Page 71 of Rose

“Lazarus is the one who shot Savior,” Sincere continued, “and he died doing it.”

Ahzii’s mind scrambled to catch up. “He… he’s really dead this time?” Kyre asked.

Olivia nodded. “Yes. Sincere and I were supposed to meet Savior at the house, but the blackout had us stuck in traffic. When we got there, Savior and Lazarus were both on the floor. Lazarus was gone. I checked his pulse myself.”

Ahzii’s head spun. William was truly dead. And the strangest part? She wasn’t sad. The man she had loved had died long before this, in that fire. Even then, he hadn’t been the man she thought he was.

Her whole life felt like a lie… except for one thing she couldn’t deny. She still loved Savior.

“You good?” Kyre’s voice broke through her thoughts.

Tears slipped down her cheeks. “Savior…” she choked out before rushing into the hospital.

She didn’t care if anyone followed. The elevator doors opened to the waiting room where the Carter family sat in heavy silence.

Her mother, was there too. Sarai was crying in Aunt Marley’s arms. Macho leaned on the wall with anger, and tears in his eyes.

Savior’s parents sat with tears in their eyes, Selene sobbing like she’d already lost him, Bianca praying under her breath.

When Bianca looked up, she quickly crossed the room. “Shugga… I tried calling, but it kept going to voicemail. Are you okay?” She pulled Ahzii into a hug.

“Yes… no.” Ahzii’s voice cracked. “Has the doctor said anything?”

Bianca shook her head. “He’s still in surgery. Hours now. No update.”

The elevator dinged again, and Olivia, Sincere, A’Mazi, and Kyre stepped out. Sarai saw Ahzii, broke from her aunt’s arms, and hugged her tight.

“I thought something happened to you too,” she cried.

Seeing them all here—crying, praying, breaking—only cemented what Olivia had told her.

“I can’t lose him, Gold,” Ahzii sobbed, guilt and grief tangling in her chest.

Because deep down, she knew, Savior couldn’t have known she was the woman in that burning house. He couldn’t have known she’d married a man who was a monster. And if she had just told him the truth… maybe he wouldn’t be lying in surgery right now, fighting for his life.

The doctor stepped out, removed his mask, and cleared his throat. “Are you all here for Savior Carter?”

“Yes—how is my baby? Please tell me he’s going to be okay?” Selene blurted, desperation spilling out too fast.

Everyone turned to glare at her. Just a month ago, she hadn’t cared about Savior’s wellbeing.

Now, with death close enough to taste, she suddenly wanted to play the role of a mother.

Ahzii hoped this would be the moment Selene realized life was too short, and that her son had always deserved the love she’d withheld.

“Please,” Saint said quickly, his voice tight. “Tell us something. Anything.”

The doctor gave a slow nod. “Mr. Carter sustained multiple gunshot wounds—one to the leg, one to the shoulder, one mid-abdomen, and one to the chest. The abdominal wound was the most concerning. It caused significant internal bleeding.”

Gasps rippled through the room. Kyre reached for A’Mazi’s hand, her own trembling.

“The surgery was successful,” the doctor continued. “We removed all four bullets and were able to control the bleeding… but he lost a lot of blood. We’ve placed him in a medically induced coma to give his body time to rest and heal.”

“How long?” Sincere asked quietly.

“That depends on him,” the doctor replied. “We’ve done everything we can. Now… it’s up to Mr. Carter to decide when—or if—he wakes up.”

Ahzii felt her throat tighten as tears pricked her eyes. Kyre turned away, biting her lip hard to keep from falling apart.

“Usually,” the doctor added, “we only allow two visitors at a time. But Mr. Sincere has donated generously to this hospital over the years. I’ve spoken with administration, so as long as you don’t disturb other patients, you may all see him together.”

“Thank you,” Sincere said, voice thick.

“He’s in Room 209. A nurse will guide you,” the doctor said before walking away.

The family surged forward behind the nurse, a wave of urgent footsteps and muffled sobs. But Ahzii stayed rooted to the lobby floor, her chest rising and falling in shallow bursts.

Images flashed in her mind—the fire, the lies, William… no, Lazarus—and the bullet wounds Savior now carried because of him. Her blood boiled .

Bianca noticed her daughter hadn’t moved. “Shug, you good? You need to see him.”

A tear slipped down Ahzii’s cheek. She shook her head slightly. She couldn’t bring herself to picture him like that. Savior, the man who’d always felt unbreakable, lying helpless and pale under hospital lights. He had been her steel, her shield, her Khaos… and she wasn’t ready to see him shattered.

“I can’t go in there… I can’t see him like that,” Ahzii whispered, her voice trembling as more tears slipped free.

