by Jessica Cruz
The couple nodded in approval and left to get changed. Calvin turned and spotted me watching. He exhaled slowly and started in my direction. Brian immediately followed him, like an obedient puppy dog. I’m sure they didn’t know what to expect from me, the drugged up dancer who had a taste for females. I winced.
“Yes, can we help you?” Calvin said with a hint of attitude in his voice.
I nodded my head, “I’m sure you both remember me. I did a photo shoot yesterday. Charlie Clark is the one who set it up with you.”
“Oh, we remember you,” Brian snickered. “Little Ms. Innocent ended up being not so innocent after all.”
“I want the pictures,” I demanded, raising an eyebrow to challenge them. “I want the pictures and your silence. I’m prepared to pay you for both.”
“We promised those pictures to Mr. Clark. We had an agreement with him. It would be very unprofessional of us to do what you’re asking,” Brian replied.
Calvin shook his head in disbelief, clutching his camera in his hands, “Now, wait a minute, love. We should give her a moment to speak.” He turned back to me, peering at me with catlike eyes. “What pictures do you want? And how much are we talking?”
“I want all pictures featuring me, anything with my body or face in it. You give me that, and I’ll give you $10,000.” The shrewd businesswoman in me reared her head, getting straight to the point. Part of my dad’s tuition money would go to a good cause after all. “I also want viewing rights to all of Lux photographs before you send them to Mr. Clark.”
The couple emerged from the dressing room. This time they were each dressed in a simple white shirt, paired with jeans. Calvin cursed, “Excuse me a moment. I have work to finish.” He pecked Brian on the lips. “Go to my Mac, and show her the photos from yesterday. Get started on that. Once I’m done with this last shoot, we’ll finalize this deal.”
Calvin raced off to the couple, beginning to pose and position them to his liking. Brian led me to the Mac computer, pulling up a file labeled Clark.Lux.Co. The first photos were all of other girls I worked with. They were all so much more into the shoot than I was by all means. Shortly after, we got to my photographs. The first were very stiff. I looked petrified. Those photos were of Adriana.
As he clicked, I went through a slew of photos of just Gloria. Then, there was one of her leaning off the set. Then, she was pulling me towards her. In the pictures, I watched her, completely mesmerized. I had completely changed. My stance in the photos was more sexual. I was more of a predator, a hungry lioness staring at my prey, Gloria Colon. I was on the prowl. This was Jersey. Yes, that was definitely her face.
The pictures became more graphic from there. I blushed at the sight of what we were doing together. Calvin was such a damned good photographer that he captured each moment in the best lighting. Nothing was blurred. There were no secrets. Everything was out in the open for all to witness.
“We’re still touching these up,” Brian said, possibly to distract me. “Mr. Clark is expecting to have these photos in his possession by Monday morning.”
“I’m willing to reshoot you and your friend,” Calvin startled me from behind. He had rushed through his last session and sent the couple on their way. “I understand modesty was your main concern and clearly, these aren’t very modest. I can redo the whole thing next week if you’d like. Of course, there’d be an additional fee.”
“I don’t want to redo anything,” I bit my bottom lip. The last few pictures were of Gloria and me kissing off set. Thank God, I had kept the mask on.
“You two looked so happy that I couldn’t help but snap some pictures. What can I say? It’s the artist in me,” Calvin chuckled, explaining his need to shoot while we were unaware of his actions. He pointed to a spot on the screen right as Gloria wrapped her arms around my waist. “There wasn’t as much lighting on that side of the room you were on, so you were partially draped in shadow. It came out beautifully, but I don’t think it’s what Mr. Clark is looking for. This is more poetic than sexual.”
“Back to my purchase,” I breathed, forcing myself to turn away from the computer screen. “I want the rights to any and all pictures featuring my person. You can keep all the ones with just Gloria and of the other girls. I also want your silence. We need to keep this private. If anyone asks you about me being here, you deny it. Those are the terms I want us to agree upon.”
