The Enforcer or The Mafia Prince

Chapter 6

Jessica was frustrated that she had been stuck on the same part of her paper for several hours. The wording for a specific section of her analysis came across differently than she intended, no matter how many times she rewrote it. With a resounding "Ugh!" Jessica slammed her laptop shut and looked around. This was the first time she had been alone since Declan had pulled her from her room at home. Not knowing what to do with herself, Jessica flopped on the couch and started scrolling through the channel list.

"Hundreds of channels and nothing to watch," she thought, her frustration mounting. Declan still wasn't back and said he'd be gone a while. She kept looking for something to catch her attention. Only after she had reached the adult channels did she realize that he was serious when Declan said she could watch anything.

Jessica chewed on her lip. She tiptoed to the foyer and placed her ear against the door. No sound. She quickly surveyed the apartment just to confirm he was still gone. Jessica returned to the living room. Sitting on the sofa's edge, she found something that sounded hot. These weren't softcore channels at all. The moans and sighs coming off the TV turned her on.

She leaned back and slipped a hand under her waistband while another reached up to massage her breasts. The visions on the screen made her hotter and hotter. Her breath sped up. Her mouth grew dry. Her entire focus was on that sweet button between her legs. She moved the hand in her panties in fast little circles while rotating her hips.

She leaned her head against the sofa and arched her back. Her sensual voice cried out. Jessica's n*****s pressed against her shirt. The rubbing sensation sent sparks to her wet slit. Throwing her top off, Jessica pulled off her lacy bralette and started to tweak and pinch and rub her sensitive nubs. She dipped her hand into her juices and smoothed them against her t**s.

"f**k," she inhaled, "this feels so f*****g good." A moan slipped out of her mouth. She was so close. Just a little more, and she would make herself c*m. Needy panting escaped her core. She was aching now. No longer paying attention to the video she put on, her body was in control. Images of Declan from the night before invaded her mind. She couldn't stop herself from remembering how his body looked, how sexy he was. She thought about how amazing it'd feel to ride him. She didn't hear the door unlock or tone signaling it had been opened.

He wasn't sure he understood what was going on at first. When Declan entered the apartment, it sounded like someone was having s*x. Jessica was home alone, wasn't she? Tristan wouldn't have stopped by; Jimmy told him that Sophia had made an appearance last night. Declan stopped breathing when he saw her in the living room, half naked, writhing against her hand. He grew hard at the provocative sight. As she was about to c*m, Jessica opened her eyes and met Declan's.

"f**k!" She pulled her hand away and covered her breasts with her arm. She grabbed the remote and quickly shut off the tv. Red and breathing heavily, she picked up her shirt. Jessica couldn't meet his eyes. She walked deliberately to her room, accidentally brushing against Declan. The touch made him swallow hard.

Jessica slammed her door shut with embarrassment. She was still so wet; her body turned on. Her mind, though, was in shambles. There was no way she could finish what she had started. The orgasm she was on the brink of had been ruined. The throbbing sent painful needy shocks all over. Jessica had no idea that Declan was struggling with similar issues on his side.

After a freezing shower and a prayer for strength, Declan tried to forget what he saw. From the moment he saw her at her desk that night, he knew this wouldn't be easy. He also knew that Tristan had started developing real feelings for Jessica, even if he didn't notice it himself. Declan needed to speed up the process to get Tristan and Jessica at least crushing on each other so he could keep himself in check.

"Hey, i***t, forget about Sophia and take Jessica on a date," Declan pressed send on his text to Tristan.

"You're the only one who gets away with speaking to me like that." Declan laughed at Tristan's Reply. He was curious to know if telling his friend what he had seen was wise. Instead, he opted to stress his point less directly.

"Take. Jessica. On. A. Date. She's already too good for you."

"Fine." After reading Declan's response, he put his phone down, only to pick it up again at a second text from Tristan.

"What do I take her to do?" Declan smacked his forehead. He was going to have an aneurysm because of these two. How could they both be so smart and so dumb simultaneously?

"I'll set it up and send you the itinerary." He was not about to waste his time trying to coach his friend on planning a date. Plus, he groaned at the realization that whatever they did had to have the added complication of security measures.

Though he wanted to go to bed, Declan stayed up late that night planning the first date for Tristan and Jessica. He didn't fall asleep until well after one in the morning. To her surprise, when Jessica walked into the kitchen, Declan wasn't at the table like usual.

"Thank God for that," she thought. She couldn't look at him after last night. The front door beeped. Tristan walked into the dining area carrying a box of vegan pastries. He was glad to see Declan was absent. He didn't need Declan making fun of him later.

Tristan gave Jessica a broad smile that reached his penetrating blue eyes. "Jessica, just the woman I was hoping to see."

"Good morning, Tristan." It was hard to dislike him after the last few days together. Plus, he really was so damn handsome.

"I have something for you!" He presented her with the pastries. Her joyful squeal disarmed him. He was ready to ask her out, but her enthusiasm over the food threw him off. She took the box from him and brought it into the kitchen with her.

