Page 56 of Rose

E — Emerge

"From ashes, she rise. Not healed. Not whole. But Her.”

Savior stepped into the conference room at the warehouse, the tension hitting him before the door even closed. Sin, Olivia, Cain—and of course, Saint —were already seated.

“You’re late,” Saint barked the second he walked in.

Savior ignored him, moving to his seat with steady ease. “Let’s get this over with.”

He wasn’t letting his father ruin his mood. Not today. Not when he’d spent the last month living on cloud nine—thanks to Ahzii. Since his birthday, life had finally started to feel good .

“You got somewhere better to be?” Saint prodded, eyes narrow.

Savior glanced at him and smirked. “More like someone better to be in. You married, Saint. You know how that feels, right?”

Olivia and Sin both chuckled under their breath. Saint didn’t. He just watched him, tight-lipped.

Olivia leaned forward, breaking the tension, and handed a file to Cain, whose hands trembled slightly as he took it.

“Cain,” she began, her voice calm but direct, “you said you’d been tracking Lazarus since the incident. Ever see him with anyone? A girlfriend? Wife? Someone he could’ve used to keep a low profile?”

Savior watched Cain closely, studying every blink, every pause.

Cain flipped through the file before shaking his head. “No. Lazarus has always moved solo. Calculated. The only time I’ve ever seen him in the flesh was that photo I took. That’s it. Never with a woman. No family.”

Cain looked back up, confused. “This Jane Doe… is she tied to him somehow?”

Silence settled around the table.

No one answered.

They couldn’t. Not with Cain in the room. He trusted them, but not enough to know the full story. Not the botched mission. Not their failure to eliminate a man who wasn’t supposed to survive.

Savior leaned forward. “We’re just covering all bases. Tell us everything you know about Lazarus since he’s been here.”

Cain nodded. “Not much. Like I said, he’s a ghost. That picture I took? Only time I’ve seen him in person. And that’s my only proof he’s still alive.”

Savior didn’t break his stare. He was reading Cain the entire time, digging for anything off. But the fear in the man’s voice was real.

“Alright. We’ll take it from here,” Savior said. “You’ll hear from us when it’s done.”

Cain gave a quick nod before walking out with guards trailing behind him.

The second the door shut, Saint snapped.

“So basically you three don’t have shit. ”

Savior whipped his head around, eyes blazing. “Sin. Facial recognition results?”

Sin nodded, pulling up a tablet. “Confirmed. The photo matches William Davis aka Lazarus. I’ve been scanning traffic cameras all over Miami—nothing. It’s like he knows someone’s on his trail.”

“He is a terrorist,” Savior said, jaw tight. “Someone’s always after him. He’s smart enough to avoid cameras. But what’s bothering me is this Jane Doe woman. Same night. Same injuries.”

Sin leaned forward. “I can tap into my hospital contacts. See if anyone remembers a woman like that. You think she’s alive?”

“I know she is,” Savior said. “I just don’t know who she is. No ID. No witnesses. Someone’s hiding her, and I want to know why.”

“Got it,” Sin nodded. “I’ll follow the trail.”

“Olivia, keep pushing the detective. See what else he knows. This ‘Jane Doe’ wasn’t random. She’s part of something bigger.”

Olivia nodded.

“I’ll dig more into Cain,” Savior continued. “I don’t care if he’s a survivor. He knows more than he’s saying.”

Everyone nodded, taking mental notes as Savior stood to leave.

“No more fuck-ups this time,” he added, locking eyes with Saint.

For once, his father had nothing to say.

As Savior walked toward the door, Saint finally spoke.

“We’re having dinner tonight. At the house. I want you to come, and bring your friend.”

Savior paused, turning slowly. “ My woman. ”

Saint rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Right. Your aunt mentioned you had someone. Didn’t know it was serious.”

“You would’ve known—if you’d shown up to the dinner party she threw for me.”

Saint nodded once. “Your mom really wants you there.”

Savior let out a bitter laugh. “Funny. Last time I saw her, she slapped the shit out of me.”

Saint sighed, shaking his head. “Just come, Sav. We need to talk.”

Savior stared at him for a moment, then nodded once.

“I’ll think about it.”

He walked out, heading straight for his truck.

???

Ahzii had just left Gold after planning her upcoming art showcase with Taylor and Sarai, and she couldn’t stop smiling. For the first time in a long time, things were finally coming together. Her spirit felt light. Her future felt full. She was happy, and that had once felt impossible .

The nightmares had stopped. The grief that used to swallow her whole was beginning to loosen its grip. She wasn’t fully healed—wasn’t fully whole—but she was getting there. Step by step. Breath by breath. Becoming herself again.

