Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Zion POV

I watch her walk onto the dance floor like she forgot I’m even here.

The lights flash over the crowd, blue and white strobes cutting through the dark while the bass vibrates through the floor. Within seconds she disappears into the sea of bodies moving to the music.

But I still see her.

My eyes never leave her.

Her hips sway to the beat, slow and effortless, that pink jumpsuit hugging every curve like it was made just for her. The way she moves like nothing happened between us… like she didn’t just walk away from me.

That shit pisses me off.

A tall dude slides up behind her first.

She shifts slightly, creating space between them. He leans down and whispers something in her ear. She laughs politely and moves away from him.

Good.

Then another dude steps up behind her.

Omari notices the way my body goes still.

“She just dancing bro,” he mutters beside me.

But I’m not listening.

Because the second dude just put his hand on her waist.

Something in my chest snaps.

I stand up slowly.

The entire section goes quiet the moment I rise from my seat. Chairs scrape the floor. Conversations stop.

Omari exhales sharply.

“Yeah,” he says under his breath. “This about to be a problem.”

I start walking toward the dance floor.

Because one thing about me—

I might let Imani be mad.

But I’m not letting another dude touch what’s mine.

Clearly the message I sent earlier when I walked in here wasn’t loud enough.

When I reach them, I don’t hesitate.

I punch the dude the second I step up.

My fist connects with his jaw with a sick crack that cuts through the music.

He drops instantly.

“Must’ve missed when I said she was mine,” I say calmly.

The moment he hears my voice he freezes, fear flashing across his face.

Good.

That means he knows exactly who he just fucked with.

He’s clutching his jaw and I can already tell it’s broken.

“Get the fuck away from her,” I say quietly, stepping closer.

“Before I do more than break your jaw.”

He scrambles backward through the crowd.

When I turn back to Imani, her eyes are blazing.

Fuck.

I know I fucked up.

But the way she’s looking at me right now… furious, breathing heavy, chest rising and falling—

It does something to me.

“Zion what the fuck is wrong with you?” she snaps.

“I’m not doing this here,” I say evenly.

Her jaw tightens.

“You hit two different dudes in the middle of the dance floor but you won’t explain to me why?”

“Not here.”

I lean closer.

“Upstairs. Now.”

I grab her arm lightly and guide her toward the stairs.

She doesn’t fight me but I can feel the anger radiating off her the whole way up.

Most people in this club don’t know the Carter family owns Avalanche.

Which means this whole floor belongs to me.

We step into my private office upstairs.

The door barely closes before she spins on me.

“What the fuck is going on Zion?” she yells.

Her voice echoes off the walls.

“I’m not okay with all of this hitting every dude that even looks at me!”

Her chest is heaving, curls bouncing around her shoulders.

She’s so fucking sexy when she’s mad it almost distracts me from the argument.

Almost.

I want her to know her feelings matter.

But that ain’t gonna change how I move if a dude puts his hands on her.

“You’re mine,” I say simply.

The words land between us like a bomb.

Her eyes widen slightly.

“Okay,” she says slowly.

“I don’t want to be yours if this is what it’s going to be like.”

The second the words leave her mouth I close the distance between us.

My hand grips her chin firmly, forcing her to look at me.

“I told you I waited six years for you,” I say quietly.

My voice drops lower.

“I won’t let another man have you.”

Her breathing stutters.

“You are mine, Imani.”

“That’s not up for debate.”

Her eyes flash with pure anger.

She rips her face from my grasp and the next thing I know—

SMACK.

Her hand cracks across my face.

The sound echoes in the office.

My head turns slightly with the impact.

For a second the room goes completely silent.

“Fuck you Zion,” she snaps, chest rising fast.

“I’m a fucking person and I’m grown. I do what I want. You don’t get to tell me what I get to do.”

She turns toward the door.

I grab her hand.

“Imani,” I say, my voice tight.

“Don’t walk away from me.”

She yanks against my grip.

“If you want to be a man and have a real conversation with me then you know where to find me.”

Her eyes burn into mine.

“But until then I’m leaving.”

She pulls her hand free.

“And don’t follow me.”

She pauses in the doorway.

“Fine, I don’t have a choice but to be yours.”

Her voice turns cold.

“But tonight, Zion… fuck you.”

Then she walks out.

The door slams behind her.

I walk over to the window that overlooks the club floor.

Below me I see her push through the crowd back toward our section.

She leans down and whispers something to Alani.

Within seconds the whole group stands up.

They’re leaving.

Omari glances up toward the window and spots me.

A few seconds later the office door opens.

Omari, Nasir, and Virgo walk in.

“Damn bro,” Omari says.

“What did you do?”

“Yeah,” Nasir adds.

“You definitely fucked up all our shit.”

Nasir shakes his head.

“I was trying to get at her friend Sky. She bad.”

“Man fuck that,” I mutter.

“Dudes need to know not to touch what’s mine.”

Virgo leans against the desk.

“Yeah nigga,” he says slowly.

“But Imani don’t know who you really are.”

His eyes narrow.

“And if she does… she ain’t never seen it up close.”

“You gotta chill with that or you gonna lose her,” Nasir adds.

“And you just got her. We all know how long you been waiting.”

“I’m not losing her,” I say smoothly.

“I already told her being mine isn’t up for debate.”

All three of them stare at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“You did what?” Omari shouts.

“Nah Z,” Virgo says shaking his head.

“That ain’t the way to go.”

Omari laughs.

“Somebody teach this man about women.”

“I don’t need help with women,” I say flatly.

“I’ve been with plenty.”

“Yeah,” Nasir scoffs.

“Hood bitches and club girls don’t count.”

“You only ever had one real relationship and you destroyed that the moment you laid eyes on Imani.”

Nia.

The only woman who ever held the title of my old lady.

My woman.

“Imani isn’t Nia,” I say.

“We know,” Nasir replies.

“That’s why you can’t show all your obsessive bullshit yet.”

He shakes his head.

“She don’t even know the extent of your feelings for her.”

“You did a lot tonight Z.”

I barely hear the rest of what he says.

Because when I glance back down at the club floor through the window—

I see him.

Rico Serrano.

Standing near the bar.

Smiling.

Looking directly up at me.

The moment our eyes meet, his smile widens.

My stomach drops.

Not only did I just let every dude in this club know who Imani is…

But now Matteo Serrano’s cousin knows too.

And if Rico knows…

It’s only a matter of time before Matteo does.

My jaw tightens as I watch him disappear into the crowd.

Because the second Matteo Serrano hears Imani’s name…

She becomes a target.

And that’s a problem I can’t fix with just a fist. Bullets gonna be flying soon.

Fuck.