Page 193 of Rose
This wasn’t the man who had kissed her scars like they were holy, loved her through her pain, and brought light back into her darkness just by loving her.
Every memory—every moment they’d stolen together—flooded her at once, and she wished for nothing more than to have them all back.
Ahzii finally moved to his side, her trembling hand brushing gently down his cheek. The sight of the tube in his throat made her stomach twist.
“Sav…” she choked, one tear slipping free and landing on his skin before she wiped it away. “I’m sorry, baby. I don’t know why I ever believed you could hurt me… when all you’ve ever done is love me.” Her fingers lingered against his jaw, as if her touch alone could pull him back to her.
“You have to wake up,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “You have to see my allure again… baby, you promised you’d kill to see me again.”
Her phone dinged.
Will:Where are you? I told you not to leave.
Her heart dropped.But he’s dead,she thought.
Another message came.
Will:We’re free. We don’t have to worry about him anymore.
Her blood boiled. He was admitting it, claiming credit for what had been done to Savior.
Ahzii:I needed some air, so I walked on the beach. Headed back now.
She closed the messages, her chest burning with rage. Savior wasn’t the reason she’d been in that fire, wasn’t the reason she lost her daughter. It had always been William. And now, she knew exactly what she had to do, end the man who had dragged her through hell.
“I love you, Savior,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his forehead before turning and walking out, her tears mingling with the fury surging inside her.
“Liv, can I talk to you?” she called, catching Olivia’s attention. Olivia excused herself from her husband, stepping aside.
“I thought you said William—or Lazarus, whatever the fuck his name is—was dead?” Ahzii demanded, her voice sharp.
Olivia blinked, caught off guard. “He is. I checked his pulse myself. I even took a picture to send to Cain—the guy who hired us to kill him.” Her voice dropped low.
“Who’s Cain?” Ahzii asked, still reeling.
“One of the survivors from the Evermore incident. He’s the reason we even found out Lazarus was alive.”
“You still have that picture?”
“No. It was sent through an encrypted message. Once it’s opened, it deletes in ten seconds.”
Ahzii exhaled sharply. “If Lazarus is dead, then how the fuck is he texting me?”
She thrust her phone into Olivia’s hand. Olivia’s brows furrowed as she scanned the thread. “The fuck…?”
“I don’t know what’s going on,” Ahzii said, her voice tight, “but I’m about to find out.”
She turned, moving fast. A’Mazi spotted her before she got too far and stepped in her path.
“Mazi, can you take me back to the beach house?” Ahzii’s voice was steady, but her eyes burned.
“You want to go back there?” he asked, frowning.
“I have to go back there.”
He didn’t understand, but he recognized the look in her eyes—pure fire. Whatever she was walking into, he’d walk through it with her.
Bianca stepped toward her twins. “Where are you two going?” Her voice was tight, motherly worry seeping through.
