Journey To Fortune

He stared at her, his gut clenching with more questions and his desire to learn more about her.

“Not really,” he said and stared at her. She was very pretty, and he felt a bit off his game with her. Most women bored him, and he knew they were after a good time and a rich boyfriend. He didn’t do either. In fact, he was uptight and hated even wasting time keeping the company of women. Why Rose grabbed his curiosity he didn’t know.

His cell phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket and saw that it was Slade.

“Excuse me a moment,” he said and stepped away from the bar. He could see her watching him and then she helped someone by the bar.

“Rome was shot. Niall is working on him now at the place.”

“How bad?” he asked, teeth clenched and instantly upset.

“Bad.”

“I’m on my way,” he said and headed out of the party and right to the valet. He grabbed his keys and walked to his car and headed to the secret location. It was a fully functional facility with a back room specially made for incidents like these.

His heart was racing, his concern for Rome immense as he made his way to the facility and prayed that his brother was okay. On his way, the cell phone rang again. It was Rylan.

“What happened? Explain everything.” As Rylan told him about finding the stolen artwork and there being military-like men waiting on them, Mercury knew it was a setup.

“Fucking Russians? What the hell were Russians doing there shooting at you guys? You’re all lucky to be alive. Whoever organized this could have taken all of you out.”

“Yeah well, we’re always prepared for this shit, and now even more so. How far out are you? Rome is fucking pissed.”

“Fifteen minutes. It’s good if he is. How bad and where?”

“We thought his chest, left side, but it’s higher. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, but multiple shots crashed through the windshield. He took several hits to the vest and two went into his body. Shoulder and arm. He lost a lot of blood on the flight and trip here. He’ll need blood.”

“I’ll give when I get there. He and I are the same blood type.”

“I know. Get here.”

Mercury disconnected the call and gunned it down the highway in his Porsche.

* * * *

Rose couldn’t believe how disappointed she was that Mercury ran out of the party. Whatever kind of call he got, it was important. He didn’t even say good-bye or that he would contact her. Though, why would he? He had seen her work at the small gala event and he knew so many people. The Mondave brothers did as well but dealt with old art, rare pieces, the things people paid big bucks for. She was a nobody. It seemed to her that maybe she needed to ask James for more work. She had to pay her bills, and doing art, even though she loved all aspects, might need to wait.

“Good evening.” A man approached the bar and smiled at her. He was tall and good looking with dark hair, brown eyes, and looked in need of a shave.

“Good evening. What can I get you, sir?” she asked him.

“Dirty martini, two olives, honey,” he said and then looked around the party. She made the drink and poured it into the martini glass and added two olives. She placed it down in front of him.

“I hate these things. They can be so boring,” he said to her. She smiled softly and tried not to stare. He had an accent. It sounded Slavic or something like that. He turned back to look at her.

“You don’t look like a bartender,” he said as he sipped the martini. Then he closed his eyes and sighed. “Damn, that is perfect. You’re a super bartender,” he said and winked.

She chuckled. “Thank you,” she replied and then she served a few more people as this good looking man watched her.

“So are you working your way through college?” he asked and took another sip.

“No, I’ve been finished with college for a few years now.”

“You’re very attractive.”

Her cheeks blushed and she looked away.

“I’m not trying to hit on you, just observing. You have a look in your eyes, an expression that captures me. I’m a jeweler. I collect, sell, and display rare pieces of jewelry, from centuries old to modern day styles.”