“That’s very interesting. What do you own, a store front or something?”
“I have a small gallery in Charlotte, but I actually do private events and display the jewelry on models. Have you ever considered modeling?” he asked her.
“No,” she said and looked away as he chuckled.
“I don’t mean like bathing suit models or fashion clothing lines, I mean being a jewelry model. Let me see your hands?” he asked and she was hesitant until he pulled her hand across the bar and looked at it.
“You would need a good manicure but you have strong hands. Great fingers.” He then looked at her neck and face. “Let me see your ears,” he said and she turned slightly, thinking this guy was a nut.
“You would be perfect as a jewelry model. I pay well too, of course only if you do the full five hours. Fifty dollars an hour. Would you be available next Saturday for an event about thirty minutes from here at the hotel Ambiance?”
She was shocked. Fifty dollars an hour to model jewelry? Was he serious?
“I’ll be fully clothed, right?” she asked and he chuckled.
“God, yes, it isn’t that kind of party. It’s in a private room in the hotel. One of the suites. There will be about fifty guests, but they’re rich and like to see the jewelry on people. So what do you say? What was your name?” he added.
“Rose. Rose Ruthers.”
He reached out his hand. “Mulgoff Lenotz. A pleasure meeting you, Rose Ruthers.” He shook her hand and then he reached into his pocket.
“This is my card. It’s legit. Can you get there by five, so we can go over everything and have the staff decide what jewelry you will wear?”
“Seriously?” she asked, still uncertain.
“Very serious. I do not kid around about my collection.”
She took the card from him. “At the Ambiance, you said?” she asked.
“Yes. Be there by five. The front desk will direct you to the room where other models will be dressing and the staff will be organizing the jewelry.”
“Great. Thank you.”
“No, thank you. I was lucky to have met you.” Just then someone said his name and Mulgoff gave her a wink and headed over with his drink. A blonde woman approached immediately.
“Were you just talking to Mulgoff Lenotz?” she asked. “Oh God, his jewelry collection is to die for. A friend of mine, that woman in red over there,” she said and pointed to a woman. Rose looked at her and then back at this older blonde lady. “Bought a piece for thirty thousand dollars. It’s to die for. I can’t believe he’s here,” the blonde said and walked away and toward Mulgoff.
Thirty thousand dollars? Jesus, I can’t believe it, nor fifty dollars an hour. I sure could use the money. I hope Louisa’s men are doing the security for that party. At least knowing that someone from Ultimate Defense was there would be good. God, what are my friends going to say when they find out. I need the money though. Between tips tonight and the job next Saturday, it could put me in a better financial position for a little while. Plus I can actually eat a real meal.
She looked at the food going to waste. Maybe she would stay extra late and take home some of the wasted food. God, rich people didn’t know what it was like to be poor, and to be starving. She never thought things would be this bad for her. Guess her mom was right. Painting is for dreamers, and it doesn’t pay the bills.
Chapter 2
“How is Rome doing?” Graham Hunt asked Falco. Graham, Jace, Micah, Vaughn, Daxton, and Cooper showed up at the James estate to see their friends and offer assistance.
“Pissed off at the world. The crazy bastard is lucky to be alive,” Falco told them. Slade, Remo, and Rylan shook their hands and offered them something to drink.
“We’re good. We wanted to come by and offer our help. Whatever you guys need, we’re here,” Vaughn told them.
“We appreciate that. Mercury is in the office talking with some people about the guys we took out. We think they were Iranian and Slavic, but the radio chatter of the guys coming in on jeeps was Russian,” Remo told them.
“Iranian and Slavic, what the fuck is this all about? Are you thinking a connection to the shit we all just went through because of the Russian guys? Like maybe there were more people than Aurik and Ivan involved?” Cooper asked.