The Mark

6. Temptress

...Haley POV...

I've been in New York for a week now. Jess has been amazing at making me feel at home. I spent the first-day unpacking; then she brought me to her favourite restaurant. It was really cool. It didn't have a pre-set menu like most restaurants. Instead, the chef would surprise you with their creations. You could let them know some things that you didn't like. But other than that, you'd be sitting on the edge of your seat desperately wanting to know what they'd be giving you to eat. So I absolutely fell in love with this restaurant. Since Jess and I are adventurous eaters, this was literally the restaurant of our dreams.

On Monday, we went shopping. Even though I didn't need a lot, Jess managed to talk me into getting quite a lot. Our cab was filled to the brim with all of our purchases. Jess and I then spent the next few days finding a place for me to stay. It took a while, but finally, I found this remarkable place. It was a condo, opposed to an apartment which was what I wanted. I knew I would only be here for several months, so I didn't see the point in buying a place. However, Jess and the real-estate agent had talked me into it. Even if I did have to go back to England, I could still use the condo, so I had a place to come back to when I wanted to visit Jess. Not only that, but I could also rent it out and make a profit on it if I chose.

The only downside was that the condo wouldn't be available for at least two weeks, which meant that I would have to stay with Jess until then. I guess it wasn't really a downside, as it had been fun to visit with Jess. It was like old times. Two sisters reunited. The only difference was that we didn't fight. We respected each other's views. If we disagreed, we would step away and talk to each other once we'd had a chance to calm down.

In the meantime, Jess used it as an opportunity for us to do more shopping. The condo I found was unfurnished, which meant that I would need to furnish it. So far, we've managed to find all the essential items, which was all I needed. I didn't mind waiting to find the other items. So it would be best to think of a plan and decide how I wanted it designed instead of just buying random things and hoping they matched.

"I think we should go to the club tonight." Jess said, bringing me out of my trance.

I had been scrolling through design ideas on Pinterest for the past few hours now in an attempt to create my own design board. So far, I've managed to lock down a colour theme. But I was having difficulties reigning back my suggestions. I was so inspired that it was hard to put some concepts aside.

"Why? We didn't have that great of a time when you took me the other night."

"Well, that was because it was a Monday. No good clubs are open during the week."

"What? Then why did we go?"

"To dance, of course! We needed to get your groove back."

"My groove was just fine, thank you very much."

"Mhmm.. and that's why you never got that guy's number." She insinuated.

"Jess..." I sighed, facepalming.

"We've been over this." I replied, staring back at her.

"Yes. And like the good friend I am. I didn't bring it up. Rather, all I'm saying is that it would do you some good to get out there."

"And what happens if I meet someone? You know I have to go back."

"Actually, no, you don't. We both know this contract is not only exclusive but groundbreaking. No matter what happens, you'll be making a name for yourself. You can live anywhere you want because people will be coming to you instead."

I laughed at her antics.

"We don't know that for sure. Yes, this project may be an amazing opportunity, but that doesn't mean I can move here permanently." I say.

I watch as her face falls. I know she wants me to stay. I can't deny that a large part of me wants to stay here as well. But I have to be realistic. Since this is a European venture, more than likely, I'll have opportunities coming from Europe as opposed to the states.

"Let's not think about that for now. Instead, let's focus on me here. I'm going to be here for at least several months, so we have lots of time to figure out those bigger details." I say, walking over to her and enveloping her in a sisterly hug.

"I know. I just missed you." She says, hugging me tight before letting me go.

"I know. And I missed you too." I say, smiling.

"So, which club do you want to go to?" I ask, changing the topic.

"OOO! I know just the one!" She says, jumping up and down in excitement.

"There's this exclusive club that just opened. And thanks to Liam, he was able to get us on the list." She says, jumping up in excitement once more.

I tried hard not to grimace when she talked about her boyfriend. Liam Soloman was a prestigious lawyer in the same firm that Jessica worked at. He was her supervisor. While I try to remain neutral when it comes to her dating, for some reason, I found it difficult when it came to Liam. It's not that he was a bad guy or anything; it's just a feeling, I guess you could say. I found Jess never showed too much emotion when talking about Liam. She was typically more excited about the perks of dating him, such as getting on the A-list for a new club opening. Liam did a lot of high-end cases, mostly in entertainment law. So essentially, he was a lawyer for celebrities, whereas Jessica was a criminal defence attorney. She had a very dangerous job, but she never batted an eye. It was something I admired about her, but it also made me cringe at the same time. I knew it was only a matter of time before she got in trouble. So I guess Liam served some purposes. Given his title, it would be unlikely anyone would go after her as Liam had both the means and resources to find anyone that tried.

I had never mentioned my concerns to her. I knew Liam was just a phase. She would grow tired of him soon enough. I knew she would have to come to that decision herself. I couldn't tell her to live her life. If I did, I knew she would grow to resent me. She would always wonder 'what if,' had she stayed with him. So, for now, I'd have to bite my tongue.

"Earth to Haley..." Jessica said, waving her hand in front of me.

"Sorry, I guess I zoned out. What were you saying?" I asked sheepishly.

"I was saying that we should get ready. We can take a cab there and meet Liam later."

"He's not picking us up?" I asked, curious.

"No. Liam has a case he's working on. Something about a break and enter." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Should we just go another day? How would we even get in if Liam isn't with us?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Liam will join us later. He said he planned on meeting with his client there anyways. He already called the bouncer ahead of time to let us in. He said that we could meet him in one of the VIP booths."

"Wait.. but you only just told me. How.." I began, realizing the answer for myself.

"This isn't a fluke. You already had this planned." I say, rolling my eyes.

"Hey! Don't roll your eyes at me. And so what if I had this planned?"

"Should I dare ask who Liam is bringing?"

"I don't know to be honest. All I know is that he's one of his main clients. I couldn't care less anyway. He's not allowed to tell me. Otherwise, it would break the code. So I don't ask. Same with how he doesn't ask about my clients." Jess says, shrugging her shoulders.

They may be lawyers, but it's only natural to talk to your partner about your day. I'm surprised she doesn't realize this. She seems content, but I think part of her would like to be able to talk about her day with him.

"Fine. I'll go. On one condition..." I say.

"What?"

"I get to wear your brand new dress."

She eyed me curiously but ultimately nodded her head in agreement.

"If that's what it takes to get you out there, then so be it."

Jessica's dress was absolutely stunning. It was an all-black dress with diamond accents. It was a combination of a short and long dress. The overall cut was short, as it tapered long towards the left. My entire right leg was bare and left little to the imagination where it stopped just below my waist. There were also intricate cuts throughout the middle. My stomach and back were virtually bare. The material around the chest acted more like a bandeau but truly completed the look. It was a mix of sexy and classy. Revealing, but without looking like a slut.

I don't know why I decided to wear that dress in particular, only that I had a newfound confidence. And for the first time in my life, I wanted to dress sexy. I was in a whole new city where no one knew me. I thought it was an excellent way to have some fun. I've always been the boring good girl. I wanted to be daring for once in my life. So when I saw Jess try on the dress in the store, I couldn't stop looking at it. So I tried to imagine what I would look like wearing it. Now that I see myself in the mirror, I don't even recognize myself.

Instead, I feel like an entirely different person. I feel confident. Strong. Powerful even. It feels like I could conquer the world. Perhaps it may seem a bit over the top, considering it's just a dress. But I couldn't deny it. I looked hot.