The Enforcer or The Mafia Prince

Chapter 28

Jessica didn't want to nap; she had things to do. The door to the condo barely had time to shut before Jess kicked her shoes off and made a bee-line to the kitchen in search of ibuprofen. Her rabid shuffling through the cabinets caused Declan to stop what he'd been working on and follow the sound. He came face to face with Tristan, who was carrying Jessica's shopping bags.

"What's going on?" Declan didn't need to look into the kitchen to know Jess was there.

"Liam and Sophia. Now Jessica had a headache," Tristan explained.

"Ah, okay. He has that effect on people," Declan said, chuckling.

Finding the capsules, Jessica tore off to the refrigerator for a bottle of water. She threw the pills back and chugged the entire bottle. Jess finished the whole thing and tossed it into the recycling bin as she gasped for breath. In her haste, she hadn't noticed Declan walk into the room.

"Do you want to see the pictures from lunch," Declan asked the couple. Jessica nodded, still catching her breath. Tristan set the bags on the floor next to the island. He didn't want them to get trampled on, but there wasn't room for them and the photos.

Declan set half a dozen images down. In some, the group looked like they were laughing and enjoying a joke together. In others, it was painfully apparent that Liam was attempting to flirt with Jessica in front of their partners. Jess picked up one from the stack. In the photo, Sophia was leaning back with her arms crossed, glaring at Jess while Liam was saying something. Try as she might, Jessica couldn't recall what Liam had been saying when the picture was taken.

"We need to increase the security around Jess. Ryan made a comment about seeing her alone on campus that has me on edge," Tristan told Declan.

"That won't be a problem. Since Jess is on break this week, she'll be spending most of her time with Gia. Her dedicated bodyguard will start next week." The comment caught Jess by surprise.

"I'm getting a dedicated bodyguard," She asked, repeating Declan's words. Declan and Tristan looked at one another; Jess could tell they were again speaking telepathically.

"Jess, I'm going to be handing your care over to someone new. She'll move in this weekend and start her duties on Monday," Declan explained. Tristan's muscles worked not to smile.

"Why? What's going on?" Jess didn't want Declan to leave, but it wasn't only that she had feelings for him. Jessica didn't want to be handed over to someone she didn't know.

"I'm going to take on a temporary job in Los Angeles. Ciaran is having me train for a new role with the vice president of his California hospitality group." Declan was excited about the opportunity. For Ciaran to offer him a role like this, his adoptive father had faith in him.

"Oh," Jessica replied, trying not to seem too disappointed. "Good luck, then." Tristan didn't like the sad tone in Jessica's voice. Still, this needed to happen. It would benefit Declan's career and Tristan's relationship with Jess. Tristan looked at his watch; the face showed it was almost three.

"I have a job to take care of for Dad tonight. Are you going to be okay, Jess?" Tristan didn't want to leave her alone after the day they had. He certainly didn't want to leave her alone with Declan. However, Tristan reasoned that Declan wouldn't do anything inappropriate.

"I'll be okay. Probably go to bed early in preparation for tomorrow. Thank you for today," Jessica told Tristan. She didn't feel her gratitude was sufficient for everything Tristan did for her. She'd have to think of a way to thank him properly. Tristan pulled Jess into a hug and kissed her forehead.

"Declan, I'll call you later, cool?"

"Sure thing, Boss," Declan replied as Tristan headed for the door. Tristan's departure left Declan and Jessica alone, hovering over the island cluttered with photos. What did they have to say to one another? Jessica tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned over to pick up her bags. She had no intention of loitering awkwardly with Declan in the kitchen. She headed towards her room.

"Jess, wait," Declan spoke to her back. Jessica stopped but didn't turn around. Declan took that as a sign to say what he wanted.

"I have to leave Wednesday night." Jess's shoulders fell. She wasn't happy he was leaving. "I'll be gone for three months."

"That's a long time to be gone, Declan," Jessica replied. "I hope things go well." She started walking again.

"Jess," Declan called as he rushed to her side.

"What, Declan?" Jessica raised an eyebrow at him. What did he want from her?

"Before I go, I was hoping you'd do something for me."

"What do you need?" Jessica's reply was short and to the point. Declan made it clear that nothing was going on between them. What could he possibly need?

"Look, I have no right to ask this. In fact, if Tristan or Ciaran knew, I'd be in a lot of trouble," Declan said. "The thing is, even when I get back, we won't see each other often. I won't be working under Tristan anymore. I'll be taking on a more legitimate role within the company."

"Okay," Jessica drew her single-word response out.

"Um, I was hoping you'd agree to go on a date with me."

Jessica looked at Declan's handsome face. His gray eyes looked worried, and he fidgeted with his hands. Why was he asking her for this? She didn't know how to respond. Was he serious?

"I don't understand."

"This is the only time I can ask. I want one date with you. One good memory before I go." As Declan spoke, Jessica shifted her bags. She was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"You're leaving, and when you come back, we'll rarely cross paths. So, what? You want a goodbye date?"

"Jess, it's more than that. I know that I can't want you, that I can't be with you. I want one date, to spend a little time with you before I go. Please." Jessica was weak to Declan's pleading. He'd hit right to the core of her being, offering Jess what she knew she couldn't have. It was just one date. Then they'd let go and move on.

"When? You're leaving Wednesday. We don't have much time."

"Tomorrow night, after your training. I'll make you dinner." Jessica nodded, then went to her room. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Was this a good idea?

