Page 45 of Until Hanna

“Where are we going?” He glances down at me as we walk toward the train station, and I smile when he maneuvers me to the inside of the sidewalk, away from traffic. It’s something I’ve witnessed my dad do with my mom since I was little.

“Park Row.”

“Is that the address or the place?”

“The place.” I shrug. “I’ve never been there.”

It takes less than twenty minutes to reach the restaurant we’re meeting everyone at, and when we step inside, I’m completely confused.

“Can I help you?” a handsome black man in a suit greets us, and I glance around. It looks like a small library or a sitting room in a fancy house, and there are no doors anywhere.

“I think we have the wrong place.” I take out my phone and pull up the text from Star, then look up at the man again. “Is this 77 Brewer St.?”

“It is. Do you have reservations?”

“We do, or my fr—” I cut myself off when a door hidden amongst the bookshelves behind him swings open, and the heavy sound of music fills the once quiet room.

“Enjoy.” He smiles, stepping aside, and we walk slowly to the door. When we step through, the bookcase slides back into place, cutting off the light.

“What is this place?” I look around the room that’s lit only with blue lights, and a wide spiral staircase disappears as it curves to the floor below.

“A sex club?”

“It’s not a sex club,” I say through a gasp, looking up at Walker, who I find has a grin on his face. “You don’t actually think this is a sex club, do you?”

“Would your friend invite you to dinner at a sex club?”

“I want to say no, but the truth is, Star is a little wild like my cousin April, so I never know what she’s going to do.”

“It’s not a sex club.” He squeezes my hand when two people standing at a podium come into view, along with a wide, curved doorway that is open to the interior of the restaurant and bar.

“Welcome to Park Row.” A long-haired brunette with a foreign accent, wearing a men’s suit and tie, smiles at us. “Do you have a reservation?”

“We do.” I give her Star’s last name, and she picks up two menus from a stack on the podium.

“Follow me. Your party isn’t here yet, but I’ll show you to your table.”

“Thank you.” We walk behind her, and I look around. In the center of the room, there is a round bar with a penguin floating above a blue-lit glass showcase. The entire space is filled with dim lighting and navy-blue velvet chairs sitting around tables covered with white cloths and stemmed glassware. “This place is very cool.”

“Have you been here before?” The brunette asks.

“No.” I take off my jacket and rest it over the back of the chair Walker pulls out for me when we reach our table.

“Then you are in for an experience. Park Row is based off the DC ComicBatman, so everything, including the menu, is themed.”

“Awesome.” I smile, now understanding the weird marble bust of Shakespeare sitting close to the table with what looks like red lipstick smudged across its mouth and neon-green spray-painted hair.

“Would you like anything to drink while you wait for your friends?”

“I’ll have a glass of Merlot.”

She nods at me, then looks at Walker, who answers, “Scotch on the rocks.”

“Sure.” She walks away, and Walker waits until my ass is in my chair before taking the seat next to me and resting his palm on my thigh.

I look over at him. “Are you disappointed this isn’t a sex club?”

“No, the idea of sharing you isn’t even a little appealing to me.”

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