“She didn’t know him, and just automatically believed his offer?”
“Exactly, Falco. It sounded like the money, fifty bucks an hour, was her motivation.”
“I guess that’s pretty good.”
“Pretty good? Mulgoff sold every fucking piece of jewelry she modeled tonight and it looked so good on her this Egyptian asshole wanted to buy her, too.”
“Damn, you sound fucking pissed.”
“You’d be, too. She’s an attractive young woman, really sweet, but no street smarts, and she’s feminine and gentle, and couldn’t defend herself. If I hadn’t been watching and out there with Daxton then that guy would have grabbed her.”
“Shit. So what’s your take on her doing the job? Was she looking to maybe land Mulgoff or this guy and you intervened?”
“Hell no. I think she legitimately needs the money. Her place isn’t exactly great either.” He explained about the guys outside of it and more about things she said and hints about money.
“Is she doing another gig for Mulgoff?”
“She told me it wasn’t my concern or business. She seemed embarrassed by where she lived and I think I might have come across too strong about her accepting the job and not knowing anything about Mulgoff.”
“Why did you reprimand her, and even give her a ride home?” Falco asked.
Rylan gripped the steering wheel and took off onto the highway to head home to their beachfront estate.
“I guess because I was compelled to. She looked incredible today, and I think she needs looking after.”
Falco was quiet.
“We’ve all been looking at the pictures you sent, except for Mercury. He looked twice and headed into his office.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, or what I’m feeling, but I know I’m concerned for her well-being. If she is working for Mulgoff again, I want to know when and where.”
“We can find that out in a snap,” Falco stated.
“We?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll be home in ten minutes.”
“Out,” Falco said and disconnected the call.
Rylan had an uneasy feeling in his gut, but he knew if he asked questions, or he pushed for information on her, that it was going to lead to other things. Things and decisions he and his brothers avoided for years. Maybe it was best to forget about Rose. She wasn’t their responsibility, and she made it clear that her life, her business, wasn’t his concern either. So why did that piss him off and make him even more curious about her? Maybe she was after a guy with money? Maybe he got in the way of her landing the Egyptian? Maybe he should just mind his own business and stay out of hers like she told him?
Screw that!
Chapter 5
“I did not receive a personal invite to your event Friday evening, and I’m a bit insulted, Mulgoff, considering the money I spent.”
Mulgoff leaned back in the chair and looked at Corpias, his guard and assistant. Taavi Waldemar was on speaker phone, and he wasn’t surprised by the phone call from his Egyptian friend.
“Taavi, how are you, my friend?”
“Insulted.”
“Ahhh, no need to be insulted. I hadn’t had your name on the list for multiple reasons.”
“Such as?” Taavi asked.
“One, you spent an exorbitant amount of money with me just the other day. Two, LaTargere is not exactly your type of venue and crowd. You do know that I do business with people across the world?”
“Exactly. Am I not allowed to mingle and see what unique treasure you will be showing off that evening?”
“I want my models to feel comfortable and not on edge with concern.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Taavi, I sell jewelry, not women. I understand that her beauty is super appealing to most men, but she is not an item to buy. I found it quite upsetting that you tried to manipulate her into your limo for dinner and security needed to intervene.”
“I did no such thing. I merely sent Hagan to ask her if she would like to join me for dinner, thinking the young beauty was starving from all her hard work.”
Mulgoff chuckled.
“I take care of my models and that one in particular I plan on keeping very happy so she will stick around.”
“She is incredible in so many ways, Mulgoff. Are you certain she won’t be part of the annual event in December?”
“You know the holiday spectacular is a private event to never be discussed with anyone.”
“I’m aware and I am only discussing it with you. So you’ll know that I would be interested if she were part of the package. You always come up with some incredible pieces and cater to the needs of all your friends. So you know, my bid will be quite extreme. If she does wind up as part of the package, I would be willing to pay anything, and I mean anything.”
Mulgoff looked at Corpias, his guard, and gave him a smirk and raised one of his eyebrows at him. Corpias knew that Mulgoff did the annual event to make money and to please the clients who spent millions with him all year long.
“I will keep that in mind, but as of now she is one of my main models.”
“Wonderful, and my invitation?” Taavi pushed.
“Your name will be on the list with security.”
“Thank you, and I look forward to seeing her on Friday. You too, of course.”
He ended the call and looked at Corpias.
“That is your third call today about Rose. Seems she made quite the impression.”
“She made that impression on me, too. You were at the party at Hiatte’s. You saw what I saw. Her snagging some food, and even placing some in a napkin, and you went by her place. She’s struggling to make ends meet and trying to get her artwork out there to get discovered.”
“Are you planning on helping her with that, too?”
“I have connections. And if her work is good I have no problem pushing for her to get discovered. We’ll see what she brings with her. As soon as she arrives, you bring the artwork to me.”
“You sound like you may be interested in her for personal reasons,” Corpias said.
