“But she kicked me out.”
“And why do you think she did that?” Mika challenged. “Maybe it was to wake you up, to give you a hint as to what she needed. But did you step up? No, you took the out. Here you are, whining to your brother instead of at your wife’s side giving her the support she needs.” Both men were left staring as Mika stopped and gave them a long look. “Sorry. I told you that you may not want to hear it.”
David looked down at his cup of coffee, his hand shaking slightly. “Well damn. I’ll give you this, when you do say something it sure is a lot.”
“Yeah, she’s been quite the chatterbox lately,” Ale grumbled under his breath.
Mika gave him a quick look, then turned back to David, softening. “Hey, I’m sorry you’re going through this. Sorry for both you and Carla. She’s a wonderful woman, and you have an amazing family. Don’t ruin that.”
“You may have a point,” Ale said. “But I don’t see how he’s ruining anything.”
Mika leveled a hard gaze on him. “I’m not surprised.” Then she smiled that serene smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Hey, how about I take a quick walk for some lunch. I’ll pick you two up a couple of sandwiches.” She dropped the files back at her desk and with that, she quickly grabbed her jacket and was out of the loft as fast as her feet would take her.
“Wow,” David said, staring at the door a moment after Mika was gone. Then, turning to Ale, he gave him a long look. “What was that all about?”
“What are you talking about?” Ale said, not wanting to go down this road with his brother.
“All that tension between you and Mika. And before, you go telling me it’s nothing. I’ll tell you right off, I’m not buying it. It is definitely something.”
Ale shook his head. “We’re just having a bad day.”
It was David’s turn to shake his head. “Sorry, it’s not flying, bro. You and Mika don’t have bad days. You are you, and she keeps you in your place. As a matter of fact, she’s the only one who does.” David chucked. “So what is it, she not putting up with your bull anymore and leaving you?”
Ale’s expression turned to stone.
“Oh shit, bro, did I hit the mark? What the hell happened? I know I screwed up. Don’t tell me you did, too.”
Ale raised a brow. “This wasn’t all me. Mika made her choice. She quit. She’s already landed a job as a photographer for Stylist.”
David rubbed his scruffy jaw but smiled. “Well, that sucks for you, but I can’t help but be happy for her. It must feel good to have her talent acknowledged.”
Ale couldn’t control the sharpness in his tone. “Are you saying I didn’t acknowledge her talent?”
“Whoa there, tiger,” David said, holding up a hand. “I’m not the enemy. I know she’s a dammed fine assistant, the best you ever had, but where is all this coming from? You have something more you want to tell me? Some reason you both are sharing long looks and you’re now looking like someone made off with your favorite puppy?”
“No,” Ale ground out.
David gave him a long look.
“What part of no don’t you get?” Ale said ominously.
“Fine, I get the hint. But one last thing before we go back to my problems, if there is something more—and I’m your brother so I know there is—you’d better not mess it up like I seem to have with my wife. You have been holding onto this hard-assed playboy thing long enough. I get you have issues and all that, but don’t we all? You are not Dad and Mika sure as hell is not our mother. Not every woman is out to hurt you.”
Ale wanted to recoil from his brother’s words. Instead, he looked away and started to shuffle the prints by his side. He shook his head, took a breath, then put the photos back. He leveled his brother with one of his hard stares. “You don’t know anything about this situation. I suggest you let it drop and head home to fix your own house. I’m sure Carla will be glad to see your sorry face.”
David stared back for a beat, then he shrugged. “I’m not gonna push my luck here.” He stood. “Now, can I use your bathroom to get a decent shower and a shave before I go home and grovel like I should?”
Chapter 16
Mika was grateful for the cool New York air that whooshed across her cheeks and paused the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she hit the concrete outside the building. It felt like it had been hours since she’d taken a proper breath. Being around Ale seemed to keep her breathing shallow. Like she was just hanging on to the very edge of life.
She was in a haze as she stepped away from the Soho loft building and just missed running into the biker that kept a place on the ground floor as he came roaring out of the alley on the side of the building. She quickly jumped back out of the way, catching a terse nod from the rider when she collided with someone behind her.
“Hey!” a small voice squeaked.
“I’m so sorry,” Mika replied, turning around to see the crouching figure of a woman who also lived in the building. Oh hell, she had knocked her clear down and made her drop her packages. She was a freaking mess. Everyone in New York knew that watching where you walked was rule number one and you definitely didn’t go knocking down random people on the street. She scrambled ahead of the woman, fighting to catch up with an apple that was threatening to make its way to the gutter. The apple made its escape and got ran over by a passing cab. Crap! She hung her head low. She could feel them. The tears would really fall now. She shook her head.
“Hey it’s okay.”
She spun around and reached out a hand to help the woman up. “I’m so sorry. I really need to be more careful and watch where I’m going.” The last words came out on a sob.
“Like I said, it’s okay. That guy was speeding. I’ve been watching him. He’s so reckless. He really needs to slow it down before he hurts someone or himself,” she said her eyes turned to the direction the motorcycle had gone.
