three days. Don’t worry about the eveningwear. I’ll buy that when we get there.”
* * *
I’d never been to the airport before. I had never had anywhere to go. I’d left Metro twice in my whole life, and one had been a weekend trip with a trusted regular. The other had been to pick up Mimi at a boyfriend’s mother’s place. Her boyfriend had broken her arm and she was terrified for her life. Both trips had been behind the wheel of a broken-down sedan.
Now I was taken straight to Ezekiel’s own private airstrip in his limo, where a sleek black jet was waiting for us. I wasn’t shocked by its color. I had a feeling this thing was going to travel a bit faster than your average commercial plane.
I’d stopped being surprised by the sudden appearance of faceless men in suits. It seemed they were infinite, emerging from every shadow and doorway to do whatever Ezekiel asked of them. They were all men, all tall, all fit, all wearing shades and black ties. One couldn’t be distinguished from the other, and I knew that Ezekiel meant for it to be that way.
Our door was opened and Roger helped me out. Roger was the only one I could really recognize, but not because he looked any different. It was because I’d spent time with him, and he was the only one who regarded me with any expression. From what I could tell, he liked me well enough.
Ezekiel waited for me to round the car. Then he took my waist and led me to the plane.
The inside of the plane should have shocked me, but I was done being shocked by the extent of Ezekiel’s wealth. There was a big screen TV, a few leather couches, and a table already set up with champagne glasses. The only proof that we were standing in a jet and not a five-star hotel room were the porthole-shaped windows letting in the afternoon light. There was no stewardess, either—I was the only female on the plane.
Ezekiel collapsed onto a couch at the far end of the room, snapping his fingers at one of his men. They seemed to understand this gesture, because one immediately appeared with a champagne bottle. He filled up two of the glasses on the table and set them down on the stand beside the couch.
“Come sit, Melissa,” Ezekiel ordered.
Briefly running my hands over the back of my skirt to make sure I wasn’t going to flash anyone, I strode to the couch and slipped onto the armrest beside Ezekiel. His arm slipped over my back, his thumb grazing my bare shoulder blade. With his other hand, he gave me a champagne glass, which I took and sipped gingerly.
“Is Roger coming with?” I asked softly.
“Yes. He’ll be up front.” Ezekiel motioned to the small room right behind the cockpit, which was kept secret from the luxury of the main cabin. “He, Garrett, and Bruce will be accompanying us and have been provided accommodations. I treat my employees very well.”
“I noticed.”
He smiled at me.
“And my—um—supplies? Are they coming, too?”
Ezekiel waved me away. “Believe me, there will be plenty of street dust when we get there. Didn’t I promise to provide? Do you doubt me?”
I shook my head.
“Do you like movies?” Ezekiel asked, eyes darting momentarily to Bruce—or Garrett—who stood near the television.
“Um, I guess.” I didn’t have much time for movies. Mimi loved the tearjerkers and the romantic comedies, few of which I could tolerate, so I stayed away from the television when she was home.
Ezekiel picked up a remote and aimed it at the TV. It flickered on and showed me an extensive list of movie titles.
“All those are stored on the TV?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s called technology,” he said with a smile.
“Um…”
“Here. Scroll through what you like.”
I took the remote from him and ran through the list carefully. I tried to keep Ezekiel in mind when making my selection, but I had no idea what kind of movies he liked. Maybe he was into the super artsy indie films. Many of those were over my head, though. Yet if I chose some silly
* * *
I’d never been to the airport before. I had never had anywhere to go. I’d left Metro twice in my whole life, and one had been a weekend trip with a trusted regular. The other had been to pick up Mimi at a boyfriend’s mother’s place. Her boyfriend had broken her arm and she was terrified for her life. Both trips had been behind the wheel of a broken-down sedan.
Now I was taken straight to Ezekiel’s own private airstrip in his limo, where a sleek black jet was waiting for us. I wasn’t shocked by its color. I had a feeling this thing was going to travel a bit faster than your average commercial plane.
I’d stopped being surprised by the sudden appearance of faceless men in suits. It seemed they were infinite, emerging from every shadow and doorway to do whatever Ezekiel asked of them. They were all men, all tall, all fit, all wearing shades and black ties. One couldn’t be distinguished from the other, and I knew that Ezekiel meant for it to be that way.
Our door was opened and Roger helped me out. Roger was the only one I could really recognize, but not because he looked any different. It was because I’d spent time with him, and he was the only one who regarded me with any expression. From what I could tell, he liked me well enough.
Ezekiel waited for me to round the car. Then he took my waist and led me to the plane.
The inside of the plane should have shocked me, but I was done being shocked by the extent of Ezekiel’s wealth. There was a big screen TV, a few leather couches, and a table already set up with champagne glasses. The only proof that we were standing in a jet and not a five-star hotel room were the porthole-shaped windows letting in the afternoon light. There was no stewardess, either—I was the only female on the plane.
Ezekiel collapsed onto a couch at the far end of the room, snapping his fingers at one of his men. They seemed to understand this gesture, because one immediately appeared with a champagne bottle. He filled up two of the glasses on the table and set them down on the stand beside the couch.
“Come sit, Melissa,” Ezekiel ordered.
Briefly running my hands over the back of my skirt to make sure I wasn’t going to flash anyone, I strode to the couch and slipped onto the armrest beside Ezekiel. His arm slipped over my back, his thumb grazing my bare shoulder blade. With his other hand, he gave me a champagne glass, which I took and sipped gingerly.
“Is Roger coming with?” I asked softly.
“Yes. He’ll be up front.” Ezekiel motioned to the small room right behind the cockpit, which was kept secret from the luxury of the main cabin. “He, Garrett, and Bruce will be accompanying us and have been provided accommodations. I treat my employees very well.”
“I noticed.”
He smiled at me.
“And my—um—supplies? Are they coming, too?”
Ezekiel waved me away. “Believe me, there will be plenty of street dust when we get there. Didn’t I promise to provide? Do you doubt me?”
I shook my head.
“Do you like movies?” Ezekiel asked, eyes darting momentarily to Bruce—or Garrett—who stood near the television.
“Um, I guess.” I didn’t have much time for movies. Mimi loved the tearjerkers and the romantic comedies, few of which I could tolerate, so I stayed away from the television when she was home.
Ezekiel picked up a remote and aimed it at the TV. It flickered on and showed me an extensive list of movie titles.
“All those are stored on the TV?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s called technology,” he said with a smile.
“Um…”
“Here. Scroll through what you like.”
I took the remote from him and ran through the list carefully. I tried to keep Ezekiel in mind when making my selection, but I had no idea what kind of movies he liked. Maybe he was into the super artsy indie films. Many of those were over my head, though. Yet if I chose some silly
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