Page 119 of The Need to Know

Nastasia hung back with Paisley’s boyfriend Sloan, who I’d yet to meet officially.

“You couldn’t go easy on her, huh?” Nastasia chastised as I leaned down to hug her.

“Paisley pulled no punches. I had to give her a run for her money,” I explained.

Paisley slid by and sat down next to Sloan. Nas spoke of him briefly, but I made the effort to properly introduce myself.

“Ezekiel,” I said as I held my hand out over the cocktail table between us.

Paisley was nestled under Sloan’s arm, but he still leaned forward to extend his hand and shake with me. “Sloan.”

I tipped my head toward him and settled back next to Nas. “You likin’ the club?”

Sloan glanced around us before coming back to me. “Yeah. I appreciate you lookin’ out for my girl, man. She told me about you doing her right business wise for this event and the last one.”

“We’re still new to each other, but that’s like sis to me,” I explained. “I got her.”

Paisley could be tough all she wanted, but she still blushed and shot me a wink.

“So, what’s up with you? What do you do?” I wanted to know.

Sloan sat up, puffing his chest a little with pride. “I’m an architect.”

“So the next time I want to build a new nightclub, I should come to you?”

Sloan chuckled. “I mean, my work speaks for itself. I got an impressive portfolio.”

Pawn, a chess-themed club, was just an idea, probably best saved for a rainy day, but it was nice to have a designer in my circle should I ever want to make that idea a reality.

I gestured around us to my staff and coworkers. “As you can see, I like keepin’ things in-house. If something comes up, I’ll definitely call you.”

“Okay, Black man.” Sloan held his hand out and we shook once more.

I was just about to ask Sloan where he went to school when I felt a tap on my shoulder. A figure breezed by me and I soon recognized Leslie going and taking a seat across from Paisley.

Cesar was at my side, leaning down close to my ear. “There’s a situation behind you.”

I reeled back and caught his eyes, finding them empty of a tell.

One look over my shoulder and I went rigid.

Her hair was still purple, but I never forgot a face. Cleo. A dancer from Lovely’s Lounge was standing behind our group watching me. In a lace dress, she blended in with the rest of the patrons of BLVCKJVCK, but she wasn’t smiling or congregating with other people. She stood alone, eyes trained on me and I knew what was up.

“Be right back,” I told Cease as I stood and made my way over to Cleo.

“Where?” I asked as soon as I came to a stop in front of her.

Cleo angled her head toward the exit. “Somewhere much more private.”

This was Regina, I should’ve known where she’d be without asking.

I turned and looked back at our table, finding Nas’s worried expression aimed at me. When I came back to say something to Cleo, she was already gone.

Nice.

Regina didn’t usually have a flare for the dramatics, but stopping by unannounced and summoning me with one of her girls was new.

Because she was always in control, naturally, I found her in the office, leaning against Pops’s desk, filing at her nails nonchalantly. Cleo wasn’t in sight, and to be safe, I locked the door behind myself.