The next day, Milan found herself on the receiving end of a text message from Marcus, just like she was told.

The differences between him and Ramses were growing by the second as well.

"Good morning, beautiful. We still on for today?" Marcus's text read.

It was a far cry from Ramses's "come outside right now before I drive through your house" that's for sure.

Milan stretched her torso over her bed, her arms reaching up and over her head as well. Once she was feeling limber and lean again, she texted him back. "Yeah, what do you have planned?" She quickly shot back.

That's usually where conversation died between Milan and a lot of other men. They had no plans usually. The farthest they'd thought into the future was usually her coming over to their house and doing only God knows what else with them.

She had a higher expectation for Marcus though, and when her phone pinged again, she knew he wouldn't be one to disappoint.

"I thought I'd take you downtown. Dress nice. You want me to scoop?"

Her heart fluttered when he mentioned going into the city. She loved being downtown summertime Chi in the evening, everything was a warm glowing sight to see.

However, him picking her up... from Ramses's house... that was something she couldn't let happen.

Quickly she thought of an excuse, "No thanks. I take a minute to get ready. How about I just come to yours and we go from there?"

Marcus had no problem with that and the date was set for tonight at seven. Although she didn't get the giddy feeling she had when ever Ramses was outside her house when everything was confirmed with Marcus, she did feel a weight get taken off of her shoulders knowing she was protecting both of them from Chrisanto by moving on.

There was a knock at her door and Milan flinched before calling out saying it was okay to come in.

Good thing I don't sleep naked.

She sighed in her head. She was dressed in a XXL t-shirt and her panties, but under the covers you couldn't see all of that.

Ramses opened the door and stepped in, he was already full dressed in a black track suit, the pants a bit low on his waist, and black and white Nike dunks. A thin gold chain was around his neck that glinted against his skin where he'd left the zipper from his jacket open.

He gave her a once over before speaking and already did Milan feel like he could see straight through the duvet that was covering her.

"What you on today? I wanna take you out." He proposed and Milan's heart sank immediately.

She threw the covers over her head and faked a cough, "I'm sick." She blurted out, she couldn't seem to think quick on her feet in his presence.

In the next second, the blanket was ripped completely off of her. Cold air hitting her bare legs and she scrambled to make sure her dignity was covered by the shirt she was wearing. Ramses smirked at the nervous display.

"Yeah... real sick to be wearing a Bulls shirt this season." He smartly replied. Milan smacked her lips and snatched the blanket back onto her frame.

"Where's your city pride?" She mocked him.

Ramses shrugged as he stood over her on the bed, "But for real, why you being weird? I wanna redo the first time I took you out. No bullets, I promise." He reassured, but even he looked a little iffy on the end part.

This caused Milan to roll her eyes. "I'm not acting weird, I'm just busy today." She told him the closest thing to the truth she could. It was Ramses's turn to roll his eyes.

"A'ight. Busy doing what? I don't know. All your ass do is watch fuckin' Grey's Anatomy when you not on shift, but I ain't gon' beg you." He childishly griped as he made his retreat from her room, slamming the door as he left.

It made Milan smile to herself seeing him annoyed over a little rejection like that.

A little attitude to save his life?

I'll take that.

***

When five o'clock rolled around, Milan dragged herself out of bed and turned off the tenth season of Grey's Anatomy so she could start getting ready for her and Marcus's date.

She figured they'd go to a restaurant and this was also the first time they'd be seeing each other out of work, so she definitely couldn't disappoint.

Going into her closet she chose to wear a dark red dress— very much like the color of blood, that'd fit to her like a second skin. It had a deep v-cut that allowed for cleavage just above where her bra would start to show. She'd pair it with a dark denim cropped jacket, just in case she got cold.

After hopping into the shower, she made sure that when she got out she'd applied every moisturizing oil that went together to keep her skin shining all night. She adored the way red brought out the warm undertones in her skin. Dark skin girls in red could stop world hunger.

That was a fact.

Milan chose to wear gold sandals with the fit. It was downtown, and she didn't know if he was the type that liked to go on long walks after.