Mika couldn’t help but stare at her for a moment, taking note of her smooth, lightly freckled brown skin and wide brown eyes. She was lovely, could be a model or a dancer, but the easy carefree style of her loose cotton sweater and well-worn jeans, plus the paint splattered Keds said artist all the way. The woman slung her oversized bag with large sketchpad sticking out over her shoulder and held out her hand. “I’m Sam.”
“Nice to meet you, I’m Mika, and once again, I’m sorry.” Oh hell. Was her voice cracking again? It was the sorry. It felt like all she was doing was apologizing lately.
Sam gave her a concerned look. “Are you all right? I can tell this is not about our little bump. You’re from my building right? Don’t you work with that photographer on six? Would you like to sit for a minute? Come in for tea or grab some coffee across the street?”
Mika shook her head. The woman was being so nice. She’d seen her plenty of times in passing, too bad she never bumped into her before, maybe they could have been friends, but what was the use now? “Thanks, but no. I’m fine and I’ve got to grab lunch and get back to work. Sorry to have knocked you over and about the apple.”
Sam graced her with a wide smile that took up most of her face. “Like I said, it’s no big deal. I hope to see you soon. Watch out for speeding bikes.” With that, she was off, turning toward the building.
Mika looked carefully this time before taking her next steps and heading out into the street.
Damn. Could she really keep this up for two more weeks and come out alive? She wiped at her brow and looked around at the throngs of people bustling about. She forced her breathing to slow as she adjusted to the city around her. It was a beautiful autumn day, the air brisk, sun shining brightly. People walked quickly up and down the sidewalk jostling for space, most of them oblivious to the beauty of it. Suddenly she missed the peace of the island and knew she would for a long time to come.
She decided to take the long way to pick up lunch instead of hitting the deli across the street. Better to give Ale and David more time to talk and give herself more time to calm down. S
he thought of what Sam said and stopped off at a little strip of a park, sitting on a bench to watch some of the children play. Most were in the care of nannies, a very few were in the care of their own mothers, and there were one or two stay-at-home dads with their offspring. One particularly cute round-faced child ran by Mika and gave her a big smile, causing her heart to lurch a little as Sunee from the island came to her mind.
Had it only been a few days ago when she was blissfully in Ale’s arms? She let her mind wander as the sun slightly warmed her face, drifting into faraway dreams of a life with him, with little ones running around. A cloud rolled by, chilling her out of her haze. Ale was definitely not that man. He was a playboy if there ever was one. Hell, was she even that woman?
She watched the little girl run to her father and jump onto his lap, giving him a big kiss. Once again, her heart did that little flip thing. It was getting damned annoying. She got up and with one last solemn look, headed toward the deli to pick up the usual lunch order for Ale, knowing that this would be one of the last times she did.
*
When Mika got back to the office, David had left, and she stowed his sandwich away. Once again, she and Ale were alone.
“I really hope David and his wife work it out,” she said, filling up the empty quiet. “And that Carla’s mother pulls through.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine. And there’s no way David is letting Carla get away from him. It’s not in his DNA.” His voice came out soft, but the innuendo in his answer gave Mika pause. She didn’t know how to respond so she kept quiet, pretending to work.
Ale looked at her from across the room, her head down, her face determined. David thought he’d pegged him, but thankfully he knew when to back off. He wasn’t about to compare David’s relationship with Carla to the one he had with Mika. They were nothing alike. David and Carla were made for each other—well, as far as any couple could be—and now Ale wasn’t so sure there was such a thing. Yes, he and Mika were good as coworkers, but in a more romantic sphere they couldn’t seem to stop arguing with each other. So why was it so hard to just let her go?
It raked at him, the way David seemed to hint that he wasn’t happy for Mika. How could he be? She’d gone about it all the wrong way and didn’t give him a chance to be. Maybe if she came to him first and told him her plans. This way it just seemed conniving. So beneath her, so like every other woman he’d known.
The ringing buzzer brought him out of his reverie.
Mika looked up at Ale, and then at the clock. “That’s the first of the interviews. And I think you need to be off to the magazine with these proofs and the meeting with the editor. I’ll let you know how the preliminary interviews go.”
The buzzer rang again and Ale spoke up. “I think I’ll help you out with this a bit. I called and moved my appointment. You can come with me there. It’ll be a good opportunity for you to see how to handle the editors in your new position. ”
She raised a brow but fought to keep her voice cool. “I really don’t need you here. I can do this part. And as for editors, I’m sure with my experience I’ll handle them just fine.”
His eyes turned to slits. “As we know, you can handle all sorts of things. But in this, I insist. Of course I should be involved in the process. I mean, this person will be my right arm. And as you know, this relationship is just about as close as a marriage. Sometimes...closer,” he said, raising a brow.
Mika wanted to respond so badly it hurt, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. So instead, she stood and after sweeping a slow look over him from head to toe, she went and answered the door.
*
Ale’s voice with his not-so-subtle undertones still shimmered through her body as Mika opened the door. But he wouldn’t get the best of her. She knew exactly what he was doing, and she was way more determined to win at this game than he could ever imagine.