“No, she is too sweet, too pure for the pleasures I seek in the bedroom. Though submissive, I know I could train her, but I have my set women right now. I look at Rose as a means to make money. I knew she would be appealing to all and would sell my jewelry well. She will look incredible Friday evening. In fact, get Elga in here with the final designs for the dress. It needs to be perfect and to fit Rose like a glove. I need to assure that jewel lands right between her large, luscious breasts and that she doesn’t look kitschy and gaudy. Someone is going to pay millions for that jewel, and presentation is everything.”
* * * *
“You have to help me. I can’t decide what paintings to bring. God, I wish I could get a few back from the galleries that have them in closets. I should go collect them all.”
“You should, Rose, especially if this guy Lenotz gets some people interested in your work. Those paintings could be worth something and then those galleries will make the money off of them.”
“You’re right, but that would be a miracle. It’s not like there are that many out there. A lot of the places sent them back to me. There are just three that currently have two of my paintings each. Would you want to drive me to them so I can grab them, Pina?”
“Oh, I love this one. Is this of the flea market near the pier?” Pina asked, puling one painting out of the pile.
“Yes, it is. Do you think I should bring that one along?”
“Definitely. Why don’t we head out now and hit those places and then grab a bite for lunch?” Pina suggested.
“Don’t you have plans with your men?”
“Jonah and Trace are in meetings all day and Niall is busy doing some work for someone, so Clark, Knox, and Dane may meet me at the restaurant if they’re done training or something. I told them that I would be with you and that they could join us if they had time.”
“Okay,
if you don’t mind me tagging along?”
“Of course not. They more than likely will be late. Whenever Clark, Knox, and Dane say they’re training, it could mean a number of different things.”
“Like what?” Rose asked, grabbing her purse and her money. She was feeling a bit better now that she had some money in her pocket, and the bonus from Mulgoff was shocking. She expected the two hundred and fifty and maybe an extra twenty or something, but when she opened the envelope there was a thousand dollars inside. She nearly fainted. Add in this Friday’s pay for modeling an extremely expensive piece and she would be in good shape for a little while.
“They could fly out to some strategic obstacle course on some military base somewhere, or be engaged in hand to hand combat with soldiers. God only knows,” Pina stated and chuckled.
“That’s impressive. I guess when you’re wealthy you can do a lot of that stuff and not bat an eye at the price tag,” Rose said.
“Usually they don’t pay for any of it. They have friends, connections all over in the military field. It doesn’t bother me either way because they come back all pumped up, sexy, and missing me,” she said and chuckled.
“Lucky woman,” Rose added and they locked up the apartment and headed downstairs. When they got to the lobby and out front Rose noticed Pina’s body language changed. She was on guard and Rose couldn’t blame her. More and more riffraff were hanging out around here. It bothered her, too.
“Who’s your friend, Rose?” one of the guys, Gordon, asked.
“The one with the six mercenaries who can put a bullet in your head and leave your body where no one can find it, Gordon,” she said to him. He raised his palms up and stepped back.
“Oh, the man with the gun. I remember that dude. Sorry.” He moved away and his friends chuckled.
“How do you do that, Rose? Live here and confront them and not be worried they could follow you to your apartment and try to hurt you or worse?”
“They’re harmless because of your boyfriends and Gianna’s and Louisa’s boyfriends. Darius showed up here several times in his trooper uniform and scared the crap out of them. Then the other day they saw Rylan drop me off and Rylan got out of his Porsche with his gun on his hip and this expression that was pretty damn intimidating.”
“I still can’t believe what happened to you and how Rylan intervened and drove you home. I think you caught the James men’s eyes.”
“No, not me. I am not their type at all. Besides, you and the others have spoken about them over the past several months and mentioned how private and secretive they are. They’re established and non-committal types. I’m struggling to survive, and in the last week I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do for money.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell us? We all can help you if you need money.”
“No. I would never accept that from you guys. I’m fine. Things are looking up.”
“You did one job for this guy. How much did he pay you, anyway?”
“It was fifty an hour.”
“Well, two hundred and fifty bucks is not going to pay rent, utilities, and food for that long.”
“He gave me a bonus because I sold so much of the jewelry.”
“What did you get?”
“A thousand.”
“What?” Pina asked, raising her voice and stopping a little too short at the red light.
“I know. I nearly fainted. And then this Friday I’m doing a private modeling thing for him at LaTargere.”
“How much is that paying?”
“I’m not supposed to talk about it or what I’ll be wearing, but I can tell you it’s the most expensive piece of jewelry I will ever put on in my life.”
“My God, it sounds amazing. Are you nervous?”
“Incredibly nervous, but if it helps to get my artwork into the right hands where I can focus on painting again, and maybe getting into a better place, then I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“I wouldn’t tell anyone ‘whatever’ it takes. You already had that one buyer give you a problem.”
“You know what I mean. I’ll work hard, socialize with people, and sell the man’s jewelry, but someone better be there Friday night who is going to turn my world around and truly appreciate my work for real and not just be looking for a piece of ass.”
