The Model: A Workplace Romance

by Layne, Harlow

  I spent the day going to the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral. I didn’t care that I looked like a silly tourist. I had gotten over that on my first overseas shoot. The only thing I wished was that I had someone to share it all with. When I decided to pursue a career in modeling, I had no idea how lonely it would be. Now that I had the life, I didn’t see it changing unless I dated a model and we were booked on the same jobs, which wasn’t likely. I knew I couldn’t be a model forever, and once my time was up, I’d find that special person who was meant for me. Still, it didn’t stop me from wishing I could share it with someone. None of the guys here wanted anything to do with me, and my crappy phone didn’t have an international plan, so I couldn’t even call my mom to tell her about it.

  Heading back to the hotel, my shoulders were slumped with exhaustion and missing my friends and family. Once I got back to my room, I heated my boring dinner of chicken and vegetables and ate out on the balcony, watching everyone pass beneath me.

  * * *

  Cameras flashed from every direction, but I continued to look straight ahead as I made my way to the end of the runway. Hitting my mark, I counted to four and then turned back the way I came. The moment I disappeared behind the curtain, I couldn’t hide the smile that spread across my face. I’d done it. I’d walked my first runway show, and it was for none other than Giorgio Armani. I was flying high as I walked into the area where all the other models were in various stages of undress. Immediately, someone was ushering me back in line for the end of the show. It wasn’t like I was going to get lost in the room. There was only one exit; they had the other blocked off. I replayed each step, and each celebrity I saw that was lining the platform in my mind. This high that I was on made up for being lonely, some days barely sleeping, and getting up hours before the sun to get that magical shot.

  Someone shoved me from behind, making me spin around and growl.

  “Move,” he said something that sounded like a curse in French and pointed in front of me. The line I’d been standing in had moved while I’d been daydreaming. I jogged a few steps to catch up. There couldn’t be a hole when we walked back out, and I didn’t want to be the one who messed up the end of the show. If word got out that I couldn’t follow simple instructions, I’d never get another job. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. Ride the high, but don’t be a fuck up, man. You’ve got this.

  I hated the rollercoaster of emotions this life put me on. It was another reason I wanted someone to talk to, someone to share all the amazing places I’d seen, but also someone who would understand the lows.

  How did it seem, in a city as big as Paris, I was the only person alone?

  5

  Lexie

  I sat the fan down on the stair and looked up the narrow staircase. I’d need to invest in another fan because this was going to be the last time I carried this one up two flights of stairs. Maybe I should hire someone to build a little storage area on the roof so I could house everything for outdoor shoots. It would be smart, but whoever said I was smart when it came to making my life easier?

  Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I headed over to my desk to grab my camera. Everything was set up by the pool, and the models were getting oiled up. Raine was in heaven as she helped to slick down Tommy. He was cute, but he knew it and was a cocky asshole. Nova was arguing with her boyfriend on the phone, and I hoped it didn’t affect the shoot because it sounded like they were really going at it. She’d slipped into the dressing room for some privacy, but it wasn’t working since she kept yelling. I wanted to get away from it, so it didn’t affect my mood for the day. I was over men. I thought my ex-boyfriend had listened to me and decided to leave me alone, but yesterday he started calling and texting incessantly again. He was freaking out, insisting that we needed to meet up at the apartment. When I informed him that I’d moved, I thought he was going to explode going by the sounds on the other end on the line. That’s when I stopped answering his calls. Only it didn’t stop, and he’d been texting me almost hourly since yesterday. I had no idea what his problem was, but I wanted no part in it.

  Nova came out of the dressing room in a huff. She was almost six feet tall without heels, and with the five inches stilettos she had on, she still walked like a gazelle. Her long brown hair flowed down her back, and I swear it looked like she had a wind machine on her as it blew out behind her. I loved working with her. She was gorgeous inside and out and fun to work with.

  Nova strode to me with her long legs eating up the space between us and stopped with only inches separating us. With the look on her face, I thought she was going to yell at me. Not that she had any reason to, but still, she looked pissed. Either that or she was going to say she couldn’t do the shoot. The life of a model wasn’t easy on relationships. I understood that and tried to make the lives of the models I worked with as easy as possible. If they needed a break to make a call, I’d let them. I think it was one reason most models liked to work with me. I saw no reason in making the experience difficult for everyone involved. That’s not to say that I wasn’t a bitch sometimes. It was easy to be the nice photographer when we were working inside, but when a shot depended on the light outside and weather, we all had to suck it up and get it done in the short amount of time we had. We couldn’t reset the sun just because we didn’t get the shot. At least I had it easier than they did. I could wear whatever I wanted to be comfortable, unlike them. Most of the time, they froze their asses off to get the shots we needed, and I felt sorry for them. Somewhat. They usually made bank for those shoots, and I did everything I could to make them as comfortable as possible.

  “I’m sorry you had to hear that.” Nova turned, looking toward the front of the building with her mouth turned down. “He doesn’t understand that I have to work and has been accusing me of cheating with every man I have a job with lately.”

