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“Like, does the Upper Tier just come in and see who else is there? Or are there rules to when they come in and how they behave?” I ask, searching his eyes for some clue on how he’s feeling.
A lopsided grin appears on his face. “There are basic guidelines. Food and drinks will be available anytime after noon. The rooms are all open for use—unless a door is closed. Then that one is off-limits. However, if it’s left open and someone’s in there, others are free to join in.”
“Join in,” I blurt out. Again, heat rushes to my cheeks and I pat them down.
London smirks. “Yeah.”
Breathing out, I fan my face and nod without another word.
No words necessary.
Hell, I don’t know if I could find words anyway.
“Unless there’s a planned event, which isn’t often, the only rule is the one you already know. They getone night. If any of the participants want a second one with a specific person, they’re free to explore a relationship outside of the Upper Tier,” he says, scanning his security card and punching the button on the elevator to go up.
“What’s with that rule?” I ask, unable to help myself. “You’d think if you want more engagement, you’d just let them—” I can’t bring myself to finish my thought.
He shrugs. “Truthfully, I don’t know why Noah has that rule. He’s not overly forthcoming about his reasons behind Nocté.”
I let that sink in for a moment, then nod.
The doors to the elevator ding open and London holds them for me to go first. When I’m inside, he follows after and presses the button for the next floor up.
“If everything’s open by noon upstairs—how does the Upper Tier get in there? Aren’t the doors to this area closed until after five?” I ask, circling my pointer finger around the space.
“There’s a door on the outside. In fact, that’s the only way the Upper Tier can get in,” he responds, turning to face me. “This elevator is for staff only.”
“Oh,” I breathe, the wheels in my head turning.
“Come to think of it, I’ll need to get you a badge with RF access,” he says, pulling on the one dangling from his neck by a lanyard with a small bungee cord.
As the doors to the elevator start to close, I hold out my hand to keep them open.
“Can you show me? The Upper Tier entrance, that is. I’d like to experience it the way they would. It will help me figure out the best way to cater the experience,” I murmur, excited to view things in the way a newly invited person might.
His eyes search mine for a moment and he shrugs. “Sure.”
He reaches out, holding the doors and ushering me through. Rather than head in the direction of Myles and the bar, he takes me through a side door that opens to the outdoors, and a portion of the parking lot.
The sun is setting and the air is cooling now that evening approaches.
We follow a sidewalk around to the back of the building. If I wasn’t following him, I wouldn’t even think there was an entrance back here. The sidewalk is unkept with weeds growing up through the cracks. There are no flowers or gardens, or anything enticing me toward an exclusive club entrance.
I make a note to fix this before our event.
When we round the corner, the back of the building faces a grove of trees that separates Nocté from other businesses and provides a little bit of cover.
Unfortunately, the door is also extremely boring. It’s just a metal door to the back of the building. It almost blends in.
I shake my head.No, this won’t do.
London reaches out with his keycard and the lock to the door clicks back. He reaches out, opening it for me as he points to the staircase inside. “Head on up.”
My eyebrows raise. “This is it?”
London’s face falters as if he’s trying to decide if I’m being serious.
“This is a sad entrance, London.” I take a step inside, peering up the metal stairs and gray walls that have been scuffed—most likely from drunken escapades. It’s absolutely the most boring welcome ever.
