I allowed my eyes to slip around the room, taking in the chandeliers above before my eyes landed on her. “Something fine as fuck.”
“Indiri,” she said, bricking my shit up. Something about the way she pronounced every syllable.
I looked from my watch at her and she was mugging me. “Fine man, damn. I spotted a sign.”
Confusion swept those beautiful delicate features. “A sign, can you be more specific?”
“Yeah, it’s red with four letters in caps.”
She was looking around for what I described for a while. I could tell the exact moment she spotted it because her eyes lit up. “The exit sign.”
“Yep, now let’s go use it.” I was on my feet in seconds, with my hand extended for hers.
“But I thought we ha?—”
“I told Journee we’d be here for two hours. Two hours just passed thirty seconds ago. Now let’s go.”
Selah giggled, but damn sure took my hand. She was ready to go as well but being too damn polite to say it.
Once she was standing and I had her hand in mine, I led her to the door. Bigs was right there with a plate in hand. “Y’all headed up?” he asked.
I nodded. “You’re good to stay down here. Just bring the bags up when you get the chance.”
He laughed. “I already handled that. Jordyn said you were cutting out soon. So I handled that before I got my second piece of cake.”
I chuckled. “Good look. Tomorrow then.”
He nodded.
We were walking past him when he spoke again. “Good to see you, Ms. Baker Lady.”
Selah giggled. “It’s good to see you too, Bigs.”
When we reached the elevator, I was glad it happened to be open already as an older woman stepped off. Selah stepped on, body occupying the left corner. Once the doors closed, I scanned the PH fob and backed up against the wall. I reached over, pulling her into my embrace, feeling like I had to be touching her. It was strange, because for the life of me I couldn’t understand when I’d gotten like this. I felt drawn to her, like magnetically pulled to this woman. We couldn’t be in the same space and I did not look at her or touch her. Even when I was looking at her, I couldn’t do that for too long.
Chapter
Eleven
Selah
Press Day One
In Briar, everything of any importance always took place at The Oak. It wasn’t the only hotel, but it was the biggest and most modern. Not only that, everybody knew where it was, because it was a pillar in the city, proof that even though old money owned the city, it didn’t control everything.
We were in a small room, waiting. I didn’t know much of what we were waiting for, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. Indiri was quieter than normal, in his head, every so often bobbing his head to the music in his headphones. He was in his zone, mind sharp and mute.
“This is how he normally is. Quiet and brooding.” Jordyn’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “It’s his normal process.”
I nodded, finding it extremely intriguing. Shoot, who was I kidding? I found everything about this man intriguing. He was a silent giant. The type of man who didn’t have to convince anyone of his power with his words because it was felt. In and out of his presence, his power was weighted and felt.
“It’s interesting to see him like this, quiet and focused.”
Jordyn nodded. “He’s like a machine.”
I was about to respond, but there was a knock at the door. “Mr. Jones, we’re ready for you,” a feminine voice outside the door requested.
Jordyn got his attention, then nodded when he finally looked at her.
