She dropped gracefully into the chair and threw me a teasing glance.
“So are we really here to talk about a raise?” she asked mischievously, taking a sip of her sparkling water. I almost lost it right there. The glance she gave me over the rim of her glass was exactly what I hoped to see in an ingénue … so long as her lips were wrapped around my dick.
“We are,” I confirmed. “Levast is prepared to pay ten thousand per show provided there’s fair play in return.”
That made her brow crinkle.
“Fair play?” she asked confused. “What does that mean?”
“Oh we just want to get our money’s worth,” I said vaguely. There was no sense in bringing up the nudie pics now. I was just getting to know the girl and wanted to keep things light. “We pay you money and in return, we expect a little something, that’s all. We can work out the details with your agency. I understand you’re with Deborah?”
The little girl still looked confused.
“I am working with Deborah,” she said slowly. “But I’m not sure I understand. What else do you want other than walking in shows?”
“Well,” I said nonchalantly, “Levast has exclusivity restrictions, you won’t be able to walk for any other designers, plus we expect you to be in prime physical shape, to not embarrass us … that kind of thing.”
“Oh that,” she said, her cheeks flushed. “I can do that, no problem.”
“Perfect then, we’re going to get along great,” I said. “Can we get some champagne here? Let’s celebrate.”
And I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch with her.
“Can I drop you off somewhere?” I asked once we were in my town car.
“Um … how about your place?” she asked with a sweet flush. I liked her more and more. Evidently she’d read my mind, I just hadn’t wanted to harass her on our first business lunch. But if the woman asks for it, then I was more than willing.
“Antonio, home please,” I said. And the black sedan did a u-turn, sweeping us into the hubbub of Greenwich Village.
9
Jenna
I gasped as I entered Rafe’s townhouse.
“You live here by yourself?” I asked, my mouth agape. I knew that as Chairman of Levast Corp., Rafe probably had some serious dough but I didn’t realize it meant a mint-condition townhouse in the heart of the Village. The building was gorgeous, five floors with a private elevator, priceless antiques scattered about.
The big man chuckled as I looked around. “It’s just me,” he growled. “Santino comes around to keep things in order, but this place is really a giant bachelor pad.”
Just a giant bachelor pad? Hardly. I could see an ornate Japanese garden through sliding glass doors, and was that my imagination or did those stairs lead to a basement pool? Wow, this was a far cry from what I was used to.
It’s not that my family’s poor, it’s just that my parents divorced when we were kids, and with four girls money has always been tight. When Tina and I announced our intention to go to law school, Mom was clear that she couldn’t help with tuition.
“Girls, I can’t,” she said with finality. “You know I’m still putting Karina and Callie through undergrad and that’s the most I can promise any of you. I was happy to give each of you four years, but no more.”
“Ma,” I whined. “Seriously, Karina and Callie are doing work-study, plus they got grants right? You know that’s money you don’t have to pay back. Please, just a couple thousand here and there would help us sooo much,” I’d wheedled.
Mary had frowned. “No Jenna,” she said firmly. “I can’t rob your younger sisters of their right to a college education. Besides, you and Tina are grown now while Callie and Karina are still in their teens. I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen.”
“Fine,” I said haughtily. “I’ll find a way, no thanks to you.”
“Jenna,” said my mom exasperatedly. “The world doesn’t owe you anything and you’d better get yourself in check.”
“Whatever,” I said dismissively. “I’ll find a way, you’ll see.” My mind had been running at a million miles an hour, probably already scheming how to find some rich guy in the City.
But thinking back to that interlude, I was ashamed. I’d been so selfish, so unconcerned, even for my younger sisters. And when Tina had piped up, it’d just made me look even worse.
“No problem Mom,” my twin had said quietly. “Jenna and I will find a way, and maybe after we start practicing law, we can even contribute to Karina’s and Callie’s educations.”
My mom had smiled with gratitude.
“Thanks honey but that’s not necessary. I’m not going to make you responsible for your younger sisters, you’ve got enough on your plate.”
And this whole exchange exemplified exactly why I hated my twin. Tina was always so damn perfect, it drove me crazy. She was always doing everything right, kissing up to my mom, to our professors, making sure to get good grades, that kind of stuff. To spite her, I often acted out, acting even bitchier than normal.