Chapter 21 Marfil #2
“Is there anything else you want to tell me without risking looking insanely jealous?”
Sebastian took a step toward me and bored his brown eyes into mine, completely unfazed by my comment. “Yes, there is something else: Don’t let him kiss you.”
I looked at him incredulously. “Why not?”
“Because one kiss from you will leave him dying for more.”
With that, he turned his back on me and left.
What just happened?
I had to admit that it made me extremely happy to know Sebastian was jealous over my date with Marcus, even if Sebastian had seemed like he was genuinely trying to warn me about him.
But I wasn’t going to waste my time thinking about that tonight, especially when I felt a mix of nerves and excitement over my date with Marcus.
I had chosen a tight, elegant dark green dress that hit at the knee, paired with black heels that made my legs look amazing.
I left my hair loose down my back to cover my tattoo and played up my eyes with makeup so that they looked bright green and catlike.
I chose to leave my lips nude, except for a touch of pink gloss.
“You look amazing,” my sister said admiringly.
I thanked her, kissed the top of her head, and headed downstairs.
I had no idea how the date would go, but I didn’t want to stress too much about it.
I had gone on tons of dates in the last two years; they didn’t intimidate me.
The only man who’d ever managed to make me feel truly nervous was Sebastian, but I hoped Marcus would help me put an end to that.
With Sebastian, everything was too complicated and too intense. I wanted something easier for a change.
Regardless, this was just dinner. A romantic dinner, sure, but more than likely, I’d either be totally bored or have a good time without anything worth mentioning happening, which was how dates usually went for me.
I stepped into the foyer where both Wilson and Sebastian were waiting, dressed in suits and ties, blank expressions on their faces.
“You aren’t both thinking of coming, are you?” I asked, horrified.
“You’re taking them both, yes,” my father said, appearing in the door to the kitchen. He looked me up and down and gave me an approving nod. “You look lovely, dear. I’m glad to see you’re starting a relationship with Marcus. He’s a great catch for you. Unbeatable.”
“First of all, I’m not starting a relationship with him.
I hardly know the guy—we’re just going to dinner.
And second, why do both of them need to come?
Marcus made reservations for two. I can’t bring along an entire entourage,” I ranted at my father, who smiled in amusement, something uncharacteristic for him.
“Don’t worry. Marcus is used to having plenty of security around.”
I recalled Marcus’s comment about having five men to guard me if I were his, and I suddenly felt less eager to see him again.
It was pointless to argue with my father on that point.
I couldn’t back out now, so I tried not to let it bother me that Sebastian and Wilson would be observing every movement I made that night on my date.
How the hell was I going to act natural or even attempt to flirt with Sebastian staring at us?
Finally, Marcus arrived. He was dressed a bit more casual than me in dark jeans and a white shirt, but not so much that we clashed. He seemed truly sincere when, upon seeing me, he said I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. I smiled, not letting the compliment affect me.
Even though he would be driving us in his car—a matte black Ferrari, it had to be said—he’d brought his full security detail. Parked in the driveway were two black Mercedes. I eyed them, trying to see who was inside, but he took my hand and pulled me toward his car.
“Don’t worry about them. Act like they’re not here.”
Did he really need that much security everywhere he went? Who the hell was Marcus Kozel?
I looked back at Sebastian, and Marcus followed the direction of my gaze.
“You don’t need to come, Moore. I have enough security to protect her. Nothing is going to happen to her while she’s with me.”
Sebastian looked like he wanted to bite Marcus’s head off. “Marfil doesn’t go anywhere without me,” he said, leaving no room for argument.
“I said,” Marcus replied, stepping in front of Sebastian and placing a hand on his chest to stop him from taking a step toward Peter’s Mercedes, “that I’ll take care of her tonight.”
Sebastian was about to push Marcus, but I intervened immediately. “Marcus,” I said, taking him by the arm, “I want him to come.”
Marcus smiled without looking at me, his eyes fixed on Sebastian, and took a few seconds to respond. “Whatever you say, princess,” he said, giving in.
Princess. That was a bit much for a first date, but I wasn’t going to say anything about it.
He held open the car door for me, and I watched as Sebastian got into the Mercedes. Since when did anyone take three carloads of bodyguards just to go out on a date?
