Page 15 of Rose

“Girl, that man was ready to snap that dude’s neck for you!” Kyre laughed as they sat inside Gold , their drinks sweating against the table between bites of hot food.

“That shit not funny.” Ahzii side-eyed her, replaying everything that happened an hour ago like it was still happening. “A’Mazi was gonna kill him if they didn’t pull him off. All that man wanted was my number—and got mad that I didn’t give it to him.”

“So the kill would’ve been justified,” Kyre countered, sipping her lemon drop like she was in court. “And I’d have gotten my man out on self-defense.”

“You joking, and it’s not funny.” Ahzii muttered, taking a slow sip of her margarita.

“It kinda is .” Kyre smirked. “If Mazi wasn’t gonna kill him, Savior surely was.”

“The scary-looking man with the barber cape still on?” Ahzii asked, brows raised.

Kyre nodded, laughing harder. “Yeah. But by the way you were looking at him, he didn’t seem all that scary to you .”

Ahzii gave her a flat look. “You just full of jokes today, huh?”

“I’m just trying to cheer you up,” Kyre said gently, her voice softening. “You been down all day.”

Ahzii sighed, her eyes dropping to her plate.

Today wasn’t one of her best days. It had been a week since Willow’s birthday, but the weight of everything still hadn’t lifted.

The nightmares kept coming—vivid, cruel, and real.

Some nights, it was Willow’s voice calling for her.

Others, it was William’s laughter echoing in dark corners.

And sometimes... she was back in that house, trapped in a moment that wouldn’t let her go.

She’d wake up crying, sweating, shattered—because none of it was real anymore.

Grief didn’t just knock. It kicked the door down and made itself at home.

“I’m good,” she lied.

Kyre rolled her eyes. “Stop lying. You not. But... I’m not gonna force you to talk.”

Ahzii nodded, grateful. Kyre never pressured her. She just showed up. Again and again. Like a sister, not just a friend. And even on days where Ahzii didn’t know who the hell she was anymore, Kyre somehow still did—and loved her anyway.

“But back to fine-ass Savior ,” Kyre said, sliding back into playful. “Did you see the way he was looking at you?”

Ahzii groaned and rolled her eyes, but before she could answer, a woman approached the table—striking, radiant, and unmistakably the owner of the place.

She was beautiful. Skin rich and blemish-free, long boho knotless braids styled in a chic half-up look that showed off her bone structure.

Her “Gold” restaurant uniform wasn’t the standard black one worn by the staff—hers was white with gold lettering stitched just over her heart, perfectly matching the black, white, and gold decor of the restaurant.

At 5’5, her gym-toned body moved with confidence and elegance, and when she smiled, her deep dimples lit up the entire room.

Gold herself.

“Hi ladies! Sorry to interrupt your lunch—” Sarai began with a bright smile, but her words were cut off by a gasp.

“Ray Ray?!” Kyre blurted, eyes wide.

Sarai’s face lit up. “ReRe?!”

The two women met in a tight embrace, laughing like no time had passed. Ahzii watched the exchange with a soft smile, curious. She’d never seen this woman before, but there was something familiar about her.

“Girl, it’s been so long! How you been?” Sarai asked, pulling back.

“Girl, working—like always. You?” Kyre grinned.

“Same,” Sarai beamed. “Actually, this is my restaurant.”

Kyre’s eyes flew open. “ Really ? Girl, this place is beautiful!”

Ahzii nodded in agreement. The food was amazing, the atmosphere warm and modern—but knowing a Black woman owned it? That sealed it.

“First time here,” Kyre added. “Mazi told me about it, said we had to check it out—but he didn’t say you owned it.”

Sarai laughed. “It’s good hearing you two finally stopped being stubborn and fell in love.”

“Amen,” Ahzii chimed in, making Kyre laugh.

“Oh, and I’m rude,” Kyre said, remembering. “Ray Ray, this is my best friend—really my soul sister—Ahzii. Mazi’s twin.”

Sarai turned to Ahzii, and her smile widened. “ Wait , I never knew Mazi had a twin! Y’all are identical—like, damn. Not saying you look like a man—because you don’t—but wow . You’re beautiful.”

Ahzii chuckled, shaking her hand. “Thank you. Same to you.”

“Zii, this is Sarai,” Kyre said. “We met at the campus café back in college. She graduated early though—smart ass only stuck around for a semester.”

Sarai laughed. “Girl, I was ready to dip. Culinary school is no joke.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she added, turning back to Ahzii. “Did you go to FAMU too? I don’t remember seeing you on campus.”

“I did,” Ahzii nodded. “But I stayed in my books—or art studio. Only time I came out was when Ky forced me to.”

