Chapter 8: Marla

Jason walked out of the premises and was about to flag down a taxi when Legit Alpha's hammer limousine pulled up. One of the windows rolled down, and Alpha offered to give him a ride.

"Where to?" Alpha asked as Jason took his seat.

"Nova's Suits and Wears," Jason replied.

"What's the occasion?" Alpha asked, a bit curious since Nova's Suits and Wears was among the top designer clothes stores in Sin City.

"Nothing big. I just want to wind up my week with a show at the Grand Sin City Hall," Jason responded.

"Ah, I didn't take you for a man who listens to opera," Alpha remarked.

"I wouldn't say it's my cup of coffee, but once in a while, I don't mind sitting down to hear the guys sing their voices hoarse," Jason said with a chuckle. Jason rested his head on the chair when he remembered what Alpha had disclosed during the meeting.

"Mr. Legit," he began in a now serious tone, "why did you ask for my presence during the meeting?" he asked.

"Your skills were needed, and I couldn't look for another person considering the nature of that case," Alpha responded in a similar tone.

"You know what that Serb's name means to me," Jason added.

"I know, but if this case were to go the wrong way, we would stand no chance of getting some closure. We need the upper hand throughout," Alpha told him as he readjusted his seat.

"Are you underestimating me?" Jason asked, a bit offended at the thought.

"No. But don't forget this isn't Europe, Jason. It's Sin City," Alpha cut in.

"It's about to become My Sin City," Jason responded. "But you spoke too soon, Alpha. I was to be on the low-key for a longer period."

"I couldn't wait any longer. But no damage has been done. It's not as if the whole firm knows who you really are," Alpha said as the car came to a halt.

"We're here," the driver said.

"Give us a moment," Alpha responded to the driver.

"What about the Krovaçic brothers?" Jason asked.

"I trust them with my life. So should you. They know the good, the bad, and the ugly of Sin City. If you need anyone to help you handle this case, these are the right men. Now my only concern is Athena," Alpha said with some concern in his voice.

"Leave her to me," Jason told him.

"Are you sure about that?" Alpha asked. "She might get curious and start asking questions."

"I can handle her. Just keep those brothers in check," Jason said as he was ready to get out of the car.

"As you wish, enjoy your weekend," Alpha said, a bit assured.

"You too," Jason said as he exited the car and watched it drive off. Jason walked into the building and started picking out a few clothes. He wanted to spice up his appearance. After a few minutes of surfing through the clothes in the store, he finally decided to go for a light blue blazer and matching trousers that reached his ankles. He had on a white turtleneck that was complimented by a single golden necklace with the initials SC on it. He picked out a black Rolex watch with a pair of golden cufflinks. On his feet, he had a pair of white Air Force sneakers with white ankle socks. He also had a black leather belt with a golden buckle with the initials GOE on it. He finished his look with a pair of dark shades that added an air of dominance to his demeanor.

After taking one final look at his reflection in the mirror, he knew he was ripe for the taking. He paid for the clothes and requested his previous attire to be delivered to his house. He took a taxi, and when he arrived at the Hall, he found quite a crowd outside the premises in small groups, talking. All of them were dressed in fancy outfits and carried themselves in a high-class manner. It was now ten past seven, and Jason couldn't see Marla anywhere. As he searched amidst the crowd, a Ford Mustang pulled up at the entrance. It was yellow with two black stripes running from the front to the back. Jason checked from a distance, a bit curious about who would step out of the car. To his surprise, when the doors opened, it was Marla who gave out the keys for the car to be taken to the underground parking. She was nothing like the Marla he had seen at the office.

She had let her braids fall to one side, exposing half of her face and her neck, which showed off her tan skin color. She had on some makeup that highlighted her eyes and face, with lip gloss that made her lips glisten in the light, making them look so inviting for any man who looked at her. Around her neck, she had a silver necklace that ran down over her exposed upper chest through to between the beginning of her cleavage, with a crescent moon shape at the end of it. She wore a red off-shoulder dress that exposed her shoulders and went down all the way to her feet. On her right side, the dress had slits of about 1 cm wide that ran from her hips to her feet, exposing some of her thigh skin slightly. To her left, there was a long slit that went from her feet to just around her waistline, which exposed her beautiful skin as she walked. The dress hugged her body but allowed room for stretching around all her curves, making sure everyone would see every single curve on her. Her breasts, which were partially covered by the dress, were firm and held up by the dress, teasing every man who laid their eyes on them. She had on a pair of silver earrings in the shape of stars, and in her hand, she held a white purse. On her feet, she wore 9-inch heels made of glass, which she walked in gracefully.

Jason couldn't deny it. Marla was absolutely gorgeous. She was a beauty to behold, and he found himself more than attracted to her. He slowly walked to where she stood. When she saw him, she smiled, revealing her milky white teeth.

"My, oh my! Mr. West, who knew you could clean up so well," she said as she got closer to him.

"You're talking about cleaning up? Have you looked at yourself? Like damn, girl," Jason replied as he went in for a hug. He could smell her cologne as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a tight hug. As they let go, she gave him a soft peck on the cheek.

"You look stunning. To be honest, I wasn't expecting this," Jason said as he admired her beauty.

"Stop trying to flatter me," she said as she smiled.

"I'm being for real. Don't judge me for admiring such beauty," he said.

"But everyone is looking at me. I think I might have overdone it a little bit," Marla said as she noticed some eyes on her.

Jason put his arm around her waist and pulled her close so that he could talk into her ear.

"One thing I've learned in life is that wherever there is light, shadows will be found as well. Some eyes envy, while others admire. But what really matters is what you see and want for yourself," Jason whispered, then leaned back and made one quick scan at her beauty. His eyes raised to meet hers, and he said with a straight face, "As for me, I see a gem worthy being appreciated."

"Thanks for that. It really means a lot," Marla said as she blushed.

"Good. Now, shall we?" Jason asked as he stood by her side with one arm around her waist and gestured for them to go into the hall as the show was about to begin.

Marla took a deep breath and finally said, "Let's go."