Page 51 of Rose
“I know who sent the donation and the flowers.”
Kyre’s grin was all smug satisfaction.
Ahzii instantly mugged.
The gesture had wrecked her emotionally, cracked her open in a way she hadn’t been ready for. It wasn’t just the beauty of it—it was what it triggered. It made her feel things she had trained herselfnotto feel.
“No. I don’t even want to know,” she said, cutting her eyes at Kyre. “That shit was wild. I don’t need to meet my stalker.”
Kyre burst out laughing. “Bitch, he is not a stalker.”
“Yet somehow, this man knew where I was, what I looked like, and my damn name,” Ahzii deadpanned. “That soundsrealhealthy.”
Kyre couldn’t help it—she was bent over laughing now, shaking her head. “Okay,yes, it was giving stalker. But it was Savior.”
Ahzii’s smile vanished. She blinked.
“The scary barber cape man?”
Kyre doubled over laughing. “Bitch! Stop calling him that!”
“But that’s what he was wearing when I met him! That whole Dracula-ass getup.”
Still chuckling, Kyre nodded. “Yes. Him.”
Ahzii rolled her eyes so hard they might’ve gotten stuck. She remembered him—clearly.
That intense stare outside the barbershop, the way he looked like he’d snap that man’s neck on the spot for her. The way he grabbed her, held her like he wasn’t going to let the world touch her again. The way his arms wrapped around her, firm but careful, and how his breath hit her neck—cool, calming.
She’d fought him.
But somewhere in between the panic and the adrenaline, his voice had slipped into her ears. Whispering. Reassuring.
Soothing in a way she didn’t want to admit she still remembered.
“Okay… so Savior’s a stalker,” she said flatly, as if repeating it made it law.
Kyre rolled her eyes right back. “He isnota stalker. He was just trying to cheer you up. Sarai’s his little sister, and she told me he wanted to do something for you. He was there when that shit outside happened. He saw how shaken you were. He just wanted to make your day better.”
“Yeah… well, he could’ve sent a card or something. Maybenottracked me down like Liam Neeson inTaken.” Ahzii said, walking over to clean her station before her next appointment. “It was sweet, yeah. But also? Crazy as hell.”
Kyre grinned. “I still think it was sweet.”
And maybe itwas—at least to someone who hadn’t built the last year protecting the cracked pieces of their heart.
But for Ahzii?
Sweet didn’t always feel safe.
“What was sweet?”
A’Mazi’s raspy voice cut through the room as he stepped in, cool and calm like always—but his presence carried weight.
Kyre lit up like her crush had just walked in the room.
“Nothing,” Ahzii said quickly, as she tried to wave him off. “Mind your business.”
“Lose the attitude,Shug.” A’Mazi chuckled, then turned serious. “I apologize for scaring you, but that nigga deserved that ass-whooping.”