  Touching my hand to her arm, I smiled sadly at her. “I’m sorry, I know it can be hard. When was the last time you saw him?”

  She tilted her head to the side and hummed. “Probably three weeks ago.”

  “That’s a long time. He probably just misses you.” I had a feeling they’d be broken up by the next time I worked with her. He was always a problem, and I knew she could do better than him.

  She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she looked toward the front of the building again. I looked around her to see what she was looking at. Was she worried he’d show up because there was nothing else back there except the front door and everyone else was up on the roof waiting for us? “Is it bad that I don’t miss him? All we do anymore is fight. Even the sex isn’t that great. You’d think with all the making up we do, it would be spectacular.”

  “Maybe you should take a break?” I shrugged. I didn’t want to overstep, but it seemed like she wanted advice. “Or sit him down and talk to him and tell him how you’re feeling. I’m not the best at giving relationship advice. My last boyfriend…” I didn’t want to think about how I stayed with him for far too long. It wasn’t a healthy relationship, and when I found him with another woman, I should have been relieved. Instead, I almost spiraled.

  “Men suck.” Nova sighed.

  She had that right. I seemed to only attract the worst ones. It made me think of Ryder and how perfect he’d seemed. I wished I’d gotten his number but knew he was busy living his best life. I’d been following him, and he’d made it big in the last four months. I was proud of him and that my photos were the ones to break him into the spotlight. Well, my photos and his amazing looks.

  Heading toward the stairs, I looked back at her when she didn’t follow. “Are you ready to get to work, or do you need a few more minutes?”

  “Um…I’m ready. I thought I heard something. There isn’t anyone else here, is there?” She stood slightly behind me as if I could protect her. I was scrappy, but I wasn’t much of a fighter.

  “Just us. Everyone else is upstairs unless someone snuck down here. Why don’t you head up there, and I’ll look ar
ound?”

  “Lexie,” Nova called when she was at the base of the staircase, “thanks for taking the time to talk to me.”

  “Anytime.” I smiled at her. “I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

  I hadn’t heard anything, but I still checked it out since Nova thought she had. My studio wasn’t in the best neighborhood, but it had everything I wanted, and I could afford it, so that was all that mattered. That and a good security system. I never would have decided to live here if I didn’t feel safe.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a shape move up the staircase but thought nothing of it. It could have been Raine, Tommy, or anyone else from upstairs wondering what the hell was keeping me. Everything on the first floor looked normal. As I started up the stairs, I heard something from the second floor. I’d put a door to my apartment from the stairs so no one could just walk into my space. Plus, that way, I didn’t have to make my bed if I didn’t want to. I swore I’d locked my door this morning, but maybe Raine had to go in and hadn’t locked it back up. Still, that didn’t explain why anyone would be in there now. I went up the steps as quietly as I could. There were a few steps that creaked when weight was placed on them, but no one ever came up to my apartment, so I didn’t care. That was, until now, and I couldn’t remember which ones were the ones that made a noise. One wrong step and whoever was in my apartment would know someone was coming.

  I held my breath as I took each step, praying I didn’t make any noise. When I reached the landing, I let out an unsteady breath. Someone was definitely in my place, and they weren’t trying to be quiet. It sounded like they were throwing shit all over the place. My shit.

  I didn’t think. Instead, I pushed open the door and let it slam against the wall as I ran inside, looking for the asshole had decided to come into my space. Across the room was a man going through my drawers and throwing everything on the ground.

  Stopping a few feet away, I yelled. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  When Ben turned around with wide brown eyes that were black and blue and a split lip, I gasped. His brown hair was buzzed, and he looked to have a few scratches on his scalp. His knuckles were scraped and bloody, and he looked like he’d been wearing the same clothes for the last week. They were wrinkled and dirty with a few spots of what I guessed was blood. The last time I saw him, he’d been muscular, but now he was skinny and sickly looking. Ben was a mess of epic proportions.

  “What are you doing here, and why in the hell are you trashing my place?”

  Turning back around, he went back to throwing everything on the floor. “Where is it, Lexie?” He let out a frustrated sigh as if I had any clue what he was talking about.

  Hands on my hips, I fumed. “Where is what?”

  “You know what, you fucking bitch. I tried to be nice and wait, but time ran out, and I need it now. If I don’t get it…” He swallowed nervously, his eyes imploring me to give him what he wanted.

  “Seriously, Ben, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t have anything of yours. I made sure to pack up all your shit after I kicked you out.” I cocked my head to the side, having just realized something. “How did you know I was here?”

  Ben threw his hands in the air. “I’ve been sitting outside your apartment for days and never once saw you leave. Today I went inside, and George told me you moved out a few weeks ago. What gives?”

  What gives? Like he had any right to know about my life.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I renovated the second floor into a living space, as you can see, and moved in. Now I don’t have to pay rent or deal with traffic on my way to work. It’s a win-win. Now, why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here before I call the cops?”

