Page 78 of Rose
Sarai laughed. “Girl, she’s single. Until Savior steps correct andlocks it down, she can do whatever she wants. Yeah, he’s unhinged, but he’s still a man. Let her have options.”
“Options?” Ahzii echoed, already taking off her heels. “He alreadybroke into Kiyan’s houseand said he’d shoot him in his basketball knees if I kept fucking him. I’m not about to test this nigga with a whole date.”
Sarai cracked up. “You was just talking big shit the other day, remember? ‘I don’t care what he say, he can’t tell me who I can and can’t mess with,’” she said, mocking her.
“Don’t do me,” Ahzii muttered, slipping her foot out of the second heel.
Kyre burst into laughter. “Savior got you folding like a lawn chair.”
“Folded, tucked, and zipped up,” Ahzii admitted. “Y’all keep laughing. I’m not trying to be the reason somebody gets buried in a closed casket.”
“Relax. He’s on assignment tonight,” Sarai said casually, checking her phone. “He’s not even in town. He’s handling some business, which means he ain’t thinking about you tonight.”
“That’s supposed tocomfortme?” Ahzii looked at her, deadpan. “You do realize ‘he’s not thinking about you’ in Savior language probably means ‘I planted a camera in your rearview mirror.’”
Sarai tried to hold her laughter. “Okay, fair. But still—what hedon’tknow won’t kill him.”
“Or in this case,kill Kiyan,” Kyre added with a smirk.
Ahzii flopped back on the bed. “I hate it here.”
Sarai saw the nerves dancing behind Ahzii’s eyes. “Bitch, go on thefuckingdate. It’s your birthday—you deserve to go out, look fine as hell, and have a million-dollar nigga on your arm spoiling you. Might even get some birthday dick out of it,” she hyped, sipping her mimosa like it was gospel.
Kyre nodded hard in agreement. “Period. And you already dressed like a damn walking fantasy.”
Ahzii exhaled deeply, still unsure, but put back on her heels and grabbed her purse.Please let tonight go smooth.If whatever had Savior occupied tonight could keep himfaroccupied, she might make it out of this alive. Literally.
The girls left to get ready for the club, all excited and dressed like they were about to shut the city down. Bianca stayed behind, parked on the couch with Ace at her feet, still too high to drive home. She waved her hand lazily. “Tell Kiyan I said hey. And if he got uncles, tell ’em I’m single and ready to mingle… in moderation.”
Ahzii laughed as she walked toward the door, butterflies doing backflips in her stomach. She just wanted a peaceful night—one without emotions, without guilt, and definitely without her psycho stalker soulmate making a surprise appearance. She checked her phone.
Kiyan:Outside, Ma. Take your time, though. I’ll wait.
She inhaled, whispered a silent prayer, and stepped into the hallway.
Just one night. One damn night to be normal.
???
Ahzii and Kiyan sat at a candle-lit table near the center of the upscale rooftop restaurant. The place was elegant—dim lighting, city skyline views, soft music drifting under the clinking of wine glasses—but her mind wasn’t here. She should’ve just gone out with her brother and the girls. The one thing keeping her from fully checking out—the fear of Savior finding out—was gone now that she knew he was busy on a job. But the dinner? It was dragging.
Kiyan’s phone rang every five minutes—business, his team, or his baby mama. Every. Single. Time. The food was fancy, sure, but too bougie for her taste. The steak was mid, the mashed potatoes barely warm, and the asparagus was there for decoration more than anything else. She sipped her wine, letting the buzz mix with the lingering high from Sin’s edibles earlier, but even that was wearing off.
She was over it. The only good thing about the night was her outfit. She looked damn good.
Right as Kiyan ended another call and opened his mouth to speak, her phone rang. An unknown number lit up her screen.
"Sorry, I need to take this," she said, already answering. Anything to break the monotony.
“Hi, this is Rose.”
“You think I’m playin’ with you, Allure.”
That voice. That deep, gravel-coated voice that slithered right under her skin like smoke. Her breath hitched as her eyes subtly scanned the rooftop, body tense. Kiyan, oblivious, picked up another call of his own.
“Why are you calling me?” she asked quietly, trying to keep her cool.
“No need to look for me. This red dot on this nigga’s heart should tell you I’m close enough.”
