Chapter 5 #3
Still, it was exciting enough that I placed another bet on the same number. Just as the dealer spun the wheel again, I felt a presence beside me. I couldn’t lie. I half expected it to be Nicholas. Part of me was even hoping that it was him. I wasn’t ready to unpack that feeling.
It wasn’t him. Instead, it was someone from the staff with a platter of champagne. That would work too.
“Pardon me, but these drinks are compliments of the house,” the server announced.
I grabbed one of the glasses of champagne and found a thousand-dollar chip beneath it. My brows snapped together as I looked up at him.
“Is this also compliments of the house?” I quizzed.
“Absolutely. There’s one for each of you,” he confirmed.
“One of what?” Sade asked as she moved closer to see what was on the platter.
I didn’t have the chance to answer before she saw the other chips and started losing her mind. That made Crystal curious enough to leave her position and retrieve her gifts as well. While they went on about not having to win any more money, the man holding the tray continued to talk to me.
“I have been instructed to give you this as well,” he told me, giving me two key cards and a note.
I had to think of a way to steal more of your attention. I’m very private, but I would love to spend more time with you tonight.
You and your friends have free rein of the place. Feel free to eat, drink, and gamble as much as you like. Once you have had your fill, I would love for you to join me in the penthouse suite. All I want is your undivided attention.
N
“What’s this?” Crystal asked, snatching the note before I could make the decision to hide it.
“Y’all are so nosy!” I protested.
“Your boyfriend sent these too?” Sade asked, ignoring my comment.
“That is not my damn boyfriend.”
“I think you should go,” Crystal advised after reading the note.
“And say what?” I challenged.
“Thank you for starters, Jameela. Where are your manners?”
“Where is your mind, Sade? I’m not going to a hotel room of some strange man, unarmed. That’s like walking myself right into a scene from Law & Order.”
“This police shit got you all uptight and out of touch, sis. When was the last time you had a one-night stand?” Crystal asked, folding her arms across her chest and actually waiting for me to respond.
I sighed, knowing that neither of them were going to drop it if I didn’t answer. “I’m sure you both know the answer to that, and no, I haven’t had sex since Tremaine, before you decide to ask that.”
“I hope you’re saying that you’re still sneaking around with him and not that you haven’t had sex in almost a year.”
“Over a year, actually.” I corrected her.
“Well, tonight is the night we get you laid by a handsome, generous stranger who just spent thousands of dollars to get your attention. Hopefully, he’s hung.”
“Listen to yourself, Sade. Any man with that much disposable income is obviously a criminal. You do know that I am an officer of the law, right?”
Crystal scoffed. “So are half the men in the world. I’m sure you’ve broken a few laws yourself, Officer Sutton. We’re not talking about getting married. We’re talking about getting fucked really good and going on with your life. Don’t forget you used to be an advocate for that.”
“That was before I worked homicide. Excuse me if something about knowing what kind of sickos are lurking out there makes me a little more careful about meeting people.”
It was Sade’s turn to try to reason with me.
“Don’t let your police statistics block you from getting your back blown out, Jameela.
They’re not even letting you work right now, and still, all you can do is think about the job.
The job got you moping around waiting to see if they are going to snatch the rug from under you or let you continue to go back to business-as-usual, risking your own life to keep this city safe.
You already know how I feel about it. I don’t want you back out there any more than that asshole baby daddy of yours does.
All I’m saying is stop letting your career dictate every aspect of your life.
While you’re playing the waiting game and acting like all there is to life is the police force, life is moving on all around you while you wait. ”
“That’s right.” Crystal chimed in. “Live a little, woman. The man is fine as hell, and he obviously wants you. He went through all this trouble to show us a good time tonight, and he’s never even met us.
Just go up and talk to him. Besides, you know how to take him down if he tries some funny shit. ”
“I’m not hearing that right now. Let’s cash in these chips and go back to this fancy room. I’m in the mood for room service now.”
“You can head to the room if you want to. I’m about to win this jackpot.” Crystal objected.
“Right. I didn’t come here to go to bed. If you’re not getting in bed with that man, I suggest you stay your ass right here. Otherwise, we gon’ keep you up all night once we get back to the room.”
