectly plated dishes—lamb chops, mashed potatoes, asparagus. Everyone began to eat, the clatter of silverware filling the silence like a ticking clock.
Then Selene spoke.
“So... Ahzii, right?” Her voice was laced with false warmth, sugary enough to rot teeth.
Ahzii looked up calmly. “Yes.”
Selene’s beauty was undeniable—elegant, poised—but Ahzii had heard enough to know not to be fooled. That beauty didn’t run deep.
“What exactly do you do?” Selene asked, still smiling, though her tone now carried a subtle edge.
Ahzii recognized it instantly. And she didn’t flinch.
“I’m an artist,” she said easily. “Tattoo artist on paper, but I work in multiple mediums.”
Sarai jumped in before Selene could press further, her voice bright with pride. “Yeah, Ma! She’s hosting an art showcase at Gold next month. You and Pops should come.”
Selene’s smile never reached her eyes. She didn’t respond.
“That’s dope,” Saint offered instead. “Art showcase, that’s big.”
Ahzii smiled and went back to her food, thinking the moment had passed.
It hadn’t.
“So that means you make your own money, right?” Selene asked suddenly, her tone cooler now, sharp enough to turn heads.
The energy at the table shifted. Ahzii felt it. So did everyone else.
She looked up. Calm. Controlled.
Across the table, Savior’s jaw tightened.
“Selene,” Aunt Marley said, her voice firm. A warning.
“What?” Selene blinked innocently. “I have to ask these questions. She knows who our family is. She can clearly see the life we’ve built.”
Savior’s grip on his fork tightened.
Ahzii’s gaze didn’t waver.
“I don’t mind answering,” she said, her voice soft, yet steady as steel. “Yes. I make my own money. And if you’re worried I’m here formonetary gain, you can stop worrying now. I’m very well-established on my own.”
The table went silent for a beat.
Even Saint nodded in approval, clearly surprised but impressed.
Selene sipped her wine without a word. “Just making sure,” she muttered.
“No need,” Ahzii countered matching her fire.
Savior turned to Ahzii, eyes scanning her face for any cracks. She looked back and gave him a quiet nod.
I’m good.
That was all he needed.
“How old are you, Ahzii?” Saint asked casually, glancing at her from across the table. “You look pretty young.”
