Page 61 of Rose
Ahzii chuckled, relieved he let it go. “Calm down, Mr. Unhinged.”
He rolled his eyes, setting the food and flowers down.
“Well, my flowers are better. And I brought food because Gold told me your stubborn ass hasn’t eaten all day.”
“Snitch,” Ahzii mumbled under her breath.
But then her eyes narrowed in on him. “What are you hiding behind your back?”
Savior grinned. “Not saying until I get a kiss. How you gon’ see your man and not bless him first?”
She laughed despite herself and stood on her toes, pressing a few kisses to his lips. He deepened the last one with a low growl before pulling back.
“Now, what are you hiding?” she asked, smirking.
He handed her a large, wrapped object.
“You’re missing a piece in your show,” he said .
Her brows furrowed in confusion as she tore through the wrapping. But when she saw what was underneath, her breath caught.
The Joy in Chaos painting.
Mazi’s painting.
“You got it back?” she gasped, eyes already stinging with tears.
Savior nodded. “Yeah, Allure. That painting belongs here. Belongs to you . It’s a part of your story. A part of who you are.”
She carefully sat the painting down, then launched herself into his arms, wrapping her body around him like a second skin.
“I love you so much,” she whispered against his lips before kissing him deeply.
And in that moment, wrapped in the arms of the man who’d brought her peace, she tried to push the ghost of her past out of her mind.
But the note in her back pocket burned like fire. And William’s shadow still lingered in the room.
Her stomach twisted with guilt. She hadn’t done anything wrong… but she hadn’t been honest either. Not with the man standing in front of her.
Savior placed her back down gently, moving toward the food, but Ahzii didn’t move.
Her chest felt tight.
The note. The phrase. Let beauty shine, Beautiful. It wasn’t coincidence. It was him.
She couldn't lie to herself anymore.
If the visions and paranoia hadn’t been enough, those flowers were the final sign. She had to tell Savior. He deserved to know the truth—not just about the haunting reminders—but about everything.
The fire. The blood. The love she buried and never fully let go.
“Savior,” she said, her voice low and almost shaky. “I want to tell you my story. What happened to me... a year ago.”
He paused, slowly turning to face her. She could see it in his eyes—the stillness that came when he knew something important was about to be said. He nodded and took a seat, focused entirely on her.
But before she could speak, his phone lit up and buzzed violently against the table.
He looked at the screen.
“Mazi and Sin,” he muttered. “I’m supposed to be getting fitted for tonight...”
Then, with no hesitation, he silenced it and tossed the phone aside.
“You’re more important right now, Allure. You were saying?”
Ahzii opened her mouth to speak, but—
CRASH !
A loud bang echoed from the back, followed by Taylor’s voice, panicked and loud. “Ahzii! We need you!”
Ahzii groaned, tension and frustration wringing her face. “Of course,” she muttered under her breath.
“It’s okay,” she sighed, turning back to Savior. “I’ll tell you tonight. After the showcase.”
“You’re sure?” he asked, already rising to his feet with her.
“Yes, baby. I promise.” She closed the food container and started toward the back, but he grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her into him one last time.
“Will I see you later, Allure?”
She nodded, eyes flickering up to his. “Always.” Her voice was soft. Shaky. But full of something real. Something that couldn’t be shaken by the past.
He kissed her—slow, deep—and she kissed him back harder, desperate to say everything she couldn’t speak aloud yet.
His phone buzzed again, the sound cutting through their moment. They pulled apart.
Savior glanced at the screen. “Sincere,” he said. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“I’ll be ready,” she replied.
He paused at the door, eyes falling once more on the bouquet of unfamiliar roses. Something in his expression shifted—suspicion, unease—but he didn’t press her.
“Proud of you, Allure,” he said instead.
She smiled faintly. “Thank you, baby.”
He lingered for one last second before heading out.
And as Ahzii rushed to the back to handle the chaos, her heart still beat against that folded note in her pocket. The words refused to leave her.
???
The black Escalade carrying only her and Savior pulled up quietly behind the first. That one held the noise—Kyre, A’Mazi, Bianca, Aunt Marley, Sincere, Taylor, Sarai, and Chris. This one carried peace. And right now, peace was all she could handle.
Because inside, Ahzii was unraveling.
Not from the pressure of tonight’s showcase, but from the weight of the note still haunting every inch of her soul.
Still, she was stunning. A red bodycon dress hugged her curves and stopped just above her knees, paired with gold heels that shimmered as the city lights kissed the pavement.
