The Enforcer or The Mafia Prince

Chapter 13

Declan dodged Jess's question and ran off to his room, leaving her frustrated. She didn't understand why he kept playing hot and cold with her. She stomped back to her room. After using the restroom and cleaning up a bit, she flopped on her bed. Then s****l tension between her and Declan was messing with her head. Jessica lay there and thought about everything that had happened between them. When she thought about how desperately he had kissed her just now, she pulled a pillow over her face and groaned.

Despite a packed day, a shooting in the lobby and her nap earlier made sleep impossible. Jessica tried relaxing in a bubble bath with some herbal tea. Then she turned on a meditation app on her phone and tried to tempt sleep that way. Nothing was working. On Wednesdays, Jessica had a morning class and an afternoon class. Both classes only met once a week, so they were twice as long as standard classes. If she didn't sleep tonight, she couldn't come home for a nap like she could on Mondays and Thursdays.

Around midnight, Jess decided that if she wasn't going to fall asleep, she might as well get up and do something productive. Clicking on the lamp, she opened her laptop at the desk. Initially, Jess tried to study and get some work done, but her day kept cycling through her mind. The thing Declan told her about Tristan recently seeing another woman was eating away at her. Declan had been less than forthcoming when Jess had asked about her. An idea struck her. If Ciaran was so worried about optics, and there was all this information about the O'Sullivans getting out, there had to be plenty online about Tristan.

Unsure whether what she was doing was brilliant or stupid, Jess typed Tristan's name into the search bar. The first article listed included an image of him with a beautiful blonde woman. Reading the caption, Jess saw that her name was Sophia Walsh. The article was written over a week ago. Jessica checked the calendar on her phone. The image would have been from the Friday before meeting Tristan. Thinking about it meant that Tristan saw this Sophia girl a week before their first date. Ignorance is bliss, they say, but Jessica wasn't a fool.

The article explained that Sophia and Tristan had been repeatedly spotted around Chicago for several weeks despite Sophia being engaged to a young man named Liam Ryan. For the next three hours, Jessica went down a rabbit hole, researching everything related to Tristan and the O'Sullivans. The O'Sullivans and the Ryans were business rivals. The Ryans were slightly more powerful but not enough that it made much of a difference. Liam Ryan was a handsome redhead in his early thirties. Liam graduated with an MBA and then decided to go to law school. He appeared very intellectual, if not almost nerdy, but his personal portfolio was estimated to be one of the highest amongst his peers. That didn't even include his family's wealth. There wasn't much information on Sophia, though. It looked like she was just a pretty face that caught the attention of both men.

Jessica even managed to find some information about Tristan's mom. Her name was Rebecca, and she was what one would call a handsome woman. There was a picture of her, Ciaran, and Tristan from when Tristan looked to be about eight or nine. Rebecca didn't look unhappy in the photos but wasn't smiling either. The only other information she found about Rebecca was an obituary stating she had passed away suddenly and that the family requested privacy and donations to an arboretum that Jessica had never heard of. Before shutting down her impromptu investigation, Jessica had tried to look up Declan. She didn't find much. Though her instincts had been correct, Declan and Tristan had been friends for over a decade, and the O'Sullivans were credited with adopting Declan. Putting two and two together, Jessica realized that Declan was younger than Tristan and that Rebecca had already passed away several years before the adoption.

Jessica had learned many facts but was doubtful they would be considered valuable information. At least she knew enough now not to ask questions regarding Tristan's and Declan's backgrounds. The only thing that bothered her was Sophia. If Tristan was still seeing her a week ago, he had no business fooling around with Jessica. Sure, things were complicated between her, Declan, and Tristan. However, she wasn't seeing either of them. She hadn't made any promises to either man. What about Sophia, though? What did she think about her relationship with Tristan? Her mind swam with questions that only made her confused and sleepy.

The alarm rang much too early that morning. Since Jess didn't have class until ten, she thought she could sleep another hour. However, Declan knocked on her door to wake her up. Grouchy from both her lack of sleep and Declan's odd behavior with her, Jessica threw a pillow at him for trying to wake her up. Declan just laughed at her and walked away. When he returned, he lifted her covers slightly and threw a bag of frozen peas in with her.

"AH! I'll get you back for that, Declan! You hear me," Jessica roared at him.

"Ooooh, I'm so scared," Declan mocked as he left her room.

Thoroughly peeved, Jess got out of bed, dressed, and marched into the dining room, where Declan politely awaited her. His calm demeanor and lack of the morning paper disarmed her. She was not anticipating his reaction to her fit to be so cool.

"What was that for," she asked, hands on her hips like a stern teacher.

"I needed you to get out of bed. You have class at ten, and we have things to do first."

"We do?" Jessica was puzzled; she didn't remember having plans this morning.

"After last night, I realized I haven't shown you around the building. You'd never have left last night if I had done so last week." Declan was talking to her and walking towards the door. "Put your shoes on and come with me."

