Dinner - Marcus

He followed his man into the old elevator leading up to Hannah's apartment. Though aware of his surroundings, he let his man keep a vigilant eye while Marcus conducted business on the phone. His focus was always on his business, or the woman he had his hands on at the moment.

"It can't wait that long," his words were clipped.

The elevator doors closed. His man pulled pushed the floor number.

"I gave him my word."

Marcus leaned back against the wall as the elevator lurched upwards. He closed his eyes as he focused on even breathing to prevent himself from punching the wall next to him. Control was important in his line of work.

He pulled himself up and began to pace in a circle. "Damn it, I don't care if you have to call in a voodoo doctor or someone with a dark crystal. Get it done. I've heard God made time stand still once. He can do it again when I ask for it."

Marcus ended the call as the enclosure came to a stop and the doors slip open. Thoughts of his phone conversation vanished as he stepped out into the hallway that would lead him to Hannah's door. He had been anticipating this night all day.

Though not surprised she had conceded to his pressure for a second date, he was surprised at the excitement within him. He hadn't felt that way since his first crush when he was sixteen and running errands for one of the most powerful men in the city. It was Dalia back then who had caught his eye.

That girl had been something. The daughter of the boss was one to be admired but never touched. That was until she touched you and you found that the one you had on a pedestal could give any man a lesson in love and lust. Marcus was thankful his boss never found out or he'd have been one of the many bodies tossed in the river as fish food. Instead, it was another guy he worked with who got caught literally with his pants down and Dalia under him. She was sent to Europe while Rocky was taught a lesson and then made an example. No one ever saw Dalia again.

But Dalia was in the past. She had taught him so much, so much he planned on using on someone special. The anticipation grew to where he felt his chest tightened.

Disappointment was not what he found when she opened the door to his knock. Hannah stood before him in a simple black dress that was far from simple. He had admired her in a work shirt and jeans. The way the denim clung to her hips had his mind racing far ahead of his hands. But in the dress before him, his thoughts went deeper than mere sex. He wanted to seduce her in the slowest manner possible while enjoying every second of it.

The black fabric wasn't tight. It wasn't snug. It clung to her body as though making love to it. Soft, it moved with her as she picked up her purse. Marcus took a step forward and stopped. His entire body wanted to close the door and have his way with her all night, but that gut feeling told him again to stop. If he wanted a slow seduction, he needed to slow himself down.

With a smile, he directed her down to the car. His hand rested on the small of her back. It took all his willpower not to direct her back upstairs. Very little was said until they were seated inside and the sounds of the busy street shut out. He watched with longing as she straightened the skirt over her tempting legs.

"Did you enjoy your afternoon off?" He hoped conversation would pull his thoughts away from ravishing her right there in the car.

"Yes, I was able to get some cleaning done and run to the grocery store without having to worry about time."

"Good. No one should work all the time."

"Do you?"

His lips pulled up a little at the corner. "Never rest. But I have my down time. Like tonight. Very little will be able to interrupt me while we enjoy each other's company."

The smile she gave him chipped away at his willpower. He knew he would be successful and not cave, but it was hard. He had overcome many things in life and had always show extreme patience. One woman would not be his undoing.

It wasn't long before they pulled up to a building awash in lights. Even Marcus had to blink when the door was opened for him. Stepping out first, he turned to give his hand to Hannah. He couldn't help but feel some pride in the awe on her face. She had every right to feel that way.

He had chosen to take her to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the state. By far, it wasn't the most expensive. It was the ambiance and exclusivity that made it stand out from the other upscale eating establishments. Wisteria was a club set up in an old mansion from the early days of the robber baron reign.

They moved up the red carpeted walkway and climbed the marble stairs. Through the large ornate doors, they stepped into a foyer where the maitre de greeted them.

"Mr. Critton. Ma'am. Please follow me to your table."

Hannah moved to follow the tuxedoed man as he led them through through a large set of doors into what had once been a massive ballroom. The high ceiling held large murals of angels and flowers. Gold inlaid embossed leaves and roses trailed down the walls to the marble floor. Panels of mirrors were set between the arched windows that opened up to the night.

The table they were directed to was set back in the far corner of the room but not in a way that had them caged or ostracised. It was a roomy corner with windows all the way around it, giving them a view of the sparkling lights scattered throughout the extensive grounds. Hannah took the offered seat by the waiter and slid up the cloth covered table while Marcus took his seat next to her where he could see the room clearly.

"What can I get for you this evening?"

"We'll start with one of the wines from my private stock. Preferably a red."

"Yes, sir." The man bowed slightly and disappeared.

"This is a beautiful room." Her eyes roamed over the majestic, old room.

"Yes, it is. Built in 1907 by a man named Mason Frame, it was never lived in."

Hannah turned to him with eyes wide. A small laugh came from her. "Never lived in? What do you mean by that?"

Marcus puffed his chest out a bit at having the knowledge to pass onto her about the building's history. It was another opportunity to impress her. "Frame built it for the love of his life. When the day came for the house to be moved into, it was not as he had planned. It was to be their wedding day as well. On the morning of that day, Frame found his bride missing. She had run away with another man she had fallen in love with and was carrying his child. Frame was devastated. He never set foot in the house again."

"What did he do?"

His lips pulled up on one side. "He got revenge."