by Sienna Hart
This guy wasn’t messing around. He played hardball but I had to keep a firm ground to be sure it was all legit, and that I’d be getting paid what I thought I was worth. His name spoke for itself, but I knew he had the power to do whatever he wanted.
“So what are you proposing for me, Mr. Masters?”
“Please, call me James. I want to sign you to our company. Everything you will do will be approved through our channels first, and you will only work with the photographers we choose. I will get a percentage of your salary, ranging anywhere from five thousand to ten thousand dollars.”
“I could work with that.” I smiled. “Is that per campaign, per month, or . . .”
“That’s usually per campaign.”
“So how much of a percentage of that will you get?” He looked a little confused.
“Elise, that’s what I’ll be getting.”
“Excuse me?”
“It equals around twenty percent of your earnings. Reason being that we will not only protect you and your assets, but we will have a personal assistant for you who will take care of your scheduling. All you have to do is show up and look gorgeous.”
I started calculating the numbers, and my heart started racing. Michael picked up my glass of wine and handed it to me. I looked at him and took it, sipping it and setting it down almost involuntarily. I was beginning to realize how I got here. I looked at Michael again.
“How much . . . how many campaigns will I be doing?”
“Probably only one or two per month right now, but when you reach your peak, it will be several per month, along with special interviews, parties, and other things.”
I sat there and looked around. I licked my lips repeatedly and began picking at my fingernails as my mind started really comprehending what was about to happen.
“And what sort of work would I be doing?”
“Strictly glam, femme fatale stuff; Nothing seedy or trashy. I want you to be compared to the best burlesque and classic models out there.”
“Um . . . I’m really . . .” This was all happening so fast. “Can I look over the contracts and get back to you?”
“Of course.” He handed me a leather folder. “This is for you. I have already emailed you a copy, and I’ll be sure Selena gets a copy as well. You can call her anytime you have questions and just let me know when you’d like to sign. The contract will run for two years, and there are negotiations that can be made if you’re not happy with anything there.”
I stood up and just looked at the folder. I picked it up and looked at Michael again.
“Thank you, Mr. Mast . . . James. I’ll get back to you.” I shook his hand and walked away from the table, with a numbing feeling throughout my body. Just before I reached the door, I felt a hand grab my inner arm and squeeze.
I turned as his grip shot a dull pain through my arm. It was Michael.
“We have to talk.” He escorted me out of the restaurant and into his car, which waited just outside the door . . .
03 - Rocked Off Her Feet
Chapter 1
I didn’t try to struggle when Michael put me in the back seat of his Lincoln. He got in and motioned for the driver to go. My mouth went dry, and my stomach began to ache.
He didn’t say anything for the longest time. He didn’t even look at me. I felt extremely awkward and didn’t know what to say. I tried not to, but I couldn’t help fidgeting restlessly. I even tried to put my thoughts someplace else. Nothing worked. I could only think about Michael and how he must have felt about everything that had happened. I needed to get some sort of idea where I stood and what my plan of attack would be. As soon as he spoke, I jerked my head toward him and paid full attention.
“I started my business with nothing but an idea and a few bucks in my pocket.” He still kept his eyes forward. “I knew I was good at finding raw talent, and with the right angle and drive, I could make them propel forward and become something. I knew that creating this business was going to be hard work, and I’d have to step on some people to get to the top.” He turned toward me and looked directly into my eyes. “I also knew I would have to endure some people stepping on me.”
His hesitation after that almost killed me. I knew he went quiet so it would soak in but I didn’t need his glare to harden while it did. He fought a smile when he saw me start to fidget again.
“Yes . . . I mean, I know what . . . I wanted to apol . . .”
“Elise.”
I clammed up and felt my face get very warm. I was stuttering and I felt like a child in his presence.
“I understand why you sent the text, and I like the strength in you. It shows me how strong of a woman you are. You’ll fight to get what you want, and you know where you want to be in the future.”
“You got all of that from one text?”
“I can read people very well. It’s part of the reason I put the note in your refrigerator instead of on your bedside.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You enjoyed my company and you were looking forward to seeing me the next morning. The fact that you got so upset at me for leaving before you woke told me you don’t sleep around to get where you want to be. Your face told me much more after I mentioned your text.”
Okay, so why did you pull me out of the restaurant like you did?”
“I didn’t want you to talk another breath without knowing a bit more about me and why I did what I did. I apologize if I dominated the situation too harshly.”
“I think I understand why you wanted to help me. You saw my potential and you believed in me. But why did you . . .?”
“I made my money on the idea that artists, much like yourself, would be able to use their photographs as stock photos and sell them to businesses for a small fee. The idea caught on and exploded the photography scene. I was good at what I did, and I branched out from there, becoming a photographer for some very big names and bringing other photographers on board in other genres.”
“So you’re like a billionaire now or something?”
“You could say that.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you did what you did.”
