But her thoughts stopped right there. Anything else was mad. That was all she had to remember. Mad.
Keep focussed—the job is all that matters. Nothing else.
It was what she had to hang on to. She’d lived without sex in her life, and she’d go on doing so. And certainly not with someone like Angelos Petrakos.
He’d use you and lose you.
Her spine steeled. No, it didn’t matter that she’d reacted the insane way she had last night. She’d got the job, and that was all that mattered.
That day she had to work through her lunch hour to make up for time she’d taken off to go to yesterday afternoon’s casting, but she didn’t care. Nothing could crush her elation—not now! She worked late, too, so she could make time to call in at the agency first thing tomorrow to sign the paperwork for the contract. She was still floating, all the way back to her bedsit, but as she walked from the bus stop her feet abruptly sank to the ground—along with her elation. Mike was hovering at the kerb, his motorbike engine idling. Oh, hell, was her first thought. She could really do without the guy right now! Why didn’t he just give in and accept she wasn’t interested? Instead of pestering her like this and hanging around, turning up when he wasn’t wanted—would never be wanted. She started to walk along the narrow pavement. He drew level with her on the bike.
‘Mike,’ she began, ‘look, I really don’t have time for this—’
He steered his bike across her path, blocking it. He took his helmet off. Kat stopped dead and gave a heavy, exasperated sigh, glaring at him.
There was something different about him, she registered. It was his eyes. They were glittery.
‘No time for me, baby? That it?’ he said.
‘Mike—’ she tried again, but he cut right across her.
‘But you’ve got time to hang out with your loaded rich guy, haven’t you? I saw you last night in that hotel, schmoozing him, coming on to him!’
She stared. ‘How did you—?’
He laughed harshly. ‘I followed you! I follow you everywhere! You showed up at the hotel in the afternoon, and then again in the evening. I walked in and saw you in the restaurant with him. So you come across for rich guys, do you, baby?’
Anger spat through her. ‘I was there for a casting, that’s all!’
He laughed again—derisively. ‘Yeah, casting couch. You put out for him and he gives you the job! Well, don’t worry, baby. That suits me fine.’
‘Get lost!’ she snarled at him. She made to get past him, around the back of the bike. His hand shot out and closed over her arm. It was like a vice. She yanked to free herself, and failed. ‘Let me go!’
For answer, he just hauled her forward, almost up against him. Fear suddenly spiked through her. The road was deserted, the streetlight broken, and it wasn’t a good part of town in the first place.
‘Uh-uh, babe. I’m fed up with giving you slack, OK? Time for you to put out for me.’
‘In your dreams!’ she spat at him, again trying to yank herself free. Anger overriding her fear now.
He gave another laugh. His eyes glittered more intensely. She realised, with a jolt, that he was high.
‘Uh-uh. In my photos. Oh, come on, baby—what d’ya think I want? Sure, I want to screw you first, but then it’s for the punters, see? Now, you may think they only like big girls like Katya, but trust me, babe, they like skinnies like you, too. I’ll make you look really hot! You’ll make good money, don’t worry!’
He grinned at her. Kat’s face contorted. She lashed out with her foot, impacting his shin, tugging back on her arm again. But Mike was strong. Frighteningly strong. He yanked her closer.
‘Wanna fight me, babe?’ Something glinted in his free hand, and with sick horror Kat realised it was a blade. He whipped it to her cheek. ‘Just how hot will your modelling career be when you’ve been razored? So let’s do this nicely, huh?’ Then, suddenly, his tone changed. ‘‘Course, you could always keep me happy another way. Now you’re screwing Mr Rich you can afford to be generous. You pay me what he’s paying you, and we’ll call it quits, OK?’
She could feel the edge of the blade, flat on. All he had to do was twist his wrist …
Terror and sickness dissolved her. ‘… OK,’ she managed to get out.
He smiled. ‘That’s good.’ He slid the flat of the blade down her cheek. ‘Shame to mark you. You’re worth more unmarked. So, how much are you going to bring me?’
‘A … a hundred,’ she said shakily.
He laughed nastily. ‘Get real, babe. Just bring me the lot, OK? Cash, jewellery—whatever he pays you in. Don’t hold out on me, now. I’ll be watching you. Like I always do. Wherever you go, baby—wherever you go.’
As quickly as it had appeared the blade was gone and he was thrusting her back. Pulling his helmet on and climbing on his bike. She stood, shaking, on the pavement. He turned to smile at her. His eyes were like pits.