When she was surely ready, she doused herself in her favorite perfume. It was Coach Sunset perfume, and it made her smell just like the bottle— golden.

Stepping out into the hall between her and Ramses's room, she noticed he hadn't left yet. Milan tried her hardest to not be the giant stomping monster that she was, but as soon as he heard her door close, she heard movement in the hall behind her.

Followed by a harsh intake of breath.

Turning around slightly, she watched as he took her in. Oh, the way her body began to heat instantly. Suddenly, she wished she wasn't wearing any clothes at all.

"Well shit, it seems like whatever got you busy finna make me ride with you." He spoke in a low voice, his eyes never leaving her legs. Ramses leaned against his door frame and then met eyes with Milan.

Electricity filled the air. It happened every time they looked at each other. A silent confirmation that they both felt the same way. No matter how hard Milan pushed back, energy never lies.

Then what he said registered in her mind and she shook her head at the statement.

"I told you I was busy. See ya, slime!" She waved behind her hurriedly. Taking every step she could to disrupt whatever was brewing between them and outside to her car.

When she made it, she locked the doors behind her and put her head on the steering wheel. Letting out a huge sigh. It felt as if every cell in her body was sighing with her.

Checking her phone, she saw that it was already six forty five. Smoothing her hair back into place, Milan put on her seatbelt and began her way to Marcus's house.

He lived in a fairly nice neighborhood. Definitely out of the way from any of the gang violence she was used to. So, when she parked her car and texted him she was outside, she didn't feel the need to sink back in her seat in lieu of a stray bullet crashing through her window.

Marcus was out in the next couple of minutes, he looked really nice.

He wore black jeans and a black understated Prada shirt. The only way she could spot the brand was because of the small logo placed near the collar of the shirt. She liked that he wasn't flashy, but the money was definitely there. On his feet were Alexander McQueen sneakers.

Now that was flashy.

But she gave him a pass because of the way his eyes lit up when she rolled down her passenger side window to appraise him closer.

"You should've asked me out a long time ago if you were gon' step like this." Milan teased him. He shook his head and walked over to her driver's side door and opened it. Offering his hand, she took it and allowed him to pull her up from the car.

It was now his turn to take her in and he did so as slowly as humanly possible.

Milan waited for her body to heat up like it often did when Ramses was around... she waited to feel even a flutter in her tummy from one lone butterfly... but nothing.

The most she felt was... mutual excitement to go out to dinner. Nothing less, nothing more, and definitely no sparks.

Disappointing to say the least.

Nonetheless, the two got in Marcus's truck and he began to drive towards the restaurant he'd picked for them. Of course he was adamant on it being a surprise.

"So, how's your day been?" Milan broke the silence in the car, looking absently out of the passenger side window as she did so.

It took Marcus a minute to respond, like his mind was elsewhere, but after a beat and clearing his throat he spoke, "Pretty good, and it's getting better by the second."

He made a point to glance at her at the end of his sentence. Milan gave him a soft smile back. "What about you? You do anything exciting on your off day?"

She shook her head before answering even though she knew he was driving. "Nah. I spend my off days off my feet."

That caused Marcus to laugh, slapping the steering wheel to emphasize the funny. "So I should count myself lucky for getting you out?" He stretched.

"Very."

And after that, Milan let the car drift into a comfortable silence. They'd finally made it off the expressway where it gave way into the streets of the inner city. The car now being dwarfed by the skyscraping giants they rode between.

The setting sun bathed the glass buildings in a beautiful orange light. Milan adored the skyline. She adored the sun even more. It made her feel so small in a big world and made her problems seem even smaller because of it.

She could feel Marcus looking at her as she took in the scenery and it didn't make her nervous, he seemed to enjoy her without her even saying anything. That was an innocence she wasn't around often.

He pulled into the parking garage of a couple of restaurants, but one of them definitely was not like the others.

"So," He started.

"Has anybody ever taken you to Ruth's Chris?"

It was very sweet of him to try and woo her like this. Sadly, Milan's father was a baldhead black man when he was alive and that meant he tried to overdo everything so no man could ever woo her with what he thought was bare minimum.

So, yes, Milan had indeed eaten a Ruth's Chris in Chicago a few times before.

