Instinctively, I reached for my purse, ready to hand over my hard-earned money to him just like I'd done these past three years we'd been living in L.A., but my fingers landed on the card from Ethan first and it stopped me.
What was I doing? Mick was cheater and a liar. Now he wanted the money that I had earned, and I was about to give it to him. I had been supporting him all these years while he did nothing but drink, watch television, and cheat on me. Thank God we weren't actually married yet, and thank God I'd finally seen the truth about him.
"Goodbye, Mick," I stated simply, then I turned on my heel and walked out the door. He called after me, but he couldn't be bothered to actually come running after me, and by the time I'd rounded the block, I couldn't hear him anymore. I got on my cell phone and heard Ethan's voice pick up on the other end.
"Can you come get me?" I asked meekly. Just like I knew he would, he answered me with one simple word.
"Yes."
Chapter Nine
Ethan
"Fucking idiot," I berated myself as I drove down the L.A. streets in my Lamborghini.
I had been obsessing over Karly Brandt since the moment I first set eyes on her during her audition. I'd fought Keith and the board on the decision to hire such an inexperienced model, but I was so passionate she was the one I wanted they had to relent. I had called her personally to come to my office, and when she accepted the job, I had Angela cancel all my appointments for the day so I could teach her how to ride myself.
It had been a magical day, and even though we hadn't had sex or even kissed, I felt a connection with her that was so strong, it was almost physical. She understood the real me and I could open up to her in ways I'd never done with any other woman. When she told me about her life, I was mesmerized. I wanted to know every detail and could listen to her talk for hours and still want to learn more.
Plus, she was sexy as hell. The beauty of her face, the sparkle of her eyes, the way her tiny, narrow waist curved into a perfectly round buttocks, and most all, those incredible tits.
She worked for me as a contracted model. It wasn't even permanent employment, just a one-time job. I couldn't even say we were friends or that she even liked me