Bianca stepped forward, pulling her into a warm embrace. “He would want to see you, Shug,” she murmured softly.

But the guilt pressed heavy on Ahzii’s chest, almost suffocating her.

Knowing William—no, Lazarus—was truly dead brought a sense of relief after learning who he really was.

But that relief was poisoned by the thought that she might be the reason Savior lay in a hospital bed, fighting for his life.

If she had just told him the truth from the start, maybe he would have told her everything too.

He had never lied to her—not once—so why had she assumed he would start if she’d opened up about what really happened?

Her gaze shifted down the hall where Sarai was sobbing, clinging to Sincere and Kyre.

“Zii, you have to fight with him. He needs you now,” Bianca urged.

Ahzii moved on autopilot toward Savior’s room. She could hear Selene’s sobs before she even touched the handle.

“I’m sorry! I love you, son! I’m sorry!” Selene’s voice cracked with anguish just before the door swung open. Saint stepped out, holding her as she cried hysterically in his arms.

Even Saint’s eyes were wet, a sight Ahzii never thought she’d see.

Savior had always been like his father, even when he refused to acknowledge it.

Steel-hearted, unshaken. To see Saint’s composure fracture, to watch him cling to his wife like the world was falling apart, made something inside Ahzii splinter.

Aunt Marley stood at the end of Savior’s bed when Ahzii walked in.

“Hey, Pretty,” Aunt Marley greeted softly.

Ahzii fell into her arms without hesitation. “I’m so sorry. I can’t lose him.”

“This is not your fault,” Aunt Marley said firmly. “Sin explained everything. You’re the victim in all of this. Savior is strong, he will always come through.”

Ahzii nodded, wanting desperately to believe her. “Can I… please have a moment with him?” she asked.

A’Mazi walked to her, kissed her forehead, before leaving to check on Kyre. Bianca and Aunt Marley both pressed kisses to Savior’s forehead, then to hers, before slipping out and closing the door.

The moment the latch clicked, Ahzii crumbled. Her sobs filled the room, her legs weak as she took in the sight before her. Savior pale and still, his body tangled in wires and tubes.

This wasn’t the man who had run out of the barbershop, cape still around his neck, ready to defend her without knowing her name.

This wasn’t the man who had killed for her, who’d blown up a car without hesitation, who had forced his way into her world and refused to leave .

This wasn’t the man who had kissed her scars like they were holy, loved her through her pain, and brought light back into her darkness just by loving her.

Every memory—every moment they’d stolen together—flooded her at once, and she wished for nothing more than to have them all back.

Ahzii finally moved to his side, her trembling hand brushing gently down his cheek. The sight of the tube in his throat made her stomach twist.

“Sav…” she choked, one tear slipping free and landing on his skin before she wiped it away. “I’m sorry, baby. I don’t know why I ever believed you could hurt me… when all you’ve ever done is love me.” Her fingers lingered against his jaw, as if her touch alone could pull him back to her.

“You have to wake up,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “You have to see my allure again… baby, you promised you’d kill to see me again.”

Her phone dinged.

Will: Where are you? I told you not to leave.

Her heart dropped. But he ’ s dead, she thought.

Another message came.

Will: We ’ re free. We don ’ t have to worry about him anymore.

Her blood boiled. He was admitting it, claiming credit for what had been done to Savior.

Ahzii: I needed some air, so I walked on the beach. Headed back now.

She closed the messages, her chest burning with rage. Savior wasn’t the reason she’d been in that fire, wasn’t the reason she lost her daughter. It had always been William. And now, she knew exactly what she had to do, end the man who had dragged her through hell.

“I love you, Savior,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his forehead before turning and walking out, her tears mingling with the fury surging inside her.

“Liv, can I talk to you?” she called, catching Olivia’s attention. Olivia excused herself from her husband, stepping aside.

“I thought you said William—or Lazarus, whatever the fuck his name is—was dead?” Ahzii demanded, her voice sharp.

Olivia blinked, caught off guard. “He is. I checked his pulse myself. I even took a picture to send to Cain—the guy who hired us to kill him.” Her voice dropped low.

“Who’s Cain?” Ahzii asked, still reeling.

“One of the survivors from the Evermore incident. He’s the reason we even found out Lazarus was alive.”

“You still have that picture?”

“No. It was sent through an encrypted message. Once it’s opened, it deletes in ten seconds.”

Ahzii exhaled sharply. “If Lazarus is dead, then how the fuck is he texting me?”

She thrust her phone into Olivia’s hand. Olivia’s brows furrowed as she scanned the thread. “The fuck…?”