Milan nodded reluctantly, watching with ill concealed humor as the light in his eyes dimmed a little bit.

Michael Cozart definitely was grinning down from heaven's pearly gates.

He succeeded in squashing a man's pride.

Trying to pick his face back up, Milan reached for his hand and squeezed it. "I've never been with you though, and therefore it's a pretty big deal to me." She told him with a smile.

He definitely perked up after hearing that, smacking his lips and running his hand over his face almost as if he was trying to wipe his own shy smile off of his face.

"Yeah, keep talking to me like that it's gon' take you somewhere." He laughed as he got out of the vehicle. Milan chuckled to herself too, that was until she realized she was sitting in the car alone a little too long.

He definitely isn't Ramses.

Her inner monologue grouched at her as she opened her car door herself and slid down to the parking lot pavement. Marcus stood at the back of the car scrolling on his phone, looking up when he heard her door close.

"You ready?" He asked, extending his hand to her.

Although she had a slight attitude already, she didn't want that to ruin the night. He just wasn't well versed on that part of chivalry. He wasn't a bad guy.

I guess...

She groaned internally again.

Taking his hand, Milan straightened out the skirt of her dress at they walked up the stairs to the entrance of the restaurant. When they arrived in, her vision had to adjust to the dark mood lighting in the place.

The host at a lectern greeted them, Marcus mentioned they had a reservation for tonight. Without delay, the two were escorted to a table and handed menus.

Milan couldn't hide the fact that she was very hungry, plus she really enjoyed the food here. She also didn't believe in the "eating daintily" on first dates rule. She was going to order whatever she wanted, he could watch, and it was okay if he didn't offer to pay for it because she could herself regardless.

Eating daintily would do nothing, but leave her hungry and make her look low maintenance... which she definitely wasn't.

Perusing through the menus many options, Milan glanced over at Marcus to see how he was doing. He looked as if he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of things.

"Marcus... have you ever been here?" She asked, laughter in her voice as she watched him trace the words Veal Osso Buco Ravioli on the appetizer portion of the menu.

He looked up at her like he'd forgotten she was there and grinned. "I'mma be honest... no I haven't. I wanted to take you somewhere nice and my sister raved about this place the first time somebody took her out here."

Milan's heart warmed at his words. No he didn't open her car door for her, but he did take her to an expensive four star restaurant just to try and show her something new.

Without  a second thought, Milan scooted her chair to his side of the table and picked up his menu.

"Well, let me recommend a few things that are going to be worth it... we not 'bouta waste any money here on something that's too small or sounds nasty."

With each of them holding one side of the menu, Marcus smiled fondly at Milan as she pointed out her must haves on the menu.

It seemed the only must have for him was her.

***

One New York strip steak and a plate of porkchops later, Marcus and Milan were both still enjoying each other's company as they played over the rest of their shared mashed potato plate.

Feeling generous, Milan offered for a bottle of wine to be on her for the night. However, Marcus had only drank one glass and she was polishing off her third.

"I can't believe you work at a bar, but in the daylight you only have one drink. Grow up!" She feigned distain as she reapplied her lip gloss after leaving most of it on the wine glass she finished drinking from.

Marcus had  slouched in his chair slightly, his chin in his palm as he watched Milan check over herself in her phone camera. She was shining slightly, even under the low light.

Little did he know it was just because she tended to sweat when she was drunk.

He thought she looked ethereal.

"I mean, I'm a bouncer. Isn't the whole point for me to stay sober while the rest of y'all are drunk?" He replied to her comment. Milan just rolled her eyes.

That's when the shadow of their waiter came over them with their bill. Milan always found fun in watching what a guy does when the bill comes to the table. Marcus looked at the waiter and asked for the bill to review it and without even letting Milan check over it herself, he silently slipped his debit card in and handed it back to the waiter.

"So... you've never been here, but you were prepared to spend two hundred dollars on a bill? I love a smart planner." Milan jokingly gushed. It was Marcus's turn to roll his eyes now. "You think I'mma go out sad in a place like this? With a girl like you?" He grunted.