“We can provide you with a very detailed privacy disclosure to ensure our silence in this agreement,” Calvin smiled, but it was harsh. I mine as well have had ‘ATM’ tattooed on my forehead. “It’s sound. You can have any lawyer check it out if you’d like. As far as the pictures, I’m willing to sell you the rights to them and give you all copies of the ones that I have.”
“What do you mean?” My stomach dropped. “Are there more out there?”
“Just one,” Calvin said while clicking through a bunch of the pictures. “Ah, here we go.”
He stopped at a photo. In it, my clear, blue eyes gaped open, staring at a white light above me. My back was bowed. I looked like I was about to have an orgasm as my mouth hung open slightly. Gloria was standing topless behind me, kissing my shoulder. Her hands cupped my breasts. My hands squeezed hers. A teasing grin took hold of her lips. I turned away from it. I had had enough.
Brian spoke up in a more delicate voice, “Mr. Clark chose to receive the pictures once we modified his favorites with backgrounds and touchup. He was in love with this one though. He insisted we give him a copy of it as soon as he saw it, and because his deposit was so generous, we gave it to him.”
It was a struggle not to look deterred, but inside, I was panicking. This is not how things were supposed to go. Fuck, how was I going to get that picture back from Charlie? I dug into my purse and pulled out a checkbook, “Can we agree upon $10,000?”
Calvin looked like he was going to argue with me for a higher price, but he first turned his gaze to Brian. They seemed to be having a full conversation without saying a word out loud. Brian raised his eyebrow and gave a very slight shake to his head. Calvin rolled his eyes but stuck out his hand in my direction, “Yes, we can agree upon that price.” I shook his hand, giving him a firm grip like my dad taught me. “Let’s get started on the privacy disclosure while Brian downloads this file to a USB. From there, we’ll delete the photographs, and you’ll have the only copies…with the exception of the one Mr. Clark owns.”
Chapter 13
My night was looking much better than my day. At least, it was until Wes canceled on me, saying he was needed at work longer than expected. This would deter the normal girl but not Adriana Lorena Ward. No, instead, I saw this as an opportunity to test his desire for me. After all, what the hell else was I going to do? Gloria hadn’t tried contacting me at all, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to call her first. I was way too chicken shit to show up at work today after purchasing all those photographs from behind Charlie’s back. I’m sure there’d be a major blowout once he found that out. Oh, and speaking of the photographs, I was really proud of myself! I got all of them back, except one, and I barely broke a sweat retrieving them. They were secured and tucked away in the private safe in my apartment. I think I deserved a night out even if it was mostly by myself.
I showed up at the front door of Wes’s bar in Cherry Hill. The parking lot was packed with cars, forcing me to park in the back. Wes must be hosting an event. From the outside, it looked like an extremely upscale place with its modern architecture constructed of obtuse metals and brick. I had never been here before. Most of my underage drinking took place in Philly where I could catch a cab or train home.
“Can I see your ID?” A burly bouncer asked at the front door. He wasn’t really looking at me, which was a pity. I was dressed in a strapless, short, sequin dress and my favorite Louboutin crystal embellished suede pumps. My hair was in a high ponytail to keep from obstructing the view of my chest. This dress made my boobs look amazing after all. It’d be a shame to hide them.
&n
bsp; “Hey, Steve?” I cocked my head to the side at the realization. Steve used to work at Lux when I first started. “Is that you?”
The bouncer looked up and smiled, enveloping me into a hug, “Hey, Jers!” I bit my lip, hoping no one around me would recognize the nickname. “What are you doing outside of Philly?”
“I came to play,” I laughed, “and it’s Adriana around here.”
“Sorry about that. I’m so used to the stage-name,” he corrected himself. He looked me over for the first time, noticing my extreme appeal. “You know I shouldn’t be letting you in, right?”
“Don’t bullshit with me. I promise I won’t get fucked up tonight. Besides, I’m here to see a friend,” I dug into my clutch and pulled out a fake ID. I had gotten one made when I first started working at Lux, so I could go out with the girls to party with them. “Check that shit. It scans and everything, or at least it better because I paid good money for it.”
