“Thank you, Mr. Lenotz.”
“Mulgoff. Please, you’ll be wearing a five million dollar piece of jewelry, we should be on a first name basis.” He smiled and she chuckled.
“Okay, thank you, Mulgoff. Have a nice night,” she said, even though it was dinner time and she was super starving.
She placed the envelope into her purse, the curiosity of the amount making her itch to open it but she wouldn’t do that until she was home.
She held on to her bags, smoothed out her skirt, and took the elevator to the lobby.
* * * *
Rylan was standing next to Daxton.
“Those men are lingering outside,” Rylan said, standing by the doors to the building. One of the Egyptian’s men stood by the limo, arms crossed and in a dead stare at Rylan.
“You make a fucking enemy up there?” Daxton asked him.
“If I did then he should be worried. His boss had his eyes on one of the models the entire party. He’s up to something.”
“They all left except for Rose,” Daxton said and then squinted at Rylan.
“Holy shit. You’re waiting for Rose,” Daxton said and chuckled.
“I’m making sure this asshole doesn’t try anything. You weren’t upstairs. You don’t know what she was wearing and how these men were acting.”
“Sounds like you were jealous. Oh, by the way, we all saw what she was wearing. One of the guards up there was posting out to security. They all thought Rose was a ten plus.”
Rylan looked at him just as Rose came out from the side of the building instead of the front door like everyone else. As she turned and headed to the left, the limo window rolled down and the Egyptian guy yelled to his guard and pointed. The guard headed after Rose.
“Shit,” Daxton said and Rylan followed.
* * * *
Rose was walking toward the bus station when she heard her name.
“Rose.” It sounded like someone with an accent and when she turned around she saw a man in a suit and recognized him as one of the guys in the party. She stopped and squinted.
He cleared his throat and smoothed his hands along his jacket, pointed to the limo turning around on the street.
“My boss would like you to join him for dinner,” he said firmly. She swallowed hard as the limo pulled up and the window rolled down. It was the Egyptian dude. She took a step back.
“No thank you,” she said and turned to walk when the guy grabbed her arm. She tried yanking it free.
“It is not a request.”
“Get your hands off of her.”
She heard the voice and saw the security guy from upstairs that she thought was Mercury’s brother. Daxton was right behind him and walking over to the limo.
“You will come.”
“Screw you.” She tried pulling her arm free. The good looking guy from the hotel grabbed the guy.
“Release her.” As the guy went to pull a gun from his side, she closed her eyes and then heard the Egyptian yell something out. The guy let go of her arm and gave Mercury’s brother a smirk.
“Next time,” he said and walked away. She saw Daxton give the guy a nod and then the guard got into the limo and they took off.
“Are you okay?” Mercury’s brother asked her.
She was shaking and rubbed her arm.
“What was that all about?”
He reached out and caressed her arm. “I had a feeling that guy would wait for you.”
“Rose, are you okay?” Daxton asked and she nodded her head.
“What did he want?” she asked him.
“Basically? You.”
She widened her eyes. “What?”
“He said he just wanted to invite you to dinner, but you don’t need to get involved with someone like that,” Daxton said to her.
“I don’t want to be involved with someone like that. Oh God. Will he follow me?” she asked, suddenly in a panic.
Rylan placed his hand over her shoulder. “You’re shaking. It’s okay. Daxton got rid of him.”
“You got rid of the other guy. What was he going to do, force me into the limo? Jesus,” she said and Daxton spoke into his wrist mic.
“I have to head back upstairs. Are you taking the bus?”
“Yes.”
“Be careful, and if you see that guy or his limo, don’t get off the bus.”
“I’ll drive her home,” Rylan stated.
“What?” both Daxton and Rose asked at the same time.
Rylan released her.
“I’m done anyway. I was heading home,” Rylan said to Daxton, who looked like he was hiding a smirk.
“That isn’t necessary. My place is in the opposite direction,” she said.
“You know where I live?” Rylan asked with an attitude.
“No, but it’s not where I live,” she said.
“You kids work it out. I’ll talk to you later,” Daxton stated, winked and hurried back into the building.
“Come on. My car is in the employee parking lot,” Rylan said to her.
She couldn’t accept a ride from him. He made her nervous. Hell, he made her palms sweat and her mouth malfunction. He was super sexy, older, and he was carrying a gun. He just protected her from some goon and weird guy and she would be stuck in a small car with him. This wasn’t good. Plus he would see she lived in a crappy apartment.
“I’m not going to pull a fast one on you. Would it make you feel better if I call Pina?”
“You have Pina’s number?”
“Louisa’s too,” he said.
“No, that’s okay. If you’re sure this isn’t a problem,” she said, walking with him through the parking lot.
“Not a problem. I’d feel better knowing that you got home safely.”
“I can do that on my own.”
“I’m sure you could, but that guy had his eyes on you all day upstairs. I didn’t trust him,” he said and then pulled out his keys, hit unlock, and the sound of a beep and lights flashing once directed her attention to a super cool black Porsche with black tinted windows. She swallowed hard.