Monday morning arrived too soon for Jessica. Her alarm had interrupted a good dream, though she couldn't recall what she'd been dreaming about. Throwing back the covers, Jessica dragged herself out of bed and splashed some cold water on her face. Jess wasn't the type to get up and work out immediately, so she'd set her alarm early to give her time. Still wearing her pajamas, Jess stumbled to the kitchen and made a mug of tea before stepping outside. A little fresh air was the perfect thing to wake her up. Her silky tank top offered little protection from the frigid wind. The shock of the sudden chill made Jessica feel more alert.

Jess returned to her room and booted up her laptop. She rechecked the email from Gia. The week's intensity ramped like a bell curve. Today's schedule included yoga, hand-to-hand combat, weight lifting, and swimming. Gia intentionally bookended the more physically demanding work with those designed to stretch and relax the body. In fact, swimming ended with Jessica lazily floating on her back in the warm water.

The meal plan Jess was supposed to follow was stuck to the refrigerator in the kitchen. This morning she'd have a salad, fruit, and scrambled tofu. Jessica felt odd when she saw fresh greens on the morning menu. Regardless, Gia explained that breakfast was simply what one ate to fuel their morning. There was no such thing as the right food for the time of day; there was only the right food for a person's body. The high protein content and micronutrients would help Jess recover and prevent her from getting sick as she put new stress on her body.

Yoga was a group class that Jessica didn't know she'd be attending. If Gia hadn't been the class instructor, Jess would have left. It felt odd having so many people look at her. Either they knew her as Tristan's girlfriend, or she was a rare new face in the building, and people were curious about her. Either way, the number of people paying attention to Jessica lately was alarming.

Jessica hovered in the doorway, carrying her yoga mat; Gia waved her in with a smile. She pointed to a spot in the front of the room, to the right. Jess shook her head and waved a hand, pointing to the back of the class. As Jess turned to find a spot, Gia grabbed her arm and pulled her upfront.

"I can't see you back there, and I need to pay attention to your form while I'm teaching the class," Gia whispered, covering her mic so the other attendees couldn't hear their conversation.

"I know, but I don't want to be in front of everyone. They keep staring at me."

"You're dating the boss's son. Get used to it." Jessica realized that Gia didn't know the 'plan' and accepted the knowledge that she was with Tristan as fact. Before Jess could protest further, Gia was speaking into the mic. Welcoming the class, Gia decided to get Jessica over her shyness by introducing her to the class.

"Oh, I'm going to pay you back for this when we do self-defense," Jessica grumbled.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Jess," Gia mumbled while smiling at the room.

Jessica had never found an interest in yoga. She tried in high school; her friends kept inviting her to classes after hearing Jess was vegan. However, choosing a vegan diet didn't mean Jess was going 'full granola' and getting into yoga. She didn't get the point of breathing and stretching as exercise. She supposed it offered wellness benefits, but she didn't feel like it was a decent workout. Gia's class was different. While it still contained the breathing and stretching part, Gia wasn't afraid to push her students to attempt moves that required significant strength. Gia was adept at modifying asanas, so anyone of any skill level could benefit from them. To say Jessica was impressed and tired by the end of the class would be an understatement.

"Come on, Jess! I thought you were really going to lay me out," Gia taunted. The girls were focusing on a basic punch today. Jessica always assumed that to throw a punch, she'd simply ball up a fist and swing. Gia taught her how wrong she was.

"There has to be a trick to this," Jessica puffed.

"No tricks, just skill. You can do this."

Gia began their one on one lesson by teaching Jessica a simple jab. She had led the younger woman to a set of hanging bags that Jess had watched children use before the yoga class. Gia demonstrated a proper jab on the forty-pound bag. The dull thud and creak of the chain got Jess's heart pumping. She was excited to find out what she could do. However, when it was her turn to try, Jess couldn't make the bag move an inch. In fact, it felt like her fist bounced off the bag.

"Jess, you're punching with your arm, not your body," Gia explained.

"Yeah, I'm punching with my arm. That's where my fist is attached." Gia lifted her red tank to wipe the sweat off her face, displaying her sculpted abs.

"No, that's... Let's start over. Think of your arm as an extension of your full body. You propel your power from your lower body and up through your arm when you throw a jab. You're not merely moving your arm forward. Watch."

Gia bounced from side to side while shaking out her arms. She landed two fast, harsh jabs into the bag in rapid succession. Jess shook her head in frustration. This was the "how to make a proper fist" thing all over again. Before Gia would even let Jessica hit the bag, she spent over ten minutes making sure Jess had the proper form.

"Okay, did you see how I moved my fist forward with my entire body instead of throwing my fist out in front of me?"

"I think I got it. Let me try again."

Jessica stared at the worn bag and thought about the techniques and concepts Gia had taught her. She stepped her right foot in front of her and did her best to imagine harnessing power from her lower body and core into her arm. She jabbed her fist forward into the bag, making it swing slightly, and brought her fist back to protect her face.

"Good! That was good, Jess." Gia was thrilled. No matter how bad Jessica felt she was doing, Gia had seen worse. Jess was catching on quickly.

"It doesn't feel good," Jess mumbled, watching the bag settle back into place.

"Oh, don't be like that. No one is good at everything when they first start. You're being unfair to yourself."

"Fine, fine," Jess pouted as she shuffled to the water bottle refilling station. Gia checked the time; it was already noon.

"You need to eat lunch now. Make sure you eat properly and hydrate. Tea without sugar is fine. Make sure you don't just lie down until strength training this evening. If you do, you'll be in for a world of hurt. You've moved much more than you're used to today, but try to stay up and about. Okay?"

"Okay, Gia. I will."

"You what?" Gia eyed Jess making sure she heard correctly.

"I mean, I won't lay down and eat candy," Jessica laughed.

"Atta girl." Gia pat Jess on the back and said goodbye before starting her next class.

Jess confirmed it was noon. She had enough time to eat lunch and shower before she met with Dr. Malone.