Sevyn’s heart clenched. She remembered that conversation. She remembered how much fear Harper had in her voice when she talked about losing the only real mother she ever had.
"Before she leaves, she asked all of us to do something for her. And for Hassan… she wants him to go to therapy."
Harper’s voice wavered slightly, but she pushed through. "He’s been through traumatic shit his whole life. He’s hurting, Sev, but he refuses to get help."
Sevyn sighed, leaning against the squat rack.
"I’m a miracle worker, Harper, but I can’t force someone to take myhelp."
Her tone was firm, practical.
"Especially someone like your cousin. We all saw what he did to that man at the club with his bare hands."
She paused, folding her arms. "I’m not trying to be his next victim."
Harper chuckled slightly, shaking her head. "He’s not going to hurt you."
"Yeah? Tell that to his body count."
Sevyn wasn’t scared of him. But she was smart.
And men like Hassan Gaines didn’t let anyone close—especially someone who wanted to peel back the layers and see what was buried underneath all that cold-blooded ruthlessness.
"I saw the way he looked at you at the club the other night," Harper said, her voice steady but knowing. "His eyes never soften for anyone except me and Madea. If you just let him know how much therapy could help him, I know he’d at least consider it."
Sevyn froze.
"Wait… you want me to convince him?"
Her voice pitched in disbelief as she pointed at herself, like there had to be some mistake.
Harper nodded.
Sevyn scoffed, shaking her head. "And he didn’t look at me anyway. If anything, he was looking past me."
She said it like she was sure, but the nerves creeping into her body told another story.
Hassan had a presence—the kind that made it very clear he didn’t tolerate bullshit. Approaching him with an idea he was completely against was like asking to die.
"I know my cousin, Sev." Harper’s voice was gentle but firm. "He was definitely checking you out. You just didn’t see it because you were caught up in your own emotions. I know you can be the one to get through to him."
Sevyn’s head snapped toward Dorian, searching for backup, but Dorian looked just as lost as she was.
"How exactly am I supposed to convince him to become my client?" Sevyn asked, her skepticism laced with genuine concern.
"Don’t worry, I’ll set everything up. We’ll blindside him into a session."
Both Sevyn and Dorian’s eyes went wide.
"Look, Harper, I love you like a sister, but you trying to get my cousin killed." Dorian said, shaking her head. "You can’t blindside a nigga like Hassan."
Dorian knew a little about Hassan’s reputation.
She might’ve grown up lavish, but she kept her ears to the streets.
Plenty of her clients talked about Hassan Gaines—how much they wanted to be near him, how dangerous he was, how untouchable he and Roman had become.
He wasn’t just a man. He was becoming a Memphis legend. "Hassandoesn’thaveaweakspot,"Harperadmitted."Buthehas one exception—me. I’ll convince him to bring you a package, and you go from there."