He was so out of her league it made her feel like puking.
He opened the door for her and she pushed her hair behind her ear before she slid inside. It was super tight, smelled like fresh leather, and she noticed the gun magazine on the seat along with three business magazines. He picked them up and tossed them into the back seat. The car smelled like him. Masculine, sexy, a clean yet rugged smell. He looked at her and gave her a wink. “Seatbelt,” he said and she reached back as he started the car and the seatbelt wouldn’t budge. She tried twice and then felt his breath against her cheek and then his body come closer.
She looked at him. My God, she thought, close up he was even more incredibly good looking. Her breasts swelled and his arm grazed them as he reached up and gave the belt a tug. It came undone and he brought it across her. She reached for the seatbelt, touched his hand, and holy shit, did she feel a bolt of desire. He locked gazes with her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. He chuckled and then pulled back into his seat, put his seatbelt on, and then started to reverse. The man knew he was hot. How many women sat in this passenger seat and were put under his spell? How many women inhaled his scent, kissed his lips, felt his touch against their skin and swooned over him? Jesus, Rose. Breathe.
She watched his hands move the shift stick and even that turned her on. The size of his hands, the scent of his cologne, the sight of the gun on his hip. She looked away as he exited the parking lot.
“Where do you live?” he asked.
“Burbank Street, a few blocks from the Galleria shopping center, but you can drop me there, at the Galleria.”
“Don’t be silly, I’ll drive you home and make sure that you’re okay.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Her cell phone buzzed and she reached into her bag to look at it. She felt a mix of emotions. Happy and embarrassed. It was her sister Georgia texting her. She went to the Un
iversity forty minutes from here. She had gotten together with her last week and spent her last forty dollars buying lunch, having some fun and pretending that Rose wasn’t struggling to make ends meet. Rose was embarrassed.
“Who was that?”
She turned quickly to look at Rylan. “What?”
“The text message. You look upset,” he pushed. He was observant. Had to be from being a soldier and a security person or whatever he was. Louisa mentioned a hint of the James brothers’ capabilities and even knowing that dangerous aspect of their lives didn’t bother her. In fact, it sounded empowering.
“Oh, not upset, it was my sister.”
“You have a sister? She live around here, too?” he asked.
“She attends USC and is in her junior year of college there.”
“Nice. It’s not that far, so do you get to see her?”
“I spent time with her last week. She’s busy with school and friends.”
“That’s nice. Any other family?” he asked.
“My mom lives in North Carolina. How about you? Parents, other siblings besides your five brothers?” she asked.
He smiled at her and then pulled out of the parking lot.
“Our parents live in Florida. I think six sons was enough for my mom and three dads.”
“Three dads?” she asked and then swallowed hard as her mind processed that.
“Yup. We don’t see them as often as we would like.”
“I know what you mean. I haven’t seen my mom in almost a year.”
“A year? That is a long time.”
She had been struggling month after month and splurging for a bus ticket wasn’t even an option. Not when she was barely eating a meal a day.
“How come so long?”
“A bus ticket is expensive. So, how did you get into the security business?” she asked him, changing the subject.
“It’s in the family. I was a Green Beret for ten years, got into some specialized operations, and then retired to help out with Merk Enterprises.”
“It must be nice to work with your brothers and have a family business.”
“It has its moments, but for the most part we agree on things. So, how did you get hooked up with this gig today and with Mulgoff?” he asked, changing the subject and speeding down the road.
The car was super cool and she didn’t have any idea how much something like this cost. The leather seats were a burnt orange color like nothing she had ever seen before.
“I was bartending for a private party for a friend when I met Mr. Lenotz. We just started talking and he asked if I did any modeling, then talked about my hands and my neck and ears and how perfect they were to show off his jewelry collection,” she said and put her hand out in front of her and showed it as she spoke, still looking at it like it appeared to be a normal hand. When Rylan reached for it and stroked it, she looked at him. He glanced at her hand and the road then to her real quick before he looked back at the road.
“You have great hands, and I’ve heard of these types of modeling jobs but never really paid attention to the models.”
She pulled her hand back and he licked his lip and looked ahead as he drove.
“It must have been boring to have to stay there and watch,” she said as he made a turn off the highway.
“I thought it was going to suck, until I saw you, that is.”
“Why is that?”
He gave her a sideways expression. “Honey, you looked incredible in everything you put on, but especially that last number. How much was that lingerie with the jewels worth?”
“A lot. It was actually very weird. I was never told what I would be wearing or doing, or what to expect. I’m certain if Mr. Lenotz told me about the lingerie I would have declined.”
“So you went in there not knowing what to expect?”
“Pretty much,” she replied.
“Were you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what could have happened if Lenotz or any of those men there had actually been after you? Haven’t you ever heard of human trafficking?” he asked, raising his voice.
She felt stupid. He made her feel like a child despite the fact that every ounce of the man was incredibly attractive and made every womanly part of her aroused and on alert.