  “You wouldn’t dare call the cops on me.” He laughed like the idiot he was. I would most definitely call the police on him.

  “I’m not alone here. I have a whole group of people waiting for me, so I suggest you leave.”

  “I’m not leaving until I get what I came for.” He stepped toward me menacingly, and in that instant, I realized Ben wasn’t even remotely the nice guy I’d once thought him to be. He would hurt me if he didn’t get what he wanted. If only I knew what that was, I’d give it to him.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I asked, stepping back. There wasn’t any place for me to go. I’d made the space into a studio apartment. The bathroom and closet were the only areas with doors and didn’t go anywhere. My only hope would be calling the cops except…I patted down my cut off jean shorts to realize I’d left my phone up on the roof. Fuck.

  “You’re what’s wrong with me. I’ve called and texted you a thousand times, and you ignored me. I told you it was life or death and now…” His fists clenched at his sides. Was he going to hit me?

  “Tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll help you find it.” I was desperate for him to leave and get out of this situation unscathed. At this point, I’d give him whatever he wanted, and I was going to have the doors all locked with the alarm system armed at all times of the day and night. No more surprises.

  “Like you don’t fucking know. I always knew you were a bitch. What did you do? Did you sell it? Use it?” With each word, his voice escalated as he moved toward me until he was shouting in my face.

  What was he talking about? What could I have possibly used or sold? Ben had no money. I’d learned early on that he was a deadbeat and wasn’t below having a woman pay his way. I didn’t mind at first, but I quickly started to resent him when all he did was sit around the apartment all day playing video games. That was when I should have ended our relationship, but the sex was good, and he knew the right words to keep me coming back for more.

  “Lexie?” Tommy called from behind me.

  Keeping an eye on Ben out of the corner of my eye, I slowly turned to see Tommy standing in the doorway. He had a frightened-looking Brad behind him. Brad was only a couple of inches taller than my five-foot-four-inches, and he was a skinny little thing, but he could do hair like no other. I appreciated that he’d come down with Tommy.

  “I called the police.” Tommy’s gaze went to Ben, and he tried to look mean but failed miserably. He looked like the stereotypical surfer boy with long, wavy blond hair, blue eyes, and golden skin without an ounce of maliciousness to him. “They’ll be here in a few minutes, so I suggest you go.”

  “I’m not going anywhere until I get what I came for,” Ben roared.

  Tommy stepped into the room hesitantly but stood tall. “Then get what you came for and get lost.”

  Ben grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly to his side. I tried to pull my arm out of his grasp, but he only held on harder. Pain shot through my wrist, but I kept quiet. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction to let him know he’d hurt me. “I would, but she’s hiding it from me. Either that or she took it.”

  “Let go of her,” Tommy growled and took another two steps forward.

  I was impressed. He sounded like he meant business. If I’d been Ben, I would have let go of me, but he wasn’t being smart and only gripped my arm tighter.

  Loud knocking came from downstairs, and I heard Raine squeak as she ran to see who it was. Poor thing, she was going to be a mess. I had a feeling today’s shoot was going to be postponed for another day.

  “That would be the cops.” Tommy grinned. He was proud of himself. Hell, I was proud of all of them for coming to my rescue. Only now, I wasn’t sure what would happen. Ben pulled me in front of him as he edged toward the window. Did he not believe them? If not, he really was stupid.

  “Ben, you need to let me go. Otherwise, you’re going to get in more trouble.” I wasn’t sure why I was trying to help him, except that I didn’t want the situation to escalate any more than it had. At least he didn’t have a weapon. I had a feeling if he had, Ben would have used it then.

  Loud steps sounded on the stairs a moment before two police officers came into view with their guns drawn.

  “LAPD,” they shouted. “Drop the weap
on and let the woman go.”

  Both Tommy and I gasped. I couldn’t believe what was happening. The whole situation seemed unreal. I wasn’t sure where Brad had gone, but I was glad he wasn’t in the room. He probably would have fainted.

  Ben’s hold tightened on me, and I wasn’t sure what he was going to do next. I definitely wasn’t expecting it when he threw me to the side. My hands and knees hit the concrete floor hard. I fell to my side and cradled my right wrist with my left hand as blood poured from a wound. It hurt like a bitch. I must have landed on something, but I had no idea what because it seemed everything I owned covered the floor.

  Ben’s eyes widened as he hovered over me for only a second before he ran and crashed through one of the windows that lined the left wall. Did he think he was Superman?

  Standing up, I staggered over to the window. The two police officers were already there, on their radios. When I looked down at the ground, I expected to see Ben splattered on the grass, but he was gone.

  “Holy fucking shit,” Tommy said in astonishment by my side, “that was intense.”

  Intense was putting it mildly.

  “Ma’am, maybe you should sit down,” one of the officers said.

  “Yeah, you’re not looking too great there, Lexie,” Tommy added. He guided me over to my unmade bed and helped me sit down.