Pina chuckled. “Just keep that attitude and don’t trust everything you hear or some rich guy says. Make them prove it to you,” Pina said and Rose chuckled.
“Let’s hope for the best.”
* * * *
Falco sat at a table on the outside deck of Miguel’s restaurant with Knox and Dane. It was located in the marina on the water not too far from the pier. His brothers Remo, Rylan, and Slade joined them as they waited for Pina and Rose to arrive. They were all dressed casually, still in military attire from doing an ultimate obstacle course an hour from town.
“Your ass was sucking today,” Knox teased Remo.
They all chuckled.
“Too many hours hopping flights from here to New York and sipping martinis at the clubs and doing the ladies,” Falco added.
Remo laughed. “I thought I did pretty good, and Falco, at least I didn’t slip on the hill. How’s your ass feeling, I mean your pride?” Remo shot back and they laughed.
Dane looked at his cell phone.
“They’re right down the street picking up a painting at the gallery,” Dane told them.
“Rose has some things on display there?” Rylan asked.
“No, she’s been trying to get her work out there. We have too but people aren’t biting. They’re caught up in antiques and things. She does incredible work though,” Knox stated.
“There they are,” Knox said.
Knox looked at Pina in her short skirt and tight top. Falco could see his buddy’s facial expression change and his eyes narrowed on Pina. Was he upset with her outfit? She looked good. Falco lost his thought as Rose came into view. He swept his eyes over her body. The long brown hair and gorgeous green eyes stood out immediately. Rose looked a bit intimidated as all the men stood up to greet them. She was dressed nicely too, wearing a short tennis skirt in black and white and a matching top along with tennis shoes. She was carrying a painting in a bag.
“Hello, everyone,” Pina said and went right to Knox and Dane, giving them kisses.
Knox gave her ass a slap and whispered into her ear, but Falco heard him. “This skirt is too short,” he reprimanded and she gave his chest a tap.
“It is not.” She turned to the others and kissed them hello. “You all know my friend Rose,” she said and the others greeted her. Falco noticed how his brothers gave Rose the once over and each shook her hand hello. Rylan gave her a wink.
“Long time no see,” he said. Rose smiled.
“Where is Clark?” Pina asked, taking a seat next to Dane. Rose sat next to her and Rylan.
“You know Clark, he wasn’t up to lunch out,” Dane said and noticed Pina’s concerned expression.
“So what’s in the bag?” Remo asked Rose.
“Just a painting. We stopped by the gallery to pick it up from storage,” Pina said and put her napkin on her lap and reached for the menu. Falco watched her very closely. She looked good and her green eyes really stood out.
“Yeah, Rose is going to be showing some artwork to the guy that hooked her up with jewelry modeling,” Pina said to them and Rose worried her bottom lip.
“You mean Mulgoff Lenotz?” Rylan asked her. She looked at him.
“Yes, he said he wanted to see some of my pieces and that he might know some people who might be interested if they were good. We’ll see. I’ve heard this before and nothing has happened,” she replied.
“You’re meeting him on Friday?” Falco asked.
“She’s doing another modeling gig for him Friday,” Pina told them.
“Friday? Not at LaTargere?” Falco asked.
“Yes, that’s the place,” she replied.
“Slade and I are running security for
the party. There are going to be very expensive items on display and it’s by invitation only,” he told her.
“I know. I’m a bit nervous,” Rose whispered as the waiter came over and asked what they wanted to drink. She ordered sweet tea and so did Pina. The guys all ordered another round of beers.
“You kind of fell into this jewelry model thing. Does it pay well and seem to be something consistent?” Dane asked her.
“I don’t know about consistent but it pays well. I hadn’t really known what to expect last week, but I guess it wasn’t bad and kind of fun.”
“You forget about the Egyptian guy and his thug bodyguard?” Rylan asked with attitude. Falco knew that situation really upset his brother. He also knew that Rylan hadn’t stopped talking about Rose or looking up information on her either.
Rose squinted at Rylan.
“Of course I didn’t forget that. I suppose when you’re dealing with wealthy men who think they can buy anything they want with money and power that you’ll run across a few dirt bags. I wasn’t worried,” she said and looked away.
“Not all men with money are dirt bags looking to buy women or whatever they want,” Remo said to her, seeming offended by her comment.
“I suppose not, but I don’t know a lot of wealthy men to pass judgment. I just know I would have been able to take care of myself,” she stated.
“I was there. You wouldn’t have been able to fight that guy off or avoid his advances. You were shaking in your shoes,” Rylan stated firmly.
She stared up at him.
“I said thank you to you and Daxton, who was there, too. I’ll take further precautions Friday night,” she stated.
“Well, with you guys there you can ensure she is safe and gets home safely, too. Especially if there are men like that Egyptian dude you mentioned earlier today,” Knox said, indicating they had discussed the issue and Rose.
Falco stared at her. “What does Mulgoff have you modeling?” he asked.
A Shot of Love Potion [Love on the Rocks 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 6