"Fine, but I'm going under protest!"

"Whatever you say, just hurry up." Declan laughed at her again.

Declan's purpose for showing her around became crystal clear when he took her to the ground floor and showed her the twenty-four-hour convenience store. If Jessica had known the little shop had everything she needed, she wouldn't have needed to go anywhere. The building also had a theater room the residents could reserve, an internet and printer center, a coffee kiosk, and a massive gym with a full class schedule. Jessica was in awe. She realized that, if need be, she never needed to leave the building. A full-service spa and salon with rooftop pool access were on the top floor. Hearing there was a pool, Jess begged Declan to take her up to see it. Declan had been surprised that Jessica loved swimming for leisure and exercise but never had consistent access to one. He made a mental note to tell Tristan so he could take her shopping for bathing suits. When they returned to the condo, Declan also instructed Jess to text someone if she needed to go out.

"What do you mean? I don't have anyone's phone number," Jess looked so adorable, her head c****d to the side, confused.

"Yes, you do," Declan deadpanned.

"Huh? Since when?" Jessica pulled out her phone and found she had the numbers for Declan, Tristan, Jimmy, Building Security, and O'Sullivan IT. Declan once again was tickled at how silly Jessica was for someone so intelligent.

"Jess, you called me on Monday, remember?" Jessica smacked her head. She had completely forgotten that she had called him and hadn't registered she'd done so. So much had happened it was hard to keep up.

Tristan arrived around nine to escort Jessica to class. Tristan was distressed at Jessica's sudden iciness toward him. Noticing this, Declan replayed the previous night's conversation and didn't think he'd said anything to upset her. Was it because he'd kissed her that Jess was suddenly cold to Tristan? After dropping Jess off on campus, Declan told Tristan about his previous conversation with Jess. Of course, he didn't include the part about kissing her.

"Do you think she's behaving like this because of Sophia?" Tristan wasn't sure because Jessica wasn't supposed to know about Sophia.

"I don't know, Boss. You should take her to dinner or something and explain about Sophia. She seemed upset to learn there had been someone else," Declan told him. Thinking about it, Declan supposed that his kiss must not be why Jess was weird to Tristan. Something about that thought made his chest feel tight.

"It could be because I kissed her at my place yesterday," Tristan admitted. Declan didn't respond to the offhanded comment, but a muscle in his jaw twitched.

Since Tristan had planned a full day in the office, Declan had a rare day off. He returned to the condo and thought about the day before. He and Jess had so much fun playing games together. Declan realized they'd kissed twice yesterday, once at his house and once at the door. Spending time with her just felt natural to Declan. For the first time in his life, he slightly resented Tristan. It was the only time Declan had wanted someone the way he wanted Jess, but he constantly reminded himself that he couldn't have her.

*ping*

*ping**ping*

Declan's phone went off in quick succession, indicating he had several new messages. He rolled over and grabbed his phone off the nightstand. He had two texts and a photo, all from Jessica. He opened them and immediately wanted to through his phone across the room.

"Son of a...." Declan swore and dropped his phone on his chest. That girl was going to get him in hot water. He picked up his phone again and looked at the messages. How the hell was he supposed to respond to this? Declan regretted reminding Jess that she had his phone number and should text him if she needed something. Right now, it was looking like she needed him.

That forbidden vixen had decided now would be a good time to send him naughty text messages. The first message was Jessica chastising him for kissing her and immediately acting as if he regretted it. The second message was her saying she wanted to do something to him—a particular something which made Declan blush. The final message was an image of her. She appeared to be in a dorm, topless. God, she really did have perfect t**s.

It had been a week since meeting Jessica, and it was becoming more difficult to stop thinking about her every day. Declan remembered walking in on her in the living room Friday night. He only now realized that the porn she had been watching was pretty hardcore stuff that most women wouldn't admit to being into. Declan's mouth started to go dry. Before realizing what he was doing, he wrapped his hand around his hard d**k.

Declan thought about how Jess was moaning and writhing on the couch, her chest rising and falling sensually. He couldn't help but picture what she'd look like on top of him. Declan would do horrific things to have her hands tied behind her back and his hands on her hips, controlling her pace up and down his length. He'd f**k her so slow and deep he'd make her beg for him. He thought about how good she'd taste and the making her orgasm until she was in tears from being overstimulated. Declan couldn't help but think how he'd take her in every way possible, making sure to c*m in each of her holes. Thinking back to what she was watching, he was confident she'd like it. What he wouldn't give to watch his-

"Damn it!" Declan realized what he had been doing and who he had been thinking about. That woman was going to be the death of him. Declan erased Jess's text messages and then went into his phone's deleted files to make sure they were permeated deleted. His c**k was still throbbing. If he didn't get laid soon, he would do something he regretted.

He texted Tristan, "Hey, you have to pick up Jess alone this afternoon. I have something I have to take care of."

Declan sent another text to a number that wasn't saved in his phone, "My place. One hour." He picked up his keys and drove to his house.