Her pixie cut was razor-sharp, framing her delicate features.
Gold jewelry graced her wrists and neck, including the Van Cleef bracelet Savior had gifted her for her birthday.
Her light makeup glowed softly under the car’s interior lighting, elegant, effortless.
Savior sat beside her, crisp in a black designer suit and red tie.
His lineup was sharp, his aura calm. A gold and red rose lapel pin bloomed on his chest, matching hers.
He looked over at her just as she exhaled toward the window, eyes watching the line of people wrapping around the restaurant entrance.
Even though the sight warmed her heart, the nerves refused to leave.
Savior seemed to sense it. His hand gently rested on top of hers. “Allure... you good?”
She nodded, then shook her head. “I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be,” he said softly. “Your art is amazing, and people know that. They packed out the house for you , baby.”
She chuckled quietly, but it didn’t steady her. “Can you call my brother? I need him. ”
Without hesitation, Savior pulled out his phone and dialed A’Mazi. Seconds later, she saw him step out of the other Escalade and head straight for theirs.
“I’ll be right out there if you need me,” Savior said, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips before stepping out to join the others.
The moment the door closed, A’Mazi slipped into the seat beside her.
“Shug, you okay? What’s going on?” he asked, concern softening his voice.
Ahzii gave him a watery smile. “I want us to walk in together. This night... it’s not just about me. It’s about us. Our journey. Our life. I wouldn’t be standing here— breathing —if it wasn’t for you, Maz.”
Her voice cracked at the end. A’Mazi didn’t say a word, just pulled her into a hug.
He wore a red tailored suit that mirrored her dress, paired with sleek black shoes and the same gold and red rose lapel pin Savior wore.
His locs were freshly twisted, flowing down his back in clean ropes, framing his face like royalty.
“I’d be honored to walk in with you,” he said.
She took a deep breath, holding back tears. “If our parents were here... do you think they’d be proud of us?”
A’Mazi gave a small smile. They never talked much about their parents after losing them, but the ache never went away.
“Hell yeah,” he said, his voice thick.
Ahzii chuckled softly, nodding. “Then let’s go continue to make them proud.”
Just then, their security opened the door.
Camera flashes lit the pavement as they stepped out. The crowd roared. But Ahzii didn’t hear any of it.
Her heart was with her brother, walking into a night that belonged to the both of them.
Ahzii waved at the crowd like she was walking a red carpet, flashing a radiant smile and striking poses with A’Mazi as camera flashes lit up around them. It felt surreal—the line of people outside, the gasps of admiration, the way everyone turned when she walked in.
The inside of Gold was just as packed, if not more.
The restaurant had been transformed. Tables and chairs were cleared out, replaced with soft lighting and pristine displays of art.
A massive video played on the wall behind the main bar, showcasing the journey of two kids who had nothing but each other and a dream.
From grainy photos of their teen years when Bianca first took them in, to glossy snapshots of them standing in front of their businesses, smiling, surviving, becoming.
Sarai’s team moved gracefully through the space, passing out glasses of champagne as guests mingled in elegant attire, admiring every brushstroke and sculpture that told a piece of Ahzii’s soul.
She spotted Savior across the room, standing in a small circle with Kyre, Chris, Sincere, Sarai, Bianca, and Aunt Marley. The moment their eyes met, her nerves quieted. His smile, subtle but certain, was a lighthouse in the chaos.
As she and A’Mazi approached, Kyre was the first to react, beaming with pride.
“This is so beautiful. I’m proud of you both!” Kyre said, pulling Ahzii into a warm hug, then leaning over to kiss A’Mazi softly on the lips.
“Couldn’t have done it without my rider,” Ahzii said, eyes glistening with gratitude. Kyre had never left her side—not in the darkest moments, not even when the fire threatened to take everything. That kind of love wasn’t replaceable.
The group took turns embracing them, offering heartfelt congratulations before slipping off to explore the gallery.
Ahzii reached for Savior’s hand and laced her fingers with his. “Come on,” she said, pulling him gently toward her favorite part of the exhibit.
The first painting she showed him was the one that had taken her weeks to finish—a sketch that had turned into a full-scale canvas. It was a portrait of a baby girl, soft curls framing her cherubic face, eyes full of light.
The gold template beneath the frame read: “ Willow Miani Rose-Davis. A forever Rose.”
“She’s beautiful,” Savior said quietly.