“Within a few minutes of watching a woman walk into a room, I can tell you her story. I know what she wants and what she would do to get it.” He turned back toward me but with a softer look. “I couldn’t read you. That made me want to know more.” He looked down and for the first time I saw a vulnerability in him. “When you called me for advice, I took advantage of the situation.”
“You slept with me.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Do you often do that to someone you can’t figure out in the first five minutes?” I was raising my voice, but his look quickly turned hard again. I took a breath and looked down, picking at my fingernails.
“I didn’t intend on actually sleeping with you last night, but when it happened, I used it to my benefit. For that I apologize, but it helped me know you better.”
“I’m not some toy you can use for your benefit. I’m sure you are used to getting what you want, when you want it, but . . .”
“Even though becoming successful in this business has humbled me, I realized at a very early stage in my success that staying humble doesn’t cut it. I don’t pretend to be the nice guy, but I do expect respect when I offer a chance like this to someone who is struggling to make her rent.”
I looked at him with confusion.
“Understand, Elise, that if it was not for me, you wouldn’t be where you are today.”
He was getting aggravated at the thought that I didn’t catch on to the connection, and his voice got harder.
“I am the sole reason James Masters was so eager to meet with you and sign you on the spot.”
I was getting angry that he was trying to put me in my place, and I didn’t like it. I knew I should have been grateful, but my Taurus temper got the best of me.
“If you think I am supposed to be grateful to you for sleeping with me and thank my luc
ky stars you came into my life, I hope you don’t hold your breath waiting for a big-ass thank you.”
He sat back and smiled, looking forward, as if he was patiently waiting for my childish behavior to end.
“I don’t pretend to expect you to be elated at my behavior, but I to expect a little gratitude for helping you. In time, I would hope that you come to realize just how valuable I am to you. I made you what you are, and I can just as easily break you.”
“Are you threatening me, Mr. Chang?”
His jaw clenched at my formality and spite.
“Just making you aware.”
He didn’t say much until the car stopped. I looked out the window and saw that we had pulled back up to the same restaurant we left. I turned toward the door and opened it when I felt him grab my arm.
“I’d like to see you again, Elise.”
He put his hand on my knee and turned me toward him. I felt his vulnerability again.
“Michael, last night was completely amazing, and I was hasty in sending that message, but it was partly your fault too. If you read me as well as you say you did, you should have known what my reaction would have been after waking up and feeling like a booty call. For what it’s worth, I apologize for the text, and I thank you for introducing me to Mr. Masters, but as far as seeing me again . . .”
“I am sorry for the way this all played out. I needed to know what made you click, and I wanted you to know the truth about me.”
I sat there for a few moments as I felt every emotion pull in different directions.
“I need time to think.”
He nodded, accepting that answer for the time being.
“Fair enough.”
I got out of the car and closed the door. I stood there looking at the black-tinted window until it pulled away.
Contemplating my next move and what just happened, I turned just in time to see Selena Rowan and Mr. Masters walk out of the building.
“Miss Shay. Hello again.” Mr. Masters smiled. “I trust that everything is going well.”
“Yes sir.” I smiled back.
“Very well. Did Michael go over things with you?”
“Not exactly. We just had a . . . preliminary meeting, tie up some loose ends. That sort of thing.”
“Well, when you decide to come on board with us, we will be staying here.” He motioned toward the restaurant.
“The Carlyle?”
He laughed.
“This is only the restaurant . . . within the Rosewood Hotel. There is a spa and health center as well. We will be accommodating you with a full membership to both so you can fulfill your obligations listed in the contract.”
I looked at my bag that contained the leather folder he gave me earlier.
“You’ll need to eat right and stay fit, and part of my job is to make sure you do. You’ll have a nutritionist, a personal trainer, and an extensive schedule.”
“Will I be living here?”
“You can still keep your apartment, but you’ll be spending most of your time here.”
I nodded, trying to let this sharp new reality sink in.
Chapter 2
I woke up with an ache in my neck. Trying to get up from my desk, I realized I had fallen asleep on the contract Mr. Masters gave me. Was I really trying to read this and decipher it myself?
I stretched and got up from the desk. It was still dark out and Megan was sleeping in her bed. She wasn’t alone, though. I gasped and smiled. I snapped off my light and tiptoed to my bed. It was almost four in the morning, so I curled up in my bed and closed my eyes.
“Elise. I wanted to meet with you first thing this morning. I needed to be sure you signed the contract.”
“Mr. Masters?” He stood by my bedside wearing a gorgeous and very expensive dark grey suit that tailored to his fit body like it was made for him. “How did you get in here?” I sat up quickly and looked around. Megan and her friend were gone, and the apartment was a complete disaster.
“I let myself in. Elise, you need guidance, and I insist you sign with us so that I can help you.” He laid the contract in my lap and handed me a pen. I looked at him, confused.
“You’re pushing this on me now?”
“Elise.” He sat on the edge of my bed, unbuttoning his jacket and flinging the bottom behind him. “Sign the contract. Let me take care of you.”
