“That is not my damn boyfriend.”
“I think you should go,” Crystal advised after reading the note.
“And say what?” I challenged.
“Thank youfor 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 fromLaw & 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 gettingfucked 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 belldinged, 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.
