“Are you planning on helping her with that, too?”
“I have connections. And if her work is good I have no problem pushing for her to get discovered. We’ll see what she brings with her. As soon as she arrives, you bring the artwork to me.”
“You sound like you may be interested in her for personal reasons,” Corpias said.
“No, she is too sweet, too pure for the pleasures I seek in the bedroom. Though submissive, I know I could train her, but I have my set women right now. I look at Rose as a means to make money. I knew she would be appealing to all and would sell my jewelry well. She will look incredible Friday evening. In fact, get Elga in here with the final designs for the dress. It needs to be perfect and to fit Rose like a glove. I need to assure that jewel lands right between her large, luscious breasts and that she doesn’t look kitschy and gaudy. Someone is going to pay millions for that jewel, and presentation is everything.”
* * * *
“You have to help me. I can’t decide what paintings to bring. God, I wish I could get a few back from the galleries that have them in closets. I should go collect them all.”
“You should, Rose, especially if this guy Lenotz gets some people interested in your work. Those paintings could be worth something and then those galleries will make the money off of them.”
“You’re right, but that would be a miracle. It’s not like there are that many out there. A lot of the places sent them back to me. There are just three that currently have two of my paintings each. Would you want to drive me to them so I can grab them, Pina?”
“Oh, I love this one. Is this of the flea market near the pier?” Pina asked, puling one painting out of the pile.
“Yes, it is. Do you think I should bring that one along?”
“Definitely. Why don’t we head out now and hit those places and then grab a bite for lunch?” Pina suggested.
“Don’t you have plans with your men?”
“Jonah and Trace are in meetings all day and Niall is busy doing some work for someone, so Clark, Knox, and Dane may meet me at the restaurant if they’re done training or something. I told them that I would be with you and that they could join us if they had time.”
“Okay, if you don’t mind me tagging along?”
“Of course not. They more than likely will be late. Whenever Clark, Knox, and Dane say they’re training, it could mean a number of different things.”
“Like what?” Rose asked, grabbing her purse and her money. She was feeling a bit better now that she had some money in her pocket, and the bonus from Mulgoff was shocking. She expected the two hundred and fifty and maybe an extra twenty or something, but when she opened the envelope there was a thousand dollars inside. She nearly fainted. Add in this Friday’s pay for modeling an extremely expensive piece and she would be in good shape for a little while.
“They could fly out to some strategic obstacle course on some military base somewhere, or be engaged in hand to hand combat with soldiers. God only knows,” Pina stated and chuckled.
“That’s impressive. I guess when you’re wealthy you can do a lot of that stuff and not bat an eye at the price tag,” Rose said.
“Usually they don’t pay for any of it. They have friends, connections all over in the military field. It doesn’t bother me either way because they come back all pumped up, sexy, and missing me,” she said and chuckled.
“Lucky woman,” Rose added and they locked up the apartment and headed downstairs. When they got to the lobby and out front Rose noticed Pina’s body language changed. She was on guard and Rose couldn’t blame her. More and more riffraff were hanging out around here. It bothered her, too.
“Who’s your friend, Rose?” one of the guys, Gordon, asked.
“The one with the six mercenaries who can put a bullet in your head and leave your body where no one can find it, Gordon,” she said to him. He raised his palms up and stepped back.
“Oh, the man with the gun. I remember that dude. Sorry.” He moved away and his friends chuckled.
“How do you do that, Rose? Live here and confront them and not be worried they could follow you to your apartment and try to hurt you or worse?”