"Would you like some tea," Jessica called back to him.

"Yes, please, whatever you're having."

Jessica returned to the dining table with a tray carrying a mug of Earl Grey for each of them and two plates, each with a croissant she had taken the time to heat. Tristan liked that she set them next to each other. Jessica was taking more initiative today. Unfortunately, he didn't know why she was so happy to be around another person. The two ate in silence for a little while. Finally regaining his courage, he looked over at Jessica. She really was quite pretty.

"Jessica, you're free today, is that right?

"Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date with me today?"

Jessica was floored by the question. It was true that Tristan was hot, and he tried to hold her hand while they watched the movie the other night. She hadn't thought Tristan was interested in her, though. In all fairness, Tristan wasn't entirely sure he was interested in her either. The more time the two spent together, the more they grew on each other. Still, it had only been a few days since they'd met. However, if given the option to spend the day with Declan or Tristan, she'd choose Tristan in a heartbeat.

Though Jessica looked cute in her flowy skirt, it was windy out, and Declan had made plans that included being outdoors. Tristan told her he planned a fun day and asked her to change into something more suitable. Once her croissant was finished, she left the room to change. This allowed Declan to grab a croissant, tell Tristan he'd planned backup security, and walk back into his room, all before Jessica returned.

Jessica was relieved to find that Declan wasn't joining them today. She thought she would only focus on something other than Tristan while Declan was around. She wondered if Declan had told Tristan what had happened.

"Well, if he didn't, I'm not going to be the one to mention it," she thought.

Tristan took her on a walking tour of Chicago. He enjoyed pointing out local street art and buildings connected to the Chicago Outfit back in the day. Jessica was grateful Tristan told her to change that morning. It was much too blustery to waltz around Chicago in a skirt. She felt a tiny hint of endearment at his thoughtfulness. Her favorite part of the date was when Tristan took her to a flower shop that appeared closed.

After giving the glass door three short raps and two long knocks, an elderly lady answered. Ms. Gina, as she had instructed the two to call her, invited the couple inside. They weren't at a flower shop at all. Ms. Gina was a floral artist, and they were standing in her private studio. They were going to have a private flower arrangement class together. It was a perfect date idea. Flowers are romantic, and a personal lesson provides better security. They were shown to a long wood table that was splintered and worn. It was blanketed in all kinds of flowers, including tulips, carnations, orchids, peonies, and red roses.

Though Jessica thought they were individually beautiful, she couldn't understand why some were included while others, more aesthetically pleasing, were not. It was Tristan who understood that the flowers displayed all had one thing in common: love. Ms. Gina was tickled to have such a knowledgeable student in her studio. Tristan took a single rose from the table and tapped Jessica on the nose before setting it down again.

"For example," Tristan told her, "I can present you with a red rose; we both know it represents romance, passionate love." Jessica blushed.

"But," he continued, "If I wanted to tell you how utterly perfect and beautiful you are, I'd gift you tulips and peonies." Tristan presented Jessica with a tulip. They locked eyes. The rest of the room seemed to fade out of existence.

"That's correct young man," Ms.Gina's raspy voice cut through the romantic moment.

"Miss, if you were to gift a flower to your boyfriend here," Ms. Gina nodded toward Tristan, "which would you select?" Jessica surveyed the table, neglecting to correct the old woman. Two stood out to her, one purple and the other white.

"Either this one," she motioned to a purple orchid, "or this one." She picked up a white gardenia.

"Fascinating choice, young lady. Would you like to know the meaning behind the two you chose?" Ms. Gina encouraged her to learn more, so Jessica nodded.

"The purple orchid is a traditional symbol of royalty or luxury. It can also convey mystery and symbolize strength. It's a perfect gift for long-term relationships, especially since your boyfriend has an air of refinement about him."

Ms. Gina moved around the table to pick up a fully bloomed white gardenia, "The gardenia's meaning is much more contextual. When white, they mean innocence or clarity, so they're often a representation of children. Though I suppose it would do for an apology gift, as well, when two run into a misunderstanding. They smell amazing as well." She held out the flower for the couple to sniff. Tristan took another smaller bloom from the table and put it behind Jessica's ear.

"They do smell good," he whispered so only she could hear, "but you smell even better." His forwardness caused a delicate blush to dust over Jessica's chest and cheeks, giving her an alluring, flushed appearance. Tristan only then realized how absolutely sexy she was with her gemstone green eyes and long brown hair dropped over her shoulders.

After their class, Ms. Gina allowed them to take their bouquets home, which they promptly exchanged as they had made them for the other person. The one Jessica made for Tristan included purple tulips, carnations, and white gardenias. Tristan's arrangement for Jessica included pale red carnations, purple peonies, and, curiously, two red orchids. On their way out, Jessica saw a deep red gardenia. Recalling what Ms. Gina had said about white gardenias, Jessica thought it'd be a good gift for Declan after last night. When she bought a single bloom, Ms. Gina smiled knowingly at her. She didn't know the flower was for a different man, so she didn't think to say anything.