She looked out the window. He would be coming up to the Galleria shopping center soon. She would make him stop there. She was embarrassed. Yet, he didn’t know she was poor. That she was scrounging to make ends meet, that she lost her studio because she couldn’t pay the rent, that she barely had enough to pay the electric bills, her phone bill, and miscellaneous things. At least she had the money from today’s job and whatever the bonus was that Mulgoff gave her and she would be making a lot of money on Friday when she did the other event. Never mind the possibilities of what could happen with the paintings she planned to give Mulgoff.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice,” Rylan said to her.
She didn’t look at him. She kept her hands on her lap, her fingers laced together.
“It’s okay. I guess none of those negative things crossed my mind. I met him. He seemed nice, offered me this job for the day, not the night, and this lady knew who he was and carried on about his designs and his reputation. I also focused on fifty dollars an hour.”
“He should have paid you more. Everything you put on sold the fastest,” he said, sounding kind of snappy.
“It’s gorgeous jewelry and one of a kind. The customers who were there didn’t even bat an eye at the prices. I’ve never been around people like that before.”
“You mean filthy rich?” he asked.
She was quiet a moment. “I guess, just around people who could just spend money like that. Like a regular person would buy a cup of coffee or a newspaper for a couple of dollars. Instead those people were spending thousands of dollars without a blink of the eye. I don’t think I could ever do that even if I ever was well off like that.”
“Money changes people,” Rylan replied.
“It doesn’t have to change them for the worse. It can change them for the better. There are a lot of people that donate their time and their money to worthy causes.”
“Is that what you would do if you had a lot of money?” he asked, slowing down at the light before the Galleria.
“I’ve never had a lot of money so I wouldn’t know where to begin. You can drop me off in the parking lot and I’ll walk the rest of the way so you can head home,” she said and reached down for her bag.
He placed his hand on her knee.
“No, you’re not walking, I’ll drop you at your place.”
“It’s kind of bad with parking and I wouldn’t want your fancy car to get banged up.”
“It’s a car, and will be fine,” he added.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Okay, it’s three more blocks on the right. The sign is kind of hard to see with the overgrown bushes but it says Sunset Gardens.”
“Is that an apartment building?” he asked.
“Condos, actually. I moved last year from a studio apartment that had a great view.”
“Why did you move?”
“Rent increased too much. There it is on the right.”
He pulled the Porsche into the complex and she was certain he wasn’t impressed and probably even concerned as he spotted a group of guys hanging out by the front entrance and the brick walls. They didn’t give her any trouble because Gianna was over once and Darius picked her up in his trooper uniform. Those guys knew she had good friends in law enforcement and other things so they stayed clear of her.
“I should walk you up.”
“You don’t have to. The ride wasn’t really even necessary,” she told him.
He covered her hand as she went to use her other hand to open the door. She looked at him and his deep, brown eyes. “I felt it was necessary and I wanted to drive you home. Are you doing any other jobs for Lenotz?” he asked her.
She stared at him a moment, feeling like she was definitely not hi
s type. He was rich, capable, older, stylish, and classy. She felt like her life was out of control right now, yet his touch, being this close to him, made her heart race and her breasts swell with a need to be touched. My God, what might it feel like to be this man’s possession? Shit, reality check, girl. Rich, good looking men like Rylan don’t want girlfriends, they want sex mates.
“That’s really none of your business or concern, Rylan. I appreciate the ride home. Have a good day,” she said and got out of the car. When she did and closed the door he got out and watched her.
He made his presence known, gun on his hip and all.
“I can walk you up,” he said loudly.
“I’m good, thank you,” she said and headed toward the door.
“You dating a gangsta?” one of the young guys said to her.
“No.”
“You should, Rose, that car is over 200 Gs and he’s packing. You’d be set,” the young guy, Eddie, said to her.
She glanced at Rylan, who remained watching her and the guys with his eyes narrowed and appearing ready to draw that gun and protect her. He was making sure she got in okay. She gave a wave and headed inside. This was her life and her only focus needed to be making money to eat more than once a day and to get discovered for painting, which was what she loved the most. She sighed and wondered when and if she would ever really feel good about herself and her life again.
* * * *
“Where are you?” Falco asked as Rylan headed down the highway, putting the call on speaker. He shifted gears and couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling he had.
“I drove Rose home.”
“I heard what happened. Daxton told me. I can’t believe some fucking Egyptian guy was hitting on her and his goon tried to get her into the limo.”
“Yeah well, she never should have been put in that situation.”
“What do you mean, Rylan? She was doing a modeling job and after the pictures you sent us, rightfully so. She’s gorgeous.”
“She’s not very street smart. Didn’t even consider the dangers of taking on a job she knew nothing about. She didn’t even know Mulgoff. She just met him the other night and he compliments her hands, her neck, and ears, as well as her beauty and offers her a job modeling his jewelry for the night.”
A Shot of Love Potion [Love on the Rocks 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 5
