Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The energy inside Lucky’s was electricity.
It was the official release party for Zena’s album, and the city of Richmond had turned out to celebrate her. The venue was packed with fans and cultural icons, all there for one reason. Her. For the first time in her career, she performed just as herself.
A few months ago, Royal Reign sent her a check for over seven figures. She got back every dollar she paid them, and then some. Got her master’s back too. Supreme ended up selling the label after all the backlash and had to pay out a huge settlement to prevent his artist from suing him.
Standing near the edge of the VIP section, Zena took a slow breath, trying to process the sheer magnitude of the night. Her album was projected to go number one by midnight. She was steering her own ship, and the victory tasted incredibly sweet.
She had performed almost every song on the album, saving Dangerous Heart for last.
As she sang, her eyes kept drifting through the crowd, searching for a specific pair of pecan-brown eyes. She knew he was in the building, but amid the night’s chaotic energy, she might not find him.
“Zena,” a familiar voice broke through her thoughts.
She turned to see Nate. He leaned in slightly so she could hear him over the pounding music.
“You killed it tonight. For real,” Nate said, his voice warm. He then gestured subtly toward the private elevator at the back of the venue. “But there’s a private situation set up for you on the roof. He’s waiting.”
A flutter erupted in Zena’s chest. She didn't ask a single question as she smoothed down the fabric of her champagne-colored silk dress and followed Nate directly to the elevator.
When the elevator doors silently slid open on the rooftop, the bass of the nightclub melted away.
Zena stepped out onto the terrace. The entire rooftop had been transformed into a breathtaking oasis. Hundreds of red roses lined the perimeter. Countless flickering white candles cast a soft, dancing glow across the space.
And then, she heard the music.
Pumping softly through a pair of wireless speakers was the rhythm of "The Dress" by Dijon. It was a song she had casually mentioned to him months ago that it was her favorite song.
She slowed down for a second, taking it all in.
Standing in the center of the sea of roses, with his back partially to her as he looked out over the city lights, was Danger, looking breathtakingly handsome in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo.
The song’s emotional vocals drifted into the night.
Danger slowly turned around. The moment his eyes locked onto hers, the last of the walls around Zena's heart crumbled.
“You came.”
“Nate said it was a special request,” Zena whispered, her voice trembling slightly with a sudden rush of emotion as she walked toward him, her heels clicking softly against the concrete.
Danger didn't say another word. He simply closed the distance between them, reaching out with his warm hands and gently cupping her face. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers in a deep kiss that spoke every single apology and profession of love they hadn't been able to put into words.
When he pulled back just a fraction, his thumbs gently wiped away a stray, happy tear that had escaped her eye.
“I’m sorry for everything,” Danger said.
“God brought you into my life for a reason. I told you once before, by that pool, that I cared about your life even before I fully knew you. But sitting here, watching you conquer the world with your voice? I am in love with you. You are my reason. I can’t go another day without you. ”
Zena’s heart swelled with love. “I love you too, Danger. So much.”
Slowly, Danger stepped back. He reached into the inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket, his eyes never breaking contact with hers, and dropped gracefully down onto one knee amidst the roses.
He pulled out a small, sleek black box. When the lid popped open under the glow of the candlelight, she lost her breath.
Resting in the satin was a breathtaking, flawless oval-cut diamond, beautifully set on a delicate, hidden-halo platinum band.
It was the ring.
It wasn't as flashy as the pink diamond Tate had given her. This was the exact, timeless ring she had kept tucked away on her private Pinterest board since she was a teenager.
He remembered. He listened to her. He had seen her.
“Zena Rivers,” Danger said, his voice steady, holding up the ring. “I want it to be just me and you against the entire world. Will you do me the honor of walking this earth with me forever? Will you marry me?”
The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now.
“Yes!” Zena cried out, her voice echoing into the night. “Yes, a million times yes!”
Danger grinned, lifting himself up and gently sliding the band onto her finger. The fit was flawless. The moment the ring settled against her skin, he wrapped his strong arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet and spinning her in the center of the roses as Dijon’s voice faded into the air.
As he set her back down, keeping her pressed tightly against his chest, Zena looked out over the skyline, then down at the ring on her hand.
She had made it. Not by sacrificing her body, her name, or her soul, but by staying true to her mother's memory and trusting the man who had pulled her out of the deep end.
“Yass!! My girl is getting married!”
The rooftop door burst open, and Amari and Genesis came running toward them, faces lit up with pure joy. Amari threw her arms around Zena, squeezing her tightly, while Genesis gave Danger a nod.
Zena laughed through her tears, burying her face in her best friend’s shoulder before looking back at Danger. The past was entirely behind them.
She was ready to fall forward for the rest of her life.