Chapter 4 #3
“You need an emotionless encounter that’s going to get you back in the game. That’s going to show Corey you’re not his anymore.” Paisley looked past me, an impressed grin coating her face. “And that Ezekiel guy is serving.”
“He looks like trouble.”
Paisley came back to me. “So? You fuck and you duck.”
To Paisley, it was all so simple. For me, not so much. “What about you? I don’t want to abandon you. This was supposed to be a girls’ night.”
Paisley waved me off. “Like I said, Remy looks good in person. Maybe I can talk him into stopping by the station and doing an interview.”
Knowing Paisley’s charm, I could see her roping such a high roller like Remy with little to no effort.
“What happened to Justin?” I wondered of her recent fling.
Paisley wrinkled her nose. “He had ashy nipples.”
I nearly spit out my beer, completely caught off guard. “Pay.”
“What?” she questioned innocently. “It made me go home and make sure mine were straight. Speaking of, if you didn’t oil yourself down all the way I got a little somethin’ in my bag.”
I covered my mouth to smother my laughs just in the nick of time as Ezekiel entered the Diamond Suite with the kings of diamonds themselves, Remy and his brother.
He did a quiet sweep around the room, and when his eyes landed on me, I didn’t miss the way a cool smile eased across his face.
The Dymonds and their entourage settled down across the room, but Ezekiel and Cesar came our way without hesitation.
Ezekiel stopped and appraised me, admiring my black bustier top and black pants. “Nastasia.”
“Ezekiel,” I responded.
He grinned and pointed to Cesar. “This is my boy, Cesar.”
Cesar was chivalrous as he leaned across the small table in front of me to shake my hand.
I shook his hand and gestured to Paisley. “Hey. This is my best friend, Paisley.”
Cesar shook hands with her first and Ezekiel came next, tipping his head her way. “Paisley? Like Paisley P?”
Paisley nodded. “That’s me.”
Surprise peppered Ezekiel’s face as he glanced at Cesar in shock and came back to Paisley, shaking her hand vigorously now. “Yo, I’m a big fan.”
Paisley eyed him skeptically. “Really, a big fan?”
“Definitely,” Ezekiel said with pride as he went and sat against the wall on top of the sofa.
Paisley snuck me a look before working her charm on Ezekiel. “Big enough of a fan to give me my own VIP pass so that I’m not a plus-one?”
“Got you,” Ezekiel said before he faced Cesar. “Make that happen.”
Cesar already had his phone out typing something up. “Say less.”
Paisley was pleased as she took a sip of her drink.
“What you drinking?” Ezekiel asked, directing his attention to me.
I lifted my cup. “Corona.”
He made a face and raised his own cup. “Modelo.”
I tuck my tongue out. “I used to like that, and then it got watery for my taste.”
“I drink Negra.”
“Haven’t had it.”
Ezekiel grinned at me. “You should try it.”
I was satisfied with my taste for Corona, but I considered going out and trying a single of Modelo Negra.
Cesar stood up as a bottle girl approached us with a black bucket with a gold-plated champagne bottle sticking out.
“A gift from Owen. He says he’s sorry he couldn’t make it, and he hopes your birthday went well,” the girl told Ezekiel as she handed Cesar the bucket.
Ezekiel eyed the bottle with interest. “Thank you, Kadyn.”
Cesar peered inside the bucket at the champagne and blinked rapidly. “Oh shit. Thank you!”
He set the bucket down on the table while Kadyn set up glasses another bottle girl came and gave her.
Cesar peeked at me and Paisley. “Y’all like Ace of Spades?”
“Never had it before, but I’ll definitely try it.” Paisley swiped a flute and held it out as Cesar went about popping the cork. There was a Spade symbol imprinted on the bottle.
“I like the pink bottle, but the gold brut is good too,” Cesar said as he poured some of the champagne into Paisley’s glass.
He glanced at me, and even though it was a celebration and the champagne was expensive, I wasn’t feeling it. I barely could swallow a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve. “I’m good.”
Cesar held the bottle up to Ezekiel. “You ready, Eaze?”
Ezekiel declined. “Nah, you take that.”
Cesar blinked. “What?”
Ezekiel shrugged as if it were nothing. “You did your thing by having the Dymonds here and making my day a movie, so you enjoy that.”
Cesar reached out and they slapped palms, sliding until their fingers caught, releasing each other and snapping.
Nudging from my left found Paisley giving me a pitying look. Without speaking, she cut a glance to the right, past me, really quick. I followed her movement, taking a glimpse over my shoulder behind me.
Dread settled in the pit of my stomach as I looked over and noticed the one person the universe seemed intent on keeping away from me.
Corey.
He was entering VIP with his boys, and he couldn’t be missed in his Raiders hat he wore often.