His hands slid around my neck, and he leaned forward. His eyes nailed mine, and he kissed me hard. He inhaled deeply and broke the kiss to let out a sigh. His hands slid into my hair, and he tilted my head to kiss me again. I felt his tongue trace my lips as his fingers slid down my neck and underneath my arms. He pulled my shirt off and straddled me.
“Mmmmmm, Elise.” He leaned back to get a full view of me. Just as he did, he crinkled his nose and pulled back. Getting up, he straightened his tie and wiped his mouth. “Maybe I was hasty in taking Michael Chang’s advice about signing you without fucking you myself first.”
He grabbed the contract from my bed and walked toward my door.
“Excuse me?!” I grabbed my shirt and put it back on. Getting out of bed, I ran after him. “Who do you think you are, barging in here and saying that to me?”
“Elise.” He laughed, looking me up and down. “You can’t even put your shirt on right.”
I looked down and saw my shirt was on inside out.
He put his hand on my face and pushed me back. I fell onto the floor as he walked out the door. He slammed it so hard, the rattling jerked me awake from my bed, and I sat up, breathless. I looked around and saw Megan and her friend still sleeping in her bed.
“Jesus Christ.” I looked down, and my shirt was right-side out.. I looked at my desk and the contract was still there. “Are you kidding me?”
I looked at the clock, and it was seven AM. There was no way I was getting back to sleep after a dream like that.
I got up and made some coffee. A long, hot shower would help me clear my mind after the dream I had. Was I really thinking all men were as bad as Michael? Or was I so prudish that I didn’t realize sex was just a commodity these days? I thought I was getting ahead because I was good enough, but maybe Megan was right. You had to sleep your way to the top to actually make it in this business.
I got online to find a lawyer to help me through the documents. I needed to know what I was getting into and what my legal rights were. I also decided to do some research on what to expect in this type of career.
“Good morning.” Megan interrupted me with a sleepy smile. It wasn’t like her to wake up happy. Whoever she brought home must have been good for her.
“Morning, Megan. There is fresh coffee if you and your friend want some.
“Mmmmm, yes.” She rolled over in her bed and slid her arms around her friend, kissing her cheek. “Want some coffee?”
I heard another woman answer, and I quickly looked over just as the sheet slid off her body. I couldn’t help but stare at Megan’s . . . girlfriend. Her perfect ass was exposed, just below a small waist, her fiery red hair cascading along her back. I felt my face get warm when Megan looked over and caught my eye. She smiled and climbed out of bed. Naked as well, she didn’t even try to cover herself up as she walked to the bathroom.
I didn’t move until the bathroom door closed. I looked at the woman again, taking in the beauty of her shape. I couldn’t tell if she was awake or not, but I couldn’t help staring at her. She was absolutely beautiful. She rolled over and I quickly looked back at my computer screen. My heart was beating faster, and although I was very aware of her every movement, I tried to make it seem like I was deep into my research.
“Good morning,” she said sleepily.
I didn’t look at her. I hesitated before half heartedly turning toward her and smiling.
“Morning.”
“I hope we didn’t disturb you last night.” I knew she was grinning through her words. “We got pretty rowdy in bed.”
Was this woman purposefully trying to make me feel uncomfort
able?
“Not at all,” I said nonchalantly.
From my peripheral vision, I saw her get up and walk to the kitchenette. She didn’t even try to cover anything up. When I looked her way, she turned and smiled.
“Natasha?” I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was the woman from the photo shoot with Donovan. The woman Donovan seemed to have slept with.
“Elise. Wow, small world isn’t it?” She sashayed over to Megan’s bed and sat on the edge, crossing her long naked legs and sitting there as if it was perfectly natural to be hanging out completely nude in someone’s apartment.
“Yeah, I guess it is.” I was embarrassed to look at her. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been really good.”
Megan came out of the bathroom wearing a short, sexy bathrobe.
“I see you two have met.”
“Actually, Elise and I have worked together before. Isn’t that right, Elise?”
“Uh, yeah. We did, briefly, for one photo shoot.”
This small fact seemed to take the wind out of Megan’s sails. I sensed it quickly and was quite happy to act on it.
“Well, I’m going to get out of your way.” I stood up and closed my laptop, putting it in my bag, along with my contract and some other paperwork and notes. “I’m going to take off for a while.”
“Don’t leave on our account.” Natasha was playing coy for some reason, and I knew it. She never liked me from the beginning, and this was just too coincidental. I faked a smile and grabbed my stuff.
“I have to get going anyway. It was nice to see you again, Natasha. Megan, I’ll be home later.” I waved and left quickly before they were able to say anything else.
Outside in the hallway, I leaned on the wall to catch my breath. My phone rang, and I tried grabbing it quickly. I pushed myself off the wall and walked down the hall as I pulled it from my bag. It was Michael. I hesitated, but knew if I didn’t answer, he would only persist.
