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I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. It took me a minute to realize we weren’t going further into the city, but leaving it.

“Why are we heading toward Jersey?”

“You gotta problem with Jersey?” he quipped.

“No, but⁠—”

He laughed. “We’re not going to dinner in Jersey, Belle.”

“So where then?”

He glanced at me with a half-smile. “Do you trust me?”

“Nigga, I just met you!” I snapped.

“That’s not what I asked.”

He looked so damn relaxed, like I was being the irrational one for asking where we were going.

“I have mace in my bag,” I warned.

“You won’t need it. I promise.” He smirked, clearly enjoying himself.

“Mmhm.”

About twenty minutes later, we pulled into Teterboro airport and were waved through the gated entrance by a security guard.

Cardez parked on the tarmac. There were three small private planes and a black helicopter.

I sat up in my seat. “Which one are we going on?”

“The helicopter,” he said, like this was a completely normal thing to do on a Friday night.

For once I was speechless. I’d been in my fair share of chartered jets before. But a helicopter on a first date was new.

“Where are we going that we need to take a helicopter?” I asked when he opened my door.

“Good evening, Mr. Montague,” the pilot greeted him. “Good to see you again.”

“Jeff.” Cardez shook the man’s hand.

He turned to me. “Belle, this is Jeff. He’s gonna get us to our destination safely.”

“Get us where?” I asked, looking between the two of them waiting for somebody to tell me that this was a joke.

“Baltimore.”

“Balti—we’re flying to Baltimore for dinner?”

“I mean you tryna be stuck in the car with me for four plus hours?”

“We could’ve just gone somewhere in the city.”

“We could’ve.” He smiled. “But that seemed a little too basic for you.”

I rolled my eyes. Cardez placed his hand on the small of my back as he helped me into the helicopter. His touch against my exposed skin made goosebumps trail up my arms.

Inside was more spacious than I expected. He climbed in beside me and helped me adjust my headset, making sure not to mess up my hair.