She sat alone at Kyre’s favorite soul food spot, scrolling through her phone, still riding the high of creative energy and friendship. But a strange chill crept up her spine, tightening the back of her neck.

She looked up.

And froze.

A man sat across the restaurant. Same hoodie from the park a month ago. This time the hood was down, revealing just enough under the hat that sat low over his eyes. He nursed a drink, his posture too familiar. Broad shoulders. Relaxed hands. That same quiet, commanding stillness.

Her stomach twisted.

William?

No. No.

It couldn’t be. William was dead. She had grieved that truth, swallowed the ash of it, buried it with her tears. She was finally learning how to live again, and she wasn’t going to let paranoia drag her back into darkness.

“Order for Rose!” a worker called from the counter.

Ahzii stood quickly, grateful for the distraction. “Thank you,” she said, grabbing the bags of food.

She turned around.

The man was gone. No sign of him. No drink on the table. Nothing.

Just an empty seat and the uneasy pounding of her heart.

She shook it off and headed out, sliding into her car and pressing play on her favorite Drake playlist to soothe her nerves. She wasn’t letting this ruin her day.

Kyre’s office smelled like vanilla, productivity, and whatever high-end hair product she’d used that morning. She was on the phone when Ahzii walked in, food in one hand, sunshine in the other.

“Set up the meeting for Thursday… Tiff, just push it till after lunch. I’ll talk to you later,” Kyre said, ending the call.

“ Bestie Boo! ” Ahzii beamed, walking in with her usual chaotic sparkle.

Kyre stood from her chair, eyes welling with tears, but her smile was radiant.

Ahzii’s expression shifted. “Ky? You good? What’s wrong?” Then her eyes widened. “Ohhh my bitch… Mazi got that ass pregnant?”

Kyre burst out laughing through her tears. “ Pregnant?! Girl, what?!”

Ahzii grinned. “Listen, you crying in daylight hours like this and ain’t nobody died? You gotta be pregnant.”

Kyre wiped her face, still laughing. “There she go. My best bitch!”

Without thinking, she rushed forward and hugged her tight.

“Girl, you so dramatic,” Ahzii said as they pulled apart. “You act like I been missing for years.”

“You don ’ t know how long I been waiting to see that smile again,” Kyre said, voice softer now.

Ahzii’s grin widened. “Whew. Girl, what good dick will do! ”

Kyre laughed, grabbing her food and sitting down. “ Seriously , Zii. You’re glowing. Happy. It looks good on you.”

They opened their containers—barbecue chicken, creamy mac & cheese, greens, baked beans, cornbread, and cold red Kool-Aid on the side.

Ahzii sat back, soaking in the moment. For once, the past wasn’t louder than the present.

“I never thought I’d feel this way again,” Ahzii said softly, smiling as she absentmindedly picked at her greens. “To experience love again...”

Kyre’s smile was instant, warm. “I did. And I prayed for this. Savior could never replace William, but girl... he’s your second chance. ”

“I know,” Ahzii whispered, eyes glistening. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small velvet box, sliding it across the table. “That’s why I’m giving you this.”

Kyre’s brow lifted in surprise. She already knew.

She opened the box slowly, reverently—revealing the wedding rings that once belonged to Ahzii and William.

Her breath caught. “ Bitch... oh, you love that man,” Kyre joked, her voice cracking as she smiled through the emotion. She reached for her drawer and tucked the rings away gently, almost protectively.

Ahzii had always said when real love found her again— if it ever did—she would give Kyre the rings.

Not to forget William, but to honor the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

There was a time she never thought she’d let go.

Never thought she’d remove the necklace. Never thought she’d stop grieving.

But today... she was healing.

And her heart—what was left of it—belonged to Savior now.

“I really do love him,” Ahzii admitted, voice fragile. “But... why doesn’t my mind agree with my heart?”

Kyre tilted her head, puzzled, sipping her Kool-Aid. “What do you mean?”

Ahzii took a breath. A long one.

“I keep seeing William. First time was at the park weeks ago. Then today... across the restaurant while I waited for our food. I—I don’t know. I think it’s time I go to therapy. Really talk to someone about everything that happened.”

Her voice trembled beneath the weight of it. These weren’t just visions—they were anchors. And no matter how hard she tried to move forward, they kept pulling her back into the dark.

Kyre nodded, her expression now serious. “I completely agree. And you know what else? You never talk about it. Not even with me.”

Ahzii looked down at her plate.

“Have you even told Savior what happened to you?” Kyre asked, taking another bite of her food, brows knitting.

Ahzii’s shoulders dropped. “No,” she admitted. “I want to... so bad. But saying the words out loud? It’s like reliving it. Like opening the wound and letting it bleed all over again.”