My heart took a nosedive and I couldn’t stop myself from feeling icky.
I hadn’t seen Corey since last August when we broke up.
He’d sent me a few texts trying to get me back after, and then those texts turned to insults.
I hung my head, partially hoping to shrink myself as I prayed he didn’t see me, half ready to just up and leave.
“Ay, you good?” Cesar asked. He looked over and seemed to spot Corey.
“Uh-huh,” I let out, forcing a smile on my face.
“Are we gon’ have to fuck him up? Just let me know now so I can tell what type of night this gon’ be,” Cesar said as he eyed me.
Even the thought made me uneasy.
I wrinkled my nose. “No, we’re good. Leave him be.”
“Yo, you sure?” Cesar sized me up. “ ’Cause you look uncomfortable…” He pressed a hand to his chest. “…and that makes me uncomfortable.”
What could I say? I was uncomfortable.
I opened my mouth to say I was leaving when a hand appeared in my line of vision.
Ezekiel was down off the sofa, extending his hand to me. He tilted his head to the side. “Come take a walk with me.”
I peeked at Paisley whose face said Go!
I accepted Ezekiel’s hand and he tucked mine in his firmly as he took us away.
He led me through the room confidently with grace and skill, keeping me close protectively as we made it to the exit.
A tall and burly security guard nodded at Ezekiel. He glanced at me and back to Ezekiel, appearing to read something on Ezekiel’s face. “Problem?”
“I don’t like the Raiders,” Ezekiel responded simply.
The man eyed the vicinity. Soon, a sick smile spread across his expressionless face. “How you want it?”
“Clean. Just watch him and throw him out if he gets out of line,” Ezekiel advised calmly.
The man frowned for a moment, disappointed it felt like.
Ezekiel and I slipped out of the Diamond Suite and I could finally breathe.
He didn’t let me go, not until after we made it on board the elevator a few feet away.
He dug into his pocket and fished out his phone, only to roll his eyes and put it back.
“Thanks,” I said. “For getting me out of there.”
Ezekiel shrugged it off as if it were nothing. He pressed a button on the control pad and peered at the ceiling. “Not a problem.”
“And…you didn’t have to involve security.”
He gaped at me from the corner of his eye. “If a man walks into a room and got you trembling in fear, not disgust, then he needs to be dealt with.”
I supposed if I had an older brother, he would’ve wanted to wring Corey’s neck out. To protect my honor or whatever.
The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened, revealing we were about to embark on the Spade Suite.
Down in the Club Suite, hip-hop could be heard, loudly and abrasively. Here in the Spade Suite, it was a different vibe. Subtle, softer, and a completely different ambiance as the rooftop deck provided another type of setting.
Ezekiel opened the door to the main area and let me go out on to the rooftop first.
This area was more intimate. I could see couples, young and old, seated either in quiet corners in chairs, or on love seats before firepits lost in each other.
There were tables for larger parties, and sofas for groups as well set in front of a fireplace.
A bar with an impressive wine wall. And strings of lights hanging from posts to really set the tone.
“Wow,” I let out. I wasn’t a club girl, a fun girl in that regard, but the Spade Suite made me feel like I’d found my place at BLVCKJVCK.
Luther Vandross was singing “Always and Forever” as Ezekiel came and steered me over to the bar. We still had our beers, but he showed a hand toward the bartender, a man waiting eagerly to serve me.
“I…I’m not really a wine drinker,” I confessed. No matter how many times I tried, whether white or red, I just couldn’t get into wine. “I can never find a good taste for me.”
“Ever had Chardonnay? It’s delicious,” Ezekiel insisted.
I let him go ahead and order a glass of Chardonnay while I went and picked out a private corner for us to sit in. It was near the ledge, in front of a firepit, and the view of the city was mesmerizing.
Ezekiel came and joined me, handing over the glass of golden wine. I set my beer down and brought the glass to my lips, at least enjoying the smell so far.
I took a sip and could barely swallow. The wine, like so many others before it, was a miss.
“Oh.” I didn’t even have the grace to care about how my face pinched up. “I can’t.”
Without even caring about my being a stranger, Ezekiel took my wine and traded it for my beer and drank from my cup. He didn’t recoil like I did. “Good stuff.”
“Guess I’ll just stick with the Corona.” I happily took a sip of my brew. “Do you smoke?”
“What, weed?” Ezekiel asked.
“Yeah.”
“I mostly used to when I was younger, but now not as much. It makes me not want to do anything, and I’m very big on being productive. You?”
“Every once in a while if Paisley wants to roll up I’ll partake.”
“I’ma light one later, though. Remy got some good weed, like he get that shit from God Himself, and he came through with an extra gift for me,” Ezekiel admitted.
“Nice.” Okay, I was impressed by that. “By the way, smart move inviting me on your birthday.”