The Enforcer or The Mafia Prince

Chapter 21

The last thing Jessica wanted to do was go out all night and call attention to herself. She was bloated and had cramps but was still required to doll herself up? No, thank you. Sadly, it wasn't up to her. She was overruled by the almighty Ciaran without ever having the chance to plead her case. Just as Tristan and Declan finished telling her the plan for the evening, there was a knock on the door.

"Right on time," Tristan said as he clapped his hands together and stood up. Jessica had no idea what he was going on about. Declan opened the door and allowed a pair of women to enter the space, dragging along a clothing rack.

"My father thought that you might not be the type to go clubbing, so he sent his personal shopper up and a stylist," Tristan was excited to see Jess dressed up for him. As he introduced Laurie and Hailey, Jessica pinched the bridge of her nose. What kind of pretty-woman-Cinderella-bullshit was this?

"I'll be back to pick you up at 10:30; Declan will be driving tonight. Jimmy doesn't work nights for things like this. We're also going to have plants in the crowd for our security. It'll be perfectly safe." Jess didn't even get the chance to protest before the men left, and Laurie and Hailey started poking at her.

Two very long hours later, Jessica was in a rose-colored satin corset minidress by HOUSE OF CB. It fit her perfectly and highlighted her assets. She looked like exactly the type of girl Tristan would be seen out with, which Jessica did not appreciate. Despite having long sleeves and a high collar, a cut out above her breasts drew the eye right to her chest. It was somehow sexier than if the dress were strapless altogether. Also, Jessica felt like her ass was hanging out the bottom. The hemline didn't even reach mid-thigh. Fortunately, rather than wear the skippy underwear that Laurie had picked out, Jess had much more modest shapewear on hand that perfectly matched her skin tone. If anyone were looking, it'd appear like she was naked under the dress, but she still got to feel secure. Plus, it'd keep her warm since it was still cold at night.

The entire time Hailey worked on Jess's hair and makeup, she couldn't stop raving about how healthy her skin was. The stylist had insisted on updating Jess's haircut. She gave her tons of waves and layers, giving her a bombshell look. Using a flat iron to curl the ends, the butterfly cut made Jess look sultry; even the two women couldn't keep their eyes off her. Instead of going with an over-the-top makeup look, Hailey gave Jess a shimmery gold eye color with full lashes and natural-looking lip color with just a hint of gloss to make them look pouty. Looking closely, Jess realized her lip color matched the dress. Some gold pumps and dangly earrings later, the women had completed their work.

Laurie and Hailey were very nice but not the type of women Jess usually hung out with. They were energetic and excitable, which wasn't bad. She was more introverted and had difficulty keeping up with their vibe. As the girls left, Jess decided to drink an energy drink and water before spraying herself with her favorite perfume. Jessica had insisted they let her do that much for herself. At 10:30 on the dot, Tristan arrived looking quite dapper. He was wearing dark navy slacks and rich brown leather accessories. He'd selected a simple white dress shirt with no suit jacket or tie, instead leaving the top two buttons undone to show a gold pendant he was wearing. His long dark hair was styled into the side, making it look windswept.

When Jessica opened the door to let him in, her heart pounded in her chest. His pants matched his eyes perfectly. The couple was spellbound, unable to look away from one another until someone closed a door down the hall. The sound shook the two and reminded them they were not alone. The stylists had done a great job of making the couple match each other, but it did not appear intentional. Rather than Tristan's usual all-black bad-boy look, next to Jessica, he looked just as hot but somehow softer. Slap on a tie and make Jess's dress a bit more modest, and they could be mistaken for going to a wedding or formal event.

"Declan's not with you?" Jess's question broke the tension. Tristan was upset that she didn't comment on how he looked or say anything else that didn't involve another man.

"No," he grumbled, trying not to spoil the mood. "Since he's driving tonight, he's pulling the car around."

"Okay," Jessica smiled, not realizing her mistake. "Would you come in for a moment?" Tristan didn't know why Jessica wanted him with her alone in the condo. Still, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He readily agreed to her request.

Tristan slid past her into the foyer, giving Jess a whiff of his cologne. Her knees grew weak. Something about a handsome man wearing a good cologne was enough to steal her attention. Tristan was on another level entirely. Dressed up and wearing something smokey, she almost started drooling. In all fairness, Tristan felt the same way about her. She looked gorgeous.

"What do you need," he asked. Jessica gave him a shy smile and blushed. She pointed to the large mirror across from the door and explained that she wanted to take a picture with him. While being poked and prodded, Jessica had decided to go all-in tonight if that's what Ciaran wanted. It would make their appointment tomorrow that much smoother. Plus, a small part of her was delighted to be on Tristan's arm for the night. He was not the type of guy she thought was within her reach. On paper, he'd be perfect. Tristan was handsome, wealthy, intelligent, and well-educated. He not only had a good job, but a stable job at that. Regardless, Jessica was level-headed enough to remember that a person was not their resume or dating profile.

"You want to take a selfie?" Tristan wasn't sure he believed her.

In a timid voice, Jessica responded, "You just look so handsome, and I thought I'd post it on Insta." Tristan was tickled by Jessica's request. When she said he was handsome, he forgot the grievances he'd had moments ago. There was something about posing together that made his heart soar. The way their clothes ruffled against one another, the feel of her body against his, how warm she was, the scent of her perfume. He'd have enjoyed his time alone with her if they didn't have plans.

