Page 19 of The Need to Know

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?”