The Temptation of Tiffany Lockwood

[BlackAkuma]

♬“I fall in love too easily
I fall in love too fast
I fall in love too terribly hard
For love to ever last…”♬

In Justine’s extremely experienced opinion, negotiations were all about impressions. She was a strong believer that you could get anyone to accept any idea, even one that went against their best interests, if you presented it in the right way. Put it into the right context. Softened certain details, emphasized others. You had to get them in a certain environment, one where they would grow agreeable to most anything, and one you did that - once you found the key - everything else fell into place.

Such was her philosophy, and it had served her well, and would continue to do so tonight for the endeavor she had planned. Her apartment stood ready to receive company - she had spent no small time today making sure it was in proper order. The carpet was a deep red, cleaned to perfection. Her bookcases were dusted to a glimmering shine, so pristine that she could see her marvelous reflection in them.

The kitchen floor was spick and span; her leather couch gleamed in the glow of her fireplace, and her swirling ceiling fan spread the aroma of her scented candle throughout her abode, saturating the entire area with lavender and vanilla. It made for a luxurious presentation, one designed to impress and overwhelm with opulence. Everything was in its place, and there was a place for everything. All of it accompanied with that lazy jazz tune on the stereo.

♬“My heart should be well-schooled
'Cause I've been fooled in the past
Still I fall in love too easily
I fall in love too fast.”♬

Now, the only thing missing was the woman of the hour: Tiffany Lockwood.

Though she was new to LAW as a whole, Justine wanted to begin her tenure with the company with solid footing and establish her power base, just as she’d done with her prior companies. That meant finding contacts, making allies, and getting some of the best and brightest talents under her thumb - acquiring pawns, in other words. She had already made some gains in that department, securing the aid of one Sara Conner, but that had been a simple matter - all that woman wanted was money, and when Justine provided that to her, she signed the proverbial dotted line.

Tiffany Lockwood was a different matter altogether. Justine had come across the young talent while scouting and immediately saw great potential in her. Strong, skilled, clearly capable, and bound to end up in those underground dregs. She needed an older, guiding hand, and Justine would happily provide one, in exchange for her loyalty.

That was the game today. She’d extended an invitation to Tiffany to come to her apartment, under the guise of a ‘business proposal’ - wanting to discuss her future in the company, her goals, her aspirations, and do so in a private setting. The email she sent the woman was friendly and warm, coming off as someone trying to get the poor little bumpkin integrated into her new life.

In reality, things would be a touch more intimate.

With the slimmest, knowing smile, Justine took one look at herself in the hallway mirror and smoothed out her

- absolute perfection, of course. She enjoyed the sight of her body for a few moments longer, before she made her way over to her window, with an excellent view of the glittering city, taking in the atmosphere as she awaited Tiffany’s arrival…

[killcarrion]

"Yes, Tiffany Lockwood. I'm here to meet a Ms. Justine Scarlet. Uhm, I believe she's in the penthouse?"

Tifa questioned her apprehension as the security guard searched for her name on the computer's database. The barmaid knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was in the right apartment lobby and her name would eventually be discovered on the guest list, yet she was nevertheless tapping her index finger on the doormen's table as waves of concerned anxiety and nervous jitters were beginning to riddle her with unease. Perhaps it was the lavish locale comprised of crystalized chandeliers, marble statues of various Greek Gods, and what Tifa could have sworn were Rembrandt paintings littered all throughout the expansive hallways. Opulence the likes of which Tifa could scarcely fathom in her wildest dreams, and it all seemed commonplace for the businessmen and women flanked by assistants while passing through as the barmaid patiently waited. Ridiculous though it may have sounded, Tifa felt like she was paying a fortune merely standing here. Gawked eyes scanning her surroundings as she became faintly curious as to whether a table in the distance was actually made of gold-

"...Right, there you are. Just down the hallway, first set of elevators on your right."

"Hmm? OH!!! Sorry, I mean...Thanks a bunch~..."

An abrasive derailment of her train of thought by the dutiful doormen preceded a startled acknowledgement and courteous departure, taking her leave to the thwacked crack of her high heel shoes against the pristine flooring. Ravishing auburn locks swaying with each step taken in her violet evening gown with fluttering skirt and sparkled glisten of her crescent moon earnings. A stylish ensemble chosen with gracious appreciation from her closest lady friends helping her out in a bind since posh formal wear wasn't exactly her forte, and an outfit she explicitly wore in the hopes of exuding an air of elegant professionalism and refined femininity~...an objective she seemed less confident in accomplishing considering that even her most fashionable evening gown seemed underwhelming in such an extravagant setting. Tifa stepping inside the elevator now rocketing to the penthouse with one button push as its lone inhabitant started using the mirrored reflections to check for any wayward blemishes and waft her flowing locks behind her as the elevator doors now opened.

Tiffany Lockwood~…

Tifa's poised steps onward accompanied the acknowledgement of the actual source of her anxiousness, and it was the fact she was somehow cordially invited to the palatial domicile of one of the more successful talent managers within any sports industry and current executive talent scout within LAW. The name Justine Scarlet commanding respect amongst talent and executives given the pantheon of heralded champions she's fostered over the years. A contract bearing her refined cursive signature was synonymous as a brand exemplifying the epitome of success, one that was practically guaranteed from an enterprising businesswoman renowned for her Scarlet Touch when it comes to crafting certain talent into accomplished conquerors and opening doors for them no other talent manager could. *So...you know...no pressure...* Tifa internally quipped in a failed attempt at soothing her rattled nerves as she overheard what sounded like crooning blues music from behind the apartment door she approached, one relaxed breath taken before beginning to press on the door bell...

[BlackAkuma]

Tiffany was being watched from the moment she stepped off the elevator.