Marcus got in the car, filling it with the scent of his cologne, and I relaxed into the leather seat.
“I’m sorry about all this, but considering the circumstances…”
“It’s no big deal,” I said as he shifted the car into gear and started out, fast, down the country road that ran past my house—the three security vehicles following closely behind.
“I’ve made reservations at a restaurant with stunning views of the Mississippi,” he said, seeming satisfied with himself. “It has an incredible rooftop, the best steak around, and a spectacular wine list.”
I smiled, admiring the countryside as it zoomed outside the window. Marcus drove fast, very fast, but I didn’t ask him to slow down. The car demanded to be driven that way.
“So, I realized I never asked you—what’s your major in college?” he asked with one arm on the back of my seat and the other on the wheel.
“Economics,” I responded.
“Seriously?” He laughed, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, and then back at the road.
Why was that so funny to him?
“Yes, I’m finishing up my sophomore year,” I said, studying his profile. He was very handsome, like he’d been plucked straight out of a Christian Dior ad.
“What do you do?” I asked, curious, as I took in the gold Rolex on his left wrist and the ring with a lion’s head on his right hand.
He looked at me for a moment with an amused expression on his face. “I buy and sell companies,” he explained. “I purchase bankrupt businesses for one dollar and take on all their debt.”
“One dollar?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes,” he said simply. “Then I restructure them, make a deal with the banks to settle the debt, and sell to the highest bidder.”
“It sounds risky,” I said, looking out at the sun setting over the trees and the empty, winding road lit up only by the car’s headlights.
“All business is risky,” he replied, shrugging. “Do you like ballet?” he then asked.
I sat up straighter in my seat and shot him a questioning look. Was my tattoo visible? Had my father seen it?
He pointed to the ballet slipper pendant hanging around my neck.
“Oh,” I sighed in relief. “Yeah, I love it.”
“You dance?” he asked.
“Yes, although not professionally,” I said, unavoidably thinking of my mother.
“It’s in your blood, isn’t it?”
I looked at him in surprise.
“Paulina Kozlova was a friend of my parents. If I’m not mistaken, it was my father who introduced her to yours.”
“Your parents knew my mother?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes. I knew her, too, although I couldn’t have been more than eight or nine years old…
She once danced for my family, a private show at our home in Moscow…
I remember that half of Russia was in love with her.
She was very beautiful.” I nodded, becoming misty-eyed.
“I never believed that anyone could be more beautiful than her… until I saw you.” He looked at me, and the intensity of his gaze was so hypnotizing, I hadn’t even realized we’d arrived at the restaurant.
Marcus stretched out a hand and wiped away one of the tears sliding down my cheeks. “Will you dance for me… sometime?”
My heart raced. “Of course,” I answered quietly.
Marcus grinned and walked around to open the car door for me.
When I got out, I saw that Sebastian was already standing beside the entrance to the restaurant.
Something in his face changed when he saw me, and it took me a moment to realize it concerned him to see me step out of the car with moist eyes, so I smiled to put him at ease.
Between Marcus’s three bodyguards and my two, a total of five well-dressed men followed us into the elevator that would take us directly to the rooftop terrace to have dinner.
Marcus was able to behave as if they weren’t there throughout the ride up, but that was harder for me to do.
Especially when I felt his hand on the lower part of my waist and the possessive way he pulled me toward him in front of everyone, in front of Sebastian.
Once outside the elevator, I relaxed as I took in the restaurant; it was gorgeous, with sweeping views of the river.
The seating was intimate, with tables situated along a huge window but screened off from each other to provide a sense of privacy that few restaurants could offer.
I was relieved to see that the bodyguards would not have a clear view of us on our date, but it was still awkward to have Sebastian there, and I regretted not having accepted Marcus’s offer to leave my bodyguards behind.
We sat down and an elegantly dressed waiter offered us menus. Marcus ordered wine, which arrived a few minutes later, and slid closer to me.
“Did you like the flowers?” he asked as he served me some wine.
“They’re beautiful, thank you,” I said, bringing the glass to my lips, enjoying his attention.
“Your father told me that you live in New York,” he commented, after taking it upon himself to order for me.