“Hello, I’m Blake Mitchell,” the young man with tousled, curly brown hair said carefully. Mika caught a slight southern accent that he was fighting to cover up with plain, generic tones. The lack of accent would only mark him in an instant as clearly not a New Yorker at all, and she wanted to tell him to not work so hard to lose it and just stay true to who he was. Blake was in his early twenties, well dressed in black chinos and an oxford shirt topped with a well-worn black leather jacket. He had a leather crossover bag slung over his chest.
She put out her hand and introduced herself, inviting him in and walking him toward the conference area. Ale was now up and pretending to work with some equipment, obviously trying to look nonchalant. Great, so he was expecting her to call him over like the “great man” he was? Have her do the pre-interview? What the hell did he want?
Mika lead Blake to the conference table to take a seat, then headed back out to see what Ale intended to do. The studio was unusually quiet, and her footsteps reverberated, the sound bouncing off the walls. She sighed and grabbed Blake’s resume off her desk before going over to Ale, who was still deep in his act and now pointedly ignoring her.
“Would you like to come in now, or do you want me to handle the pre-interview...boss?”
She saw Ale’s grip tighten on the camera for just a moment before he turned to her with a feral smile. “I’ll come with you. Wouldn’t want you rushing things.”
Mika cocked a brow but did nothing more as she turned on her heel, determined to make Ale follow behind her. He did.
“Blake, this is Ale—”
“Alejandro Vargas,” Ale said, talking over her and roughly shaking Blake’s hand. “Your portfolio?” He put out his hand in a way that Mika knew unnerved the younger man, judging by the way the way his hands shook as he scrambled in his bag.
Mika gave Ale a pointed look, which he ignored. “Blake was tops in his class at SCAD and has interned at Network and Free magazines.” Ale nodded but still managed to look thoroughly unimpressed. He took a seat next to her just a tad too close.
Blake handed over his portfolio. Alejandro gave the photographs only a cursory glance, quickly flipping the pages. “Who are your influences?” he asked, not looking up.
“Well, um, there’s Steven Miesel, Annie Leibovitz and, uh, of course you.”
Ale quirked a brow and shut the book.
With that, Mika knew the interview was over.
*
And so it went for the next nine days. There was Adam and Nate, then Myles and Jasper, followed by Sara and Jasmine—well, even Mika quickly rejected Jasmine after one look in her predatory eyes and on-display cleavage. The others would have each been acceptable, but Alejandro had found a way to get rid of them all for some minuscule reason or another. And now, time was running out.
It was seven-thirty, and Mika was exhausted. They’d had a grueling photo shoot for a perfume ad earlier in the day. One where she got to help pose two willowy models in just the right positions around one gorgeous male model—yeah, no imbalance of power there. Right after the shoot, they interviewed a girl named Emma. Mika knew the girl was a long shot from her credentials, but still she had hoped.
Of course, Ale shot her down quickly and sent her packing, teetering on her wedge heels and practically in tears.
The studio was now empty, the two of them alone, and she’d just closed the door on the distraught Emma. Mika whirled on Alejandro. “Did you have to do that?”
He looked up from where he was standing by the set and raised his brows in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t give me that. You know exactly what I mean. You didn’t have to be so harsh with her. I know she was green, but did you have to rake her over the coals like that? Jeez, with your rapid-fire questions she may go running right back to Idaho or Iowa or wherever she’s from.” Mika threw her hands in the air in frustration and walked over to the rumpled bedroom set from the perfume shoot, quickly starting to strip the prop sheets.
Alejandro shook his head and went to the other side of the bed, taking off pillowcases. He did one while she did the ot
her. “If my easy questions are enough to send her running back home to mama, then this isn’t the business for her. Besides I did the same thing to you, and it didn’t scare you off.”
She took in his well-worn jeans and soft denim shirt open at the collar. What a predicament they were in—she on one side of the bed with him on the other. Mika blinked to push away the dangerous thoughts trying to creep into her mind. “It doesn’t matter now, does it? Because in a couple of days I won’t be here, and you’ll be up the creek.”
He stilled, his eyes suddenly challenging. “Oh, will I? I thought the deal was you’d find me an acceptable replacement. And so far you have not.”
She folded her arms. “Who said we had a deal? This is not my fault. I’ve done all I can, and you’ve rejected them all. Too bad. I start my new job come Monday. You know this.”
His eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened at her words. But he walked around the bed to her, suddenly too close. His broad shoulders loomed above her, his scent surrounding her.
“Do you mind?” she asked.
The corners of his mouth quirked up, and he ran his hand along the side of her neck. She quickly swiped it away, trying hard to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” He leaned in and kissed the soft spot at the center of her ear.
She straightened even more and stepped back. “That’s not going to work on me.” The words were out, but she hated the underlying breathlessness to her voice. Mika coughed. “Like I said, I’m still leaving.”
He stepped back and she didn’t know if she was relieved or not. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”
“Ale, you wouldn’t dare. I’m not one of these little girls to be threatened.”
Through The Lens (Creative Hearts Book 1) Page 17
