A Woman Like Me...

The Shadow Players Ball

     Over the past month, Trace and I had been dating, exclusively, without incident.  Things had been progressing surprisingly well between us.  It turned out that underneath that bad boy, womanizing persona had been hiding one of the most romantic men that I had ever met.

     Tonight, was the night of the Shadow Players Ball; it was one of the biggest nights of the year for the people in our kind of business.  It was the perfect opportunity to mingle and make contacts with potential allies.  The elite would come out tonight to rub elbows with the scum and the scum would tempt the elite to the dark side, not that this was particularly difficult.  The most dangerous and powerful people would all be in a room together on this night.

     However, this is not why I was nervous about the ball tonight.  I had been to the Shadow Players Ball on several occasions over the years; I knew almost everyone on the guest list, some I considered friends and others would love to see me dead.  Either way, everyone would be on their best behavior tonight; it was an unspoken rule to do so.

     The reason that I was on edge about the ball this year, was because tonight was the night that Trace intended to tell his parents about our relationship.  I was under the opinion that it was still too soon, but Trace had been itching to tell them since the very beginning.  I had finally relented, knowing that Mrs. Waterford would be forced to be on her best behavior at the ball, no matter her actual feelings on the matter.  She would never misbehave in public, it would be unseeingly to do so.

     I slipped on the blue satin dress, that Trace had specially made for me for this evening.  The slit of the dress ran dangerously high on my right thigh and led to several adorned snaps that cinched the fabric together at the top, this allowed for the slit to climb even higher, should the wearer choose; or if you were like me, it provided a bit of medieval-style flare which I appreciated.  My left remained covered, allowing me to hide weapons, strapped beneath the fabric, where no one would see.  The dress was a halter with sheer black lace coming up haphazardly over the breast cups.  Sheer black lace covered, playful, cutouts along my waist and hips as well, providing a bit more sex appeal.  A black belt ran across the center to accentuate the waist.

     It was a masterpiece; I had never felt so desirable.  I paired the dress with a pair of black satin heeled boots.  A flirtatious black lace choker and large black feathered earrings.  I felt like a sexy pirate mistress.  I curled my hair and pinned half it back.  Then I completed the look with smokey eyes and dark red lips.

     I walked out into the living room where both Jay and Trace stood, waiting.  Their jaws dropped to the floor when they saw me.

     "Shit...Mercy..." Trace breathed, licking his lips as he stared me up and down.  "You are gonna kill me looking like that"

     "Damn, Mercy, even I want you."  Jay joked, in his usual manner.

     "Ouch! Hey!"  Jay squealed as Trace punched him, hard, in his arm.

     "Don't even think about it."  Trace growled.

     "I was just kidding, geez."  Jay scoffed as he began rubbing his sore arm.

     Trace walked towards me, his hands reaching out for me as he neared.  I reached out for him in return and he wrapped both of my hands in his.  He kissed each of them gently on top of my scarred knuckles.  I had always been so self-conscious of my knuckles before Trace; they had been badly scarred by years of fighting and training, but Trace had taken all of that away.  He made me proud of my scars because they are a part of who I am; a part of what brought me here, to this moment, with him.

     "Forget the ball..." Trace whispered, seductively, his eyes narrowing as he pulled me close.  "Let's stay here tonight.  Jay can go and send our regards."