The Enforcer or The Mafia Prince

Chapter 20

Jessica arrived at the hospital and stopped by the gift shop at a quarter to four. When Jess walked in with a teddy bear and a purple get-well balloon, Andrea was fuming. She was pacing back and forth while ranting on the phone. Jess could only assume Drea was speaking to her parents. Despite the harsh florescent lights and stark bathrobe, the late afternoon sun blazing outside painted everything in gold, giving Drea the appearance that she was radiating light.

"Knock knock," Jessica hit her knuckle on the wall as she walked in to get Andrea's attention. Drea spun around with her shoulders drawn and tense. Seeing it was only Jessica, she let herself ease up. Something had her on edge.

"Oh, Jess, it's you. Hey, mom? I've got to go. Jessica just got here," Andrea spoke to her friend and mom simultaneously.

"Were you expecting someone," Jessica asked, surprised by her friend's nervous posture.

"Not exactly," Andrea scowled and pointed to the dresser. Perched in the center of a modest pile of get-well wishes was a giant basket of white lilies and chrysanthemums. However, it wasn't in a festive basket like those sold at the hospital gift shop. It was shaped like a casket topper. Jessica supposed someone who hasn't attended many funerals might unintentionally select the arrangement. She walked over and picked up the card that had been haphazardly tossed on the counter near it.

"Congrats on getting out of the hospital -Greg."

"What the absolute f**k," Jessica was floored by the boy's audacity. "I have so many questions." She handed the bear to Drea and tied the balloon to a drawer handle. Andrea climbed onto the bed and hugged the bear.

"Go right on ahead," Andrea invited her friend to sit with her.

"Okay, first, you're getting out of the hospital?" Jessica opted for the easy question first. Whatever the shenanigans Greg was into would take much longer to explain.

"Yeah, Mom left to get me a change of clothes. Shortly after the doctor came in to say I was being discharged, that," she pointed to the giant monstrosity, "arrived."

"How did Greg know before me?" There was no way Drea had told Greg of all people, let alone before anyone else knew.

"I don't know. I think I heard one time that he has a cousin or something that's a nurse, but no one has mentioned him to me. He is quite the stalker, so who knows?" The fact that Greg knew Andrea was leaving the hospital today explained why she acted so skittish. Without knowing who told Greg, it was a fair assumption to think he'd been keeping eyes on Drea. Fortunately, this was a topic that Jessica wanted to discuss with her friend.

"How long until your mom gets back?"

"Um, maybe an hour. You know how this time of day is," Drea referred to Friday afternoon rush hour.

"Can I close the door? I want to talk to you about something, but I don't want us to be overheard." With a quizzical look, Drea agreed. She watched Jessica gently close the door and do a quick once-over of the room, including looking under the furniture.

"What are you doing?"

"We don't know how Greg knows you're getting discharged, so it's only reasonable to check he isn't monitoring you."

"I mean, okay. But isn't it a little too fantastical to think that he planted a bug in my room," Andrea asked, rolling her eyes? Drea thought she was paranoid, but Jess took it to a new level.

"You'd be surprised," Jess mumbled as she righted herself and sat in the recliner beside the bed.

"What?"

"Nothing. Look, I need to talk to you about something," Jessica dodged Andrea's question.

"Go ahead."

"So, recently, I met a few men my dad knows. They heard me talking about your incident, and they know Greg has been harassing me. They made an offer I think you should take them up on," Jessica explained.

"That seems... vague. What's going on, Jess?" If Andrea were feeling better, she'd have hounded Jess about her odd behavior over the last week. However, seeing Jess look like her usual self, Andrea kept her observations to herself.

"The thing is, they work with private investigators and an excellent legal team. Since Greg is becoming a public nuisance, they've offered to investigate your incident and find proof that he attacked you."

"That's great and all, Jess, but you know there's no way I could afford an attorney, let alone private investigators and an entire legal team." Andrea looked depressed. The offer was tempting, but it would be irresponsible of her to ask her parents for that when they don't have the resources.

"Oh! That's the best part. They owe me a favor and have agreed to do this for free," Jessica excitedly told the other girl. At the word 'free,' Andrea visibly pepped up.

"What did you do that they owe you a favor like that?" Andrea really knew how to hit the heart of an issue.

"Don't you worry about that," Jess giggled and winked at her friend.

"You know you're going to have to tell me what's going on with you eventually, right?" Andrea wasn't falling for Jessica's cutesy ploy.

"I know, and I will, I promise. I'm just not ready yet. It's complicated," Jess was open with Andrea that she was hiding something. However, that was the truth. Jess couldn't tell her.

"Do you trust them? Should I work with them?" Andrea was apprehensive; nothing was truly free in this world.

"I really do. Can I give them your number so they can contact you directly? I told them I wouldn't allow them to move forward unless you were comfortable with it." Jessica waited as Drea pondered over the offer.

"It's really free?"

"Yes, I promise. I swear on my mom that this will not cost you a dime." The confidence with which Jessica said that made Andrea give up all doubt. Jess would never use her mom lightly like that.

"Okay, go ahead." Jessica immediately pulled her phone from her bag and texted Declan. Along with the notice that the head of the legal team could reach out to Andrea, she mentioned that she'd visit with her friend until Drea's mother returned. While they chatted, Jess told Andrea an amended version of her relationship with Declan and Tristan. Obviously, she left out the mob associations and made it sound like two friends she knew. Drea wasn't one for gossip, but her friend's story was riveting after several days in the hospital.