Steve started laughing, refusing to take the ID. He said, “You’re good; just don’t get into any trouble. I know what a crazy night with you is like.” It was true. I used to go out with Steve and the boys all the time in the summer. It slowed down after the first major coke incident. A lot of things slowed down after that night. He gave me a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. He whispered into my ear. “Have fun, Jersey.” I laughed and made my way into the bar.
To no surprise, the bar was packed. It was a large, open space with a lounge area, complete with distinctive couches and low lighting fixtures when you first came in. On the other side, there was what appeared to be an eating area, but it looked as if most of the tables had been removed to make space for the standing guests. Halfway through, there was the first bar. It was a long, black slab with several leather bar stools in front of it. Behind that was this giant chalkboard with the specials inscribed on its face. The bottles of alcohol were set up below that on several uneven countertops with white lights glowing in their base to illuminate the clear bottles. All of the seats were occupied there though. It was extremely crowded, so I continued my excursion to the back.
As I pushed through the crowds of people, I made my way to another bar in the very back. It resembled the first bar as it was made up of a similar long black slab. Behind it, however, was a wall full of liquor bottles all lit up with a deep red light backdrop. There was an empty stool, so I took my seat and gestured for the bartender.
“What can I get you?” He shouted over the crowd and music. I’m pretty sure a Lady Gaga song was playing. I’d have to talk to Wes about his choice in music. I was not a fan of hers or that horrid meat dress.
“Vodka and Cranberry,” I answered, pulling out some cash and leaving it at the end of the bar. After a few short moments, he returned with my drink.
The bar was crazy. There was a DJ playing, and although the crowd seemed into it, I knew Viv could do so much better. She had taught me a lot about her art and how she mixes music. She made a couple of crazy samples for me to dance to in the past, and they were always amazing. Maybe, I’d talk to Wes about her, too. She was always up for hosting events to make some extra side cash. I’m sure the crowd would love her here.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Some guy came up to me. He leaned in front of my view, so I couldn’t look anywhere else. He was very tall with dark hair and huge muscles. He looked like the stereotype the Jersey Shore was known for. Great. I frowned. “You’re beautiful.”
“I’m always up for a free drink,” I answered as I downed my first one. It was the truth. I didn’t know how to turn them down. I must have gotten that trait from Isabel.
“I like a girl that can party,” he gestured for the bartender to come over and turned to me. “What did you want?”
“Can I get another Vodka and Cranberry?” I slid the empty glass to the end of the bar.
The bartender returned with a new drink. The guy didn’t disappear. This was the downfall to accepting drinks. It was like sticking a quarter in the meter. A guy was paying for limited time, “I’m Zach. What’s your name?”
“I’m Adriana,” I said, barely even giving this guy eye contact. I kept looking around for Wes. There were just so many people I wasn’t sure where to start.
“Are you here for Matt’s party?” He asked. I shook my head, taking long sips of my drink. “Are you by yourself?”
I nodded my head, still in search of Wes. I wanted to surprise him, and a text would completely give my position away. I said, “Yes, I’m waiting for someone.”
“Who?” He asked. “Is it your boyfriend? I don’t know why any guy would leave you alone. I’d be afraid someone was going to snatch you up.”
“I guess you can’t be afraid your girl’s gonna get snatched up when you own the bar she’s drinking at,” I slung back the rest of my drink and left the loser. I started walking until I found Steve near the front doors. By this point, most of the people were inside, so he was just hanging out as crowd control. I shouted to him. “Where’s Wes?”
“Wes?” Steve cocked his head to the side with a look of disbelief. “Do you mean Mr. Wesley Holden?” I nodded. “Are you fucking my boss?”
“Not yet,” I laughed. “Almost.”
“Only you,” he shook his head with laughter and then pointed to a metal stairs case. “He’s usually up on the second floor. It’s quieter up there. No bars, just food.”