“What the hell could that man possibly want with me besides what’s between my legs?” I asked my friends, hoping they could see the faults in their plan for me.
Crystal lifted her shoulders, giving my question a casual shrug. “What’s so wrong with that?”
“Exactly. Don’t act like you’re not low-key hoping that’s exactly what he wants,” Sade added.
“He looks like he can give you exactly what you need to help you loosen back up. I don’t like how this job has made you since you changed departments. Getting stabbed did something to you, MeMe. We want you back.”
I nodded as Crystal’s words soaked in. I understood what my girl was saying, but it wasn’t as simple as she was making it out to be. Not only had I been stabbed in the line of duty, but I also had a child in the past year.
I had been out of work for months, trying to make ends meet and get back to one of the things I thought meant most to me. That same thing almost took me away from my daughter. Being on leave gave me time to think and reconsider what I wanted in life.
In the end, I was more confused than ever. Of course, my friends barely recognized me anymore. I didn’t even feel like myself these days. Instead of trying to explain that to them, I went with the simple answer.
“I hear you.”
It took the glass of champagne and another drink to give me enough nerve to answer Nicholas’s request to come to the penthouse suite. My girls retired to the gorgeous two-bedroom suite he’d given us after pushing me out the door to take my ride of shame to the top floor.
My pounding heart drowned out the elevator music as it climbed from the eleventh to the fifteenth floor. When the bell dinged, indicating that I had finally reached my destination, I took a deep breath.
A monitor flashed, requesting that I scan my card. Once I did, the doors slid open to reveal an immaculately decorated apartment. It was draped in the same shades of deep blues and golds that were used on the first floor.
My feet refused to move as I assessed the situation. Nicholas sat about ten feet in front of me with the top buttons of his shirt undone. His suit jacket now hung on the chair next to him. I loved and hated the way he devoured me with just his eyes. I was here now. I might as well embrace it.
Instead of playing coy, I took heed to my girl’s advice and decided to let the old Jameela shine tonight.
The one who didn’t have an adorable baby girl and shit to lose.
Tonight, I wanted to be bold again. Taking a step out of the elevator, I allowed the soft smile playing on my lips to shine through.
“You have my attention. Now what do you plan on doing with it?” I asked him, refusing to shrink under the intensity of his stare.
“Make sure you never want to give it to anyone else.”
I took the bait, walking over and sitting across from him as he filled a second glass with the golden-brown liquid that he was already drinking. Once he was satisfied with the pour, he sat back in the chair and put his eyes back on me.
“Now tell me, Jameela. What would it take for me to spend the rest of the night with you?”
His question was bold, almost too bold for my taste. At the same time, I had to respect his forwardness. The patient way he kept his eyes on me while he waited for my response sent fire straight to my core.
“Excuse me?” I asked just to see if he would repeat himself.
“You’re excused. I want to fuck you. Can I do that?”
“Wow, straight to the point, huh?”
“I find it rude to waste people’s time.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You think you can just ask somebody a question like that out of the blue?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest.
His smile wasn’t an appropriate reaction to the fire in my voice. “I know I can ask. The question is whether or not you will allow me to do so.”
“So, you just want to fuck me? Is that what this is all about?”
“Of course, it is, Jameela. I definitely want to fuck you. As delectable as you look tonight, all I can think about is fucking you. As a matter of fact, I don’t want anything I’ve done to be misconstrued as anything other than me wanting to fuck you.”
“Oh wow, at least you’re honest.”
“I would be a fool to not want to fuck you, Jameela. You’re absolutely gorgeous with a body for days. As soon as I came out of the trance I went into from laying my eyes on you, I wanted to fuck you, but after that, I want to do all that other stuff.”
This was rich. I couldn’t wait to tell Crystal and Sade what they had gotten me into. One day, I would get enough of listening to them.
“And what other stuff is that?” I asked, dropping my hands to my hips.
“All that other stuff like spoil you, wine and dine you, make sure you always feel like the queen you are, mi reina. I want to do all that other shit too, but tonight, I wanna fuck you.”
“Show me,” I challenged, knowing damn well not to expect anything more than a one-night stand with him. With the way my life was going right now, that was perfect for me.