Declan texted Tristan asking what was taking so long. Feeling particularly cheeky, Tristan responded with Jessica's i********: account. When Declan saw Jess dolled up next to his best friend, he'd regretted pushing her away again. He knew it was the right and logical thing to do, but he was burning with envy.

Declan kept repeating the secret he'd overheard the night before, "She likes me more. She likes me more." A ping from his phone alerted him that Tristan and Jessica were making their way down to the lobby. He exited the car and waited for the couple to meet him. If he thought Jess's picture was pretty, he was in for heartbreak when he saw how good she looked in person. A camera couldn't capture that special something about a person.

Tristan had Declan take them to a club he frequented with a forgettable name but a line extended around the block to get in. He didn't bother with that and chucked when Jess moved to go to the end of the line. He pulled her right to the bouncer and greeted the gentleman. Without even having to exchange money, the bouncer realized who Tristan was and let him inside. A scantily-clad cocktail waitress directed the pair to Tristan's usual spot on permanent reserve, thanks to a crafty deal with the club's owner.

Soon, several people whom Jessica had never seen before joined them. They seemed to be Tristan's friends. Well, they at least knew Tristan well enough to feel no guilt about drinking on his dime. Tristan took the time to introduce Jessica to everyone who spoke to him; she promptly forgot each of their names. In order to recall who amongst the throng of people Tristan had introduced her to, she relied on her memory of their outfits. There was "brown-stripe guy," "unicorn girl," "black-leather girl," "silver dude," and "red guy."

The girls gushed over Jess's dress and pulled her onto the dance floor. Jess didn't often dance, so her moves were slightly awkward, but the girls were polite and took the time to teach her a few moves. Soon, she looked much more natural out there. They kept handing her neon tubes with shots from waitresses brave enough to fight through the crowd to make a dollar. As the alcohol started to hit, she felt a pair of hands grab her hips from behind. Jessica twisted around and was relieved to see it was just Tristan.

The girls had all dispersed either with one of the guys they were with or with new ones. Jess could smell the vodka on Tristan, but it wasn't unpleasant. It added to the experience of being in the crowd basking in the charged energy. Tristan took one of her hands and spun her around, starting to dance with her. The music began to warp so that the beat drowned out the sound of the crowd, and Jess began to lose herself in the experience. The music and people made the stress and demand of everyday life fade into the background. The smokey darkness added a sense of invisibility that Jess had lost since she learned of the possible video of her.

Both feeling lost in the moment, Tristan leaned down and kissed her. His hands were back on her hips, playing with the short silk hemline, and, for once, Jessica didn't care if people saw her or judged her. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Tristan was overcome by how good he felt with her. Yes, she felt good against him, but he could never let go in public. Not even with Sophia, whose job it was to distract him.

Tristan felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He was surprised he'd felt it over the beat pulsing through their bodies. Declan was alerting him that it was the height of the evening, and they needed to switch locations. Doing so at this exact time would ensure maximum exposure and photo opportunities. Tristan leaned forward and whispered to Jess.

"Time to leave, princess. We've got another stop to make."

Jessica didn't care. She didn't feel like thinking. She put her hand in his and let him lead her through the crowd. Tristan waived down their waitress and made a swiping motion. They had his card on file, and she was allowed to tip herself, so he didn't have to do anything. They just left. The group they'd met earlier in the evening did not join them. Tristan had informed them of his intention to let everyone know he was with Jess now. He didn't tell them the "plan" but wanted people to know who she was since Jess was his girl.

The club itself was frequented by minor local celebrities and social elites. It was no wonder that over-eager photographers and bloggers would wait outside to see who was coming and going. Several flashbulbs went off as they exited the club, signaling that their idea was working. Tomorrow, or perhaps in a few hours, people all over Chicago would know that Tristan and Jessica were seen going out together. Jessica shocked Tristan and Declan by kissing Tristan in front of everyone, knowing that her involvement with the O'Sullivans would no longer be a secret.

In the car, Tristan couldn't let go of Jessica's hand, and she was making no signs of moving herself. Jess was enjoying the evening, despite initially thinking that she wouldn't. However, Jess realized that she didn't even have to worry about whether people liked her or not. She just had to look interesting and go along with the flow. The entire idea was to spark gossip anyway.

The next club was one owned by the O'Sullivans. It was already packed with hundreds of people. Another cocktail waitress, adept at her job and maintaining professionalism and congeniality, escorted the pair to Tristan's table, which overlooked the dancefloor below. This wasn't like his usual VIP spot at other clubs. No, this was his club and his table. He could literally walk in like he owned the place. Yet another group of people joined them. This time, though, Tristan was much more excited to see them. These were people he'd considered real friends and told Jessica so. They were other men of similar backgrounds who never asked Tristan to pay for anything because they could do it themselves.

Since she could tell how much these people meant to Tristan, Jessica made a sincere effort to remember their names and be more sociable. It was likely she'd see several of them again in the future. The waitress brought several sealed bottles of various liquors and took time to unseal and serve them. This was a usual thing for Tristan. The ritual ensured that no new waitresses got a job at the club to gain access to him. The drinks were sealed and unsealed before him, so he knew they were not tampered with. Even so, most employees here had ties to or grew up in the O'Sullivan group.

This one was much more upscale and exclusive than the previous location. It catered to a particular crowd that didn't care about being noticed. They just wanted to have a good time in a secure environment. While not an exclusive club, all the patrons were considered somebodies in Chicago. Considering that, it was quite a shock when a familiar-looking blonde boy looked up at Jessica from the dance floor.