“She’s a talented tattoo artist,” Kyre added with pride. “Owns The Escape Room —it’s her shop here in the city.”

Sarai’s eyes sparkled. “ Really? ! I was admiring your tattoos and was gonna ask who did them. Girl, we have to exchange info—I need new ink.”

Ahzii smiled, surprised by how genuine she felt. Sarai radiated light and warmth—so much it reminded her of who she used to be.

She reached into her purse. “Here’s my card. My number and shop address are on the back.”

“Say less,” Sarai said, sliding it into her uniform pocket. “I’ll be booking real soon.”

“Oh! I almost forgot why I came over here,” Sarai giggled, her deep dimples flashing. “I was told to let you ladies know your meals are completely free. Well… free anytime you walk through these doors.”

Both Kyre and Ahzii blinked, confused.

“Sarai, you don’t have to do that,” Kyre said. “We want to support you.”

Ahzii nodded, echoing the sentiment.

Sarai just smiled brighter. “I appreciate that—but a generous donor already covered it. A big one. Said it was for…” She paused, her gaze drifting to Ahzii, then back to them with a knowing smile. “For ‘Ahzii. And whoever she brings with her.’”

Ahzii’s brows pulled together as she stared at Sarai. “What?”

Sarai laughed at their stunned faces. “I know—it sounds crazy, right? But the donation came in a hour ago. No name, just that message. Honestly, it brought in a lot of profit for the business, so I should be thanking you .”

“I didn’t—” Ahzii started, fumbling. “I’ve never even been here before…”

“Well,” Sarai said, her grin playful, “let’s just say your donor called themselves a real savior .”

She winked at Kyre, who immediately lit up in realization, trying to suppress her grin.

Before Ahzii could react, a delivery man approached their table with a towering bouquet of blood-red roses. He held out the flowers, breathless and smiling. “These are for you, ma’am. There’s a note too.”

Ahzii’s mouth parted in shock as the bouquet was set before her. Kyre clutched her chest dramatically, grinning like it was her own surprise.

“I just need a quick signature,” the delivery man added, and Ahzii scribbled her name on the clipboard, her eyes never leaving the blooms. They were stunning. Soft. Fresh. Overwhelming.

“You know who sent these?” she asked, glancing between the two women. Kyre shook her head, her smile betraying her innocence. Sarai just chuckled.

“I can’t say, girl. Donor confidentiality.”

Ahzii sighed and plucked the small card from the center of the bouquet. Her fingers trembled as she unfolded it.

“Beautiful women deserve their flowers. I’d kill to see your allure again.”

Her throat tightened. Her mind ran wild, trying to place the gesture, the message.

Kiyan? He had the money. And he’d sent her flowers before—dozens of times.

Roses she either sent back or tossed. But this…

this felt different. This wasn’t just money.

It was intention. Precision. Aimed straight at the part of her that was still broken.

The flowers were beautiful. The donation was generous. But it all felt too intimate. Too emotional. And far too soon.

Her heart clenched.

Grief was cruel. She thought she’d cried out all the pain. But now, with this softness in front of her—this reminder that someone was watching, wanting, caring—she suddenly felt like she was betraying William all over again.

Even though he was gone, her soul still belonged to him.

Letting another man in… it felt like cheating.

Hell, even the meaningless sex with Kiyan left her feeling hollow.

He was never meant to fill William’s space.

That was just escape. Numbness. But this?

Flowers. A message. A smile someone wanted to earn ?

It was too much.

Tears welled in her eyes. She blinked fast, trying to fight them back, but her chest was already tightening, her hands trembling slightly in her lap.

The scent of roses pulled her deeper into the guilt, the ache, the memory of a love that no longer lived—and the impossible idea of letting anyone else in.

No one could replace William. And deep down… she didn’t want them to.

Kyre and Sarai saw it the moment her face crumbled. Their smiles vanished instantly.

“I can’t accept these…” Ahzii said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Or the donation.”

Kyre blinked.

“Wait—why?” Sarai asked, confused, just as a single tear slipped down Ahzii’s cheek.

Without a word, Ahzii pulled two hundred-dollar bills from her purse and placed them on the table beside the flowers like they burned her fingers.

“Zii, you good?” Kyre asked, her voice soft, but Ahzii snapped her head up so fast it startled both women.

“You know who did this, don’t you?” she hissed, eyes wet and wild, tone sharp enough to cut. Kyre hesitated, caught off guard.

Sarai took a step back, letting Kyre handle it—but neither had time to speak before Ahzii continued, her voice breaking as the floodgates opened.

“This was the plan all along, huh? Bring me here so another nigga can surprise me with flowers and a donation? I know Kiyan is behind this. You want me to find love again so badly, but the answer is no.” Her voice rose, thick with pain. “I’m not replacing him.”