“Thanks!” I called as I ran for the stairs. I came here specifically to be with Wes, and instead, I was surrounded by a bunch of drunk people.
When I got up to the second floor, it was a completely different vibe. It was slightly brighter up here with elaborate, black chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There were several places to sit, unlike downstairs, and Steve was right. It was much quieter upstairs, although still fairly packed with people. Shit, this place was a gold mine. I couldn’t imagine how much money Wes was raking in if a weeknight was this way.
“Would you like to be seated?” A short, redheaded girl with bangs asked me. She held a menu firmly in her hands.
“Actually,” I glanced around the room, “I’m looking to surprise someone. Is Wes up here?”
“Mr. Holden?” She scrunched up her nose as if surprised that I’d be asking for him. She looked around the room, obviously contemplating whether or not she should tell me. Finally, she settled instead on asking more questions. “Were you looking to see him for business reasons? If you’d like, I can check his office hours and make an appointment for you. I think he’s with guests at the moment.”
I continued to scan the room until finally I spotted him. He was sitting with a group of men at a table, eating steak and drinking. They were all dressed in suits but acting quite boisterous and more casual than professional. Wes looked so damn good. He was commanding the conversation between men almost twenty years his senior. It was just so sexy. I loved the power he possessed.
“Never mind, I found him, and for the record, no it’s not for business,” I sneered, being much bitchier than necessary. I smirked. “It’s always personal when I’ve come to see Wes Holden.”
With that, I sauntered towards the table. When I was a couple feet away, all the men turned their heads in my direction. I couldn’t take note of anyone’s expression but Wes’s. At first he seemed confused but then pleased. This was good. I was mildly worried that he’d be upset with me for showing up after he told me he had to work late.
He excused himself and met me a short distance from the table. Immediately, he kissed me, pressing his lips firmly to mine. It took me off guard at first, but then, I realized what he was doing. He was at a table full of men, and a woman was walking towards them. He was staking claim, marking his territory if you will.
“What are you doing here?” He breathed, leaving me a little flushed. “I told you I was going to have to work late.”
“Didn’t matter,” I shrugged. “I was disappointed I wasn’t going to see you, so I decided to surprise you.” I glanced back at the table of men who were shooting looks in our d
irection. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
“No, you’re not. Are you feeling better?” I nodded. Wes turned around, grabbing me by the hand, and facing the table. “This is my girlfriend, Adriana.” My heart skipped a beat. Did he just really introduce me to his business associates as his girlfriend? “Adriana, this is Dave, Mark and you remember Paul from the charity dinner last month.”
For the first time, I noticed Paul Carney, sitting at the end of the table. He looked different from when I had last seen him. Perhaps, it was our new, relaxed surroundings. The Drake was an extremely high-end restaurant, and here he was just hanging out with the guys. Yes, that must be it.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” I responded politely. I was still in a decent amount of shock after that girlfriend remark. I couldn’t think of anything charming to say.
“Take a seat,” Wes held out a chair for me next to his, and I sat down. “Did you eat yet? Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m not hungry. A drink would be nice though,” I answered quietly, feeling a little out of place. For some reason, I envisioned this going a little different. I didn’t expect to be sitting at a table with men who were my father’s age. Even though it was impractical, I was feeling selfish. I was hoping to steal Wes for myself.
“What did you want?” Wes asked as he waved down a waitress.
“Vodka and Cranberry,” I responded. It was my signature, classy girl drink, something that wouldn’t spark the crazy to come out of me.
“Yes, Mr. Holden,” the waitress sped over the moment he even looked like he needed her. “What can I get for you?”
“Vodka and Cranberry for Adriana,” he answered for me. She nodded and disappeared in a flash. My drink arrived in what felt like only seconds. I loved the phenomenal service that came with dating the owner.
“Adriana is Darth’s stepdaughter,” Paul offered to the conversation. I cringed in my seat but hid it well with an endearing smile. “Her mother is Isabel.”