She sat back in the chair and began to clean her brushes, place them in plastic bags to rinse thoroughly when she got home. She closed up her paints and gathered her things as night set in. Rose packed everything up. She secured the painting, wrapped it in special material and then placed it into the carrier. She put the backpack with all of her supplies onto her back, then the easel that folded up and slid into the side pocket and of course the chair, which she folded and carried.
She exhaled, knowing she would need some ibuprofen when she got home and then realized she was nearly out, and buying more was not on the necessity list. Hell, even food was falling off the list.
She felt her muscles ache as she made her way down the pier and to the street. She definitely was feeling the whole one meal a day thing. Her energy level was super low. She needed to do another party. Something busy and with rich people so the chances of better tips was higher. She wondered why Jimmy didn’t call with any new gigs. She begged him for whatever came along, no matter what. She was desperate. It was getting bad, not making ends meet, falling behind on her bills. Her dreams were diminishing before her eyes. She couldn’t tell her friends how bad things were. They all landed wealthy, amazing men. The men she met just wanted her in their bed.
By the time she got home she felt exhausted. She put her supplies away and avoided the mail she picked up on her way inside. It would be more bills she couldn’t pay. She should get rid of her cell phone, too. Even on the super cheap plan it was still a luxury, not a necessity, but she didn’t want to take a chance of missing that call, the one she prayed she would get when someone of great pull fell in love with her artwork.
She walked into the kitchen, not bothering to look in the refrigerator as her belly rumbled. No filet mignon, no grilled chicken, no fish, no burger, just a half a slice bread with peanut butter and jelly, only a spoonful of each to make sure both jars lasted a while.
She heard her cell phone ring and assumed it was one of her friends but as she saw the caller I.D. she couldn’t help but hope Jimmy had a job for her to do.
“Hello?”
“Rose, I need you. Can you get to the beachfront villas in thirty minutes?”
“Thirty minutes? I doubt it, probably more like forty.”
“Shit. I need you there to serve and bartend. Chelsea is throwing up all over the place outside the house the party is at. I’m over an hour and a half away or I would do it myself.”
“I’ll do it.”
“I’ll pay you double. They’re a wealthy bunch.”
“What do I wear?”
“Black skirt, white blouse and make sure you look hot. These men tip well,” he said and then gave her the address. She wrote it down and then ended the call and ran to take a quick shower. She didn’t have time to wash her hair so she pulled it up into a fancy style off her shoulders and neck. She ran to the bedroom and pulled out the clothes she hung dry the last time she wore them. She got dressed quickly and grabbed two pairs of heels. Low ones and high ones. She better make good money in tips or she would be walking the twenty miles back to her place since she would need to spend money on a cab.
She grabbed her bag and makeup to apply in the cab on the way over. Lucky for her there was a cab service a block down the street. She’d grab someone and head out. Maybe things were turning up after all.
Chapter 1
Mercury James stood in the corner of the study discussing business with Roger Hiatte. He was a very wealthy businessman who hired Mercury and his brothers for numerous dangerous security details. Most were affiliated with the government, but because of his brothers, Falco, Rome, Slade, and Rylan’s military experience, Roger was able to hire them to do the jobs instead of active military men the government provided. This type of connection had gotten the James men and their company, Merk Enterprises, lots of high profile jobs.
“I understand that there have been a few screw ups on your end, Mercury. My associates have some concerns,” Roger said to him, hinting about the few incidents that nearly cost clients to lose product being shipped and transferred. Someone was trying to sabotage their business, and they had yet to figure out who. What had him truly concerned was the last stolen shipment Merk Enterprises was doing for Hiatte when they were hijacked. Two men were killed that worked for Mercury, and millions of dollars’ worth of product stolen. It took some serious illegal connections to find out where the shit was, a trip under the radar to Dubai, and any minute he should hear the hopefully good news that his brothers and the team were on their way back with all the stolen product under their protection once again. That would take Hiatte off his ass.