In Justine’s hand, she caught the woman’s approach from multiple angles on her phone, peering through multiple cameras she surreptitiously positioned about the hallway. For security purposes, ostensibly, though they served the dual purpose of allowing her to see and hear her guests before they knew they were being seen and heard. She could learn a good deal from watching their simple interactions as they made their way to her door. Things they might have stuffed in their pockets, or words of warning they spoke to their partners at the last minute. Often, it was amusing to watch their faces and see which emotions they tried to suppress before she opened the door. Every detail was a potential advantage.

It was no different with Tiffany Lockwood, at least in theory. In practice, however, Justine couldn't help but feel differently. The woman looked nervous, but that was to be expected from a small-town bumpkin having her first taste of true elegance. No surprise there. What took her aback, however, was the woman's appearance.

Frankly? Gorgeous.

It was not her first time seeing Tiffany Lockwood, but it was the first time she had viewed the woman in such exquisite attire. It perfectly framed her hardened musculature, putting her fine legs on display, to say nothing of her chest - just the right amount of skin to tempt the eyes and instill cravings for more. The makeup highlighted her best features, and someone had done wonders with her hair - Justine’s own stylist could take notes.

The picture of beauty, in short. Justine was already making slight alterations to her plans for the evening.

The bell rang, but Justine didn’t move a muscle, even though she was close enough to the door that she could grasp the handle. Instead, she watched the woman through the doorbell camera for a few tantalizing moments, worrying at fingernail with her teeth before she even realized. It was her custom to make her guests wait a little while for her to answer, regardless - she wanted to impress the idea that while they were important to her, they weren’t so important that she would ever rush to open her door for them.

With Tiffany, however, she broke tradition a few seconds earlier than usual. This was a fish she had no intention of letting off the hook.

She opened the door in full, standing there with the slight tweak of her hips. Even though she had seen more than enough of this woman through the cameras, she took a moment to scan her, up and down, with the smallest nod of approval. Tiffany needed to know how splendid she looked from the onset.

”Ms. Lockwood.” Justine stepped aside, clearing the way for Tiffany to step through her threshold and enter the land of relevancy. ”A pleasure to finally meet in person. Step inside, please.” She wetted her lips, making sure they glimmered with that bright, reddish hue she loved so much. ”We’ve much to discuss.”

♫”But don't change your hair for me
Not if you care for me…”♫

[killcarrion]

Tifa recollected a phrase that she hoped was apropos to her current situation, which was that "50% of success in life is just showing up." Considering that she was about to accomplish that specific task, she surmised that she'd have a fifty percent chance of achieving her goals with this meeting. Which honestly wasn't all that bad~...Tifa sighed at the lengths she was going to paint these circumstances in a beneficial light. A prestigious businesswoman of Justine's esteemed credentials had the capability to make or break her wrestling career with just a flick of her office pen, and the barmaid had about as much experience associating herself with executives as the rambunctious drunkards she occasionally has to heave into the bar's back alley. The odds of a rustic country girl like herself stepping within Justine's lavish world and not offending her in some way and coming off like some backwater yokel...well, the odds weren't in her favor. Those fluttering butterflies within her stomach in all likelihood agreed as Tifa counted down a mental checklist of high society etiquette she needed to adhere towards, such as proper utensil usage and mastering conversational small talk. Ringing Justine's doorbell and whispering these lessons in etiquette to herself while checking to make sure she wasn't starting to sweat.

Tifa noticing the extended wait time with a quirked eyebrow, fidgeting somewhat with an anxious patting of her hand against the side of her sinewy leg. *Hmm...I wonder if this is the right apartment. Well, I mean it must be, it's the only apartment on this floo-* Tifa's thought process shattered with the abrupt opening of the apartment door which left her simultaneously spellbound and even somewhat captivated by the sophisticated businesswoman in the satin dress with quite the courageous neckline. Exuding poise, refinement, and appreciatively permitting a second to appraise eachother that compensated for Tifa's brief lapse into speechlessness. "Oh yes, I mean no...I mean...The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Scarlet. You have no idea how much this invitation means to me~..." Tifa smiled pleasantly throughout her conversational faux pas as she stepped within the palatial penthouse suite, gawking at the posh opulence of her extravagant surroundings. Luxurious scents, flickering fireplaces, and soulful jazz exuding a pleasant ambience that Tifa appreciated as she strolled inside. "Wow, I'm...at a loss for words quite frankly. I hope you didn't go to all this trouble just for me. Oh, and I apologize if I under, or over, dressed. Suffice to say I'm not all that accustomed to having business meetings like this..."

[BlackAkuma]

It wasn’t often that Justine was impressed, and even rarer that she let signs of the feeling out into the world, but today was turning out to be a rare day, indeed.

She stood, transfixed, at the mesmerizing beauty before her. She did her best to keep her reactions in check - nothing too overt, hopefully nothing that would cause alarm. But she chewed at her as she scanned this beauty, and shifted, ever so slightly, as the woman spoke. What was more, she was certain that Tiffany’s gaze was lingering on her as well. Not that anyone could blame her, but it was good to know that their minds were on the same wavelength.

Justine closed the door behind them, letting it slide into place with a soft click, before she cleared her throat and strolled past Tiffany with a commanding stroll, heels clicking along the marble floor as she went. ”Your first word of advice, dear: save the modesty for the media. You’re perfectly dressed and you look absolutely stunning. Own it.”

With a vulpine smile, she gestured over to the plush leather sofa, with cushions so soft that Tiffany might feel it was consuming her. ”Sit. Make yourself comfortable. We might be here a while.” Justine made her way over to the minibar and began to work her magic, pulling down a couple of glasses to get things started. A little libation would do wonders for them both. ”Would you like a drink, Ms. Lockwood? Wine, brandy, vodka? Name your poison.”