The waiter returned with his card soon enough and Milan couldn't help but swing her feet as he signed the business copy of the receipt. She hadn't been on a fancy date like this with anyone but her dad before and... she wouldn't tell Marcus, but he was doing a very good job at wooing her.

When he was done, he stood from the table and walked around to help Milan out of her seat again. It was just her luck that as she did so, she stumbled into his chest.

Put. The. Bottle. Down.

Her subconscious chastised. She agreed with it though because she definitely felt like a two cent hooker with her sugar daddy as they left with the way she had to hold onto his arm.

She was drunk!

When they finally got in the car again, Milan strapped herself into her seatbelt and turned the air conditioning vent closer to her direction. She sighed in relief as the cool air cooled her whole body down, when she looked over at Marcus she saw him looking at her like the funniest joke was being told.

"And remind me, how are you going to get your car back to your place?"

Milan's stomach dropped.

She had completely forgotten she drove to his home. She definitely couldn't now that she was three blocks past intoxicated.

"You'll know when I know." Was her short reply.

There was no way in hell she could have him drop her back off in front of Ramses's house, especially if he just so happened to be home. The only person that quickly came to mind was Daya, but she didn't take off today.

Looking at the clock she saw it was barely 9. The club would be just getting started and Daya wouldn't be able to leave.

Then finally, her mind panned to her brother, Devon.

When Marcus finally did pull up in front of his house again, Milan asked him to wait with her while she made the call. In all honesty, she didn't think he'd pick up.

"Wassup Lani?"

Her brother's voice poured from the speaker of her cellphone and for a moment she was stuck.

"Lani, you okay?"

She cleared her throat and laughed a brittle laugh. "Yes... I- Can you come pick me up? I'll send you the addy, but I'm too drunk to drive."

The line went silent between them for a second.

"Hell—"

"Send me the address. I'll be there as soon as I can." Devon cut Milan off.

And then he ended the call. For a second, Milan just looked at the phone in her hand after sending Devon her location. It was so weird hearing his voice. No, she didn't disown him or anything, but she damn sure hadn't talked to him in over a month.

"Who'd you call?" Marcus's voice broke her deep thought. At first she wanted to be smart with him for being nosey, but then again she was staring into space like she'd just popped a Xanax.

"Oh, my brother. I don't think you've ever met him." She smoothly replied, undoing her seatbelt now and collecting her purse from the floor of the car.

Milan then proceeded to get out of his car, rather unceremoniously, and unlock her car doors. Marcus got out quickly after that. "Woah, woah, woah I thought your brother was coming to get you?" He pressed, gently guiding her away from getting in the driver's seat of her car.

Squinting up at him like he was stupid, Milan broke his hold on her and stepped back.

Did she mention she was a feisty drunk?

"Yeah, you just heard me tell him come get me. Where do you think I'm gonna wait? In your crib?" She rhetorically asked, going back to her car and putting her belongings inside.

"I mean... yeah. You scared of me or something?"

Milan scoffed at that. "No, Marcus. I'm not scared of you." She punctuated the sentence with the closing of her car door before walking back over to him again.

"I'm not scared of you and I want to thank you for taking me on this amazing date..." As she trailed off she allowed Marcus to draw her in by her waist. His warm palms on the small of her back made heat spread within her belly.

He looked down at her like she was a diamond he'd just plucked from the earth.

"Why do I feel like a 'but' is coming?" He asked, his face getting dangerously closer to hers. Milan slyly smiled at him.

"Aye nigga, get yo fucking hands off my sister 'fore I blow your shit back!"

Devon's voice bellowed from his passenger side window as he parked his car behind Milan's.

"He's the 'but'. Thank you again, Marcus." Milan emphasized before kissing his cheek and running over to her brother's car.

Bending over the passenger's window and into the car, Milan smiled at her brother. "Hey stranger."

Devon shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his face too.

"Where do you wanna go?" He asked her and once again she was stuck in another predicament.

Take Devon to Ramses's house and watch them damn near kill each other for good for old times sake... or face Ramses the morning after with the same clothes she left the house in.

And slept on hair with no bonnet.

A double homicide was sounding like light work compared to the latter.