"Well, what did you expect him to think? Of course, he'd think you were using him for comfort in that situation. Anyone would," Andrea practically shouted at her friend after Jess had told her about the argument between herself and Declan.

"I know, I know. I didn't mean to make Declan feel that way. I really like him, but he's hell-bent on me giving his best friend a chance, and, I don't know, I like them both?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Ugh, Drea! I guess telling you," Jessica was embarrassed to confess something so selfish to Andrea. She threw her head back and used her hands to cover her face as she slid down in the chair.

"At any rate, your mom is right. It's ridiculous to feel bound to either of them, let alone forced to choose between them after knowing them for less than a week."

"I know. That's why I'm reigning myself in. I did the other thing Mom suggested, too, so maybe that'll help." Jess's ears turned red as she described her efficient shopping trip earlier in the day. "I'm going to stop flirting with them and try to get to know them better." Andrea agreed with Jess's decision.

"Good, you're much more level-headed than that. I'm surprised you let it get to you so," Andrea referenced Jessica's odd behavior lately. Jess didn't bite. She wasn't ready to tell Drea about what was really going on. Plus, exactly how much could Jess say in the first place? It was starting to get dark as Mrs. Jones returned. Jessica liked Andrea's mom. She was a kind woman who shared the same smile as her daughter. You couldn't find better people than Andrea's family; they naturally put others first.

Back in the car, Jess apologized to Declan. Once she explained that Andrea needed fresh clothes and was being discharged, he understood. He thought Jessica had done the right thing by waiting for Andrea. Even though it was dark outside, it was only around six in the evening. On any other Friday night at this time, Jessica might be meeting up with friends or studying. However, it was the end of the winter quarter, and she had a little over a week before the spring quarter started.

That evening, though, Jessica was meeting with a group of men in one of the building's many conference rooms to discuss the problem that was Greg. There were two men from O'Sullivan's legal team and two private investigators. That made a total of six men in the room who were taking notes or commenting along as Jessica took command of the meeting.

Jessica began by telling them everything she knew about the boy. Gregory 'Greg' Boerson was a student on campus studying economics with a specialization in business economics. He was a member of the Catholic Students Association and the College Republicans. He was popular, got good grades, came from a wealthy family, and didn't have a job. Greg lived on campus and enjoyed going out with friends and throwing his family's money and influence around. Despite his arrogance, he did make time to volunteer with Tutoring Chicago and routinely raised money for Maywood Fine Arts. It seemed that Greg had a soft spot for helping children.

Unfortunately, Jess didn't know his age or much about his family. The investigators ensured that wasn't a problem. The information she'd provided them was enough to get them started. As for the attorneys, Jessica detailed her recent interactions with Greg. They were confident that with the report from campus security, witness statements, and possible video, they could press charges for assault on her behalf. They did not allow Jess to tell them Andrea's story; they would meet her and get it from her directly. This prevented any secondary or inaccurate information from influencing their case.

As Jessica worked with Tristan's associates, he was blown away by her professional aura. He had yet to see Jess in this mode. He only now understood why Declan had said she was a badass when meeting his father. Jessica didn't let anyone speak down to her or tell her what she was thinking. She was also sincere and forthcoming without being weak or submissive. Tristan could easily recall seeing Jessica afraid, so this side of her was illuminating.

The meeting took just under an hour. When the trio went upstairs to Jess's condo, they sat around the table. Declan had on his signature poker face, while Tristan looked uncomfortable.

"One of you, spit it out now. What's wrong?" Jessica could tell they weren't saying something.

"Nothing's wrong," Tristan started to explain.

"Then why do you look like you're going to be sick, and Declan's ready to hold the bowl for you?" The boys frowned at the gross image Jessica had put in their minds.

"Actually, well, um," Tristan couldn't figure out how to say what was on his mind. Declan rolled his eyes. He had watched Tristan break a man's arm for pissing him off. How was this man capable of horrendous things and couldn't speak to a girl?

With a huff, Declan got to the point, "Ciaran wants you and Tristan to go on a date for show. He wants you two seen around town together and Tristan to spend the night here."

"He wants what now," Jessica exclaimed in shock.

"Oh, this again. You need to get your head out of the gutter. He's going to sleep in the guestroom. Not with you on his father's command," Declan sounded meaner than he had intended. The idea of Jessica and Tristan sleeping together made him uncomfortable.

"When is this date supposed to happen?" Jessica looked at Tristan but was asking Declan. Clearly, Tristan was suddenly mute. Somehow, though, he was still irritated that the two were discussing him as though he wasn't in the room.

"Tonight," Tristan said, his tone a little sour.

"Why tonight? Isn't that sudden?"

"Well, Dad thinks that by us going out and me not going home, we might be able to determine whether someone is watching the video feed in my apartment. If we go out and it's splattered across the tabloids, and then it's noticed that I didn't go home, Sophia might react. We hope to rattle her enough to say something about me not sleeping at my place."

"That's an interesting experiment, but isn't it a bit late tonight?" Jess looked at her phone; it was already passed eight. Declan and Tristan grinned at her innocence. Looking at one another, Tristan c****d his head to the side, which Declan followed with another eye roll. The two could be speaking telepathically for all Jess knew.

"Tristan is the type that doesn't get to the club until almost midnight. You have plenty of time to get dolled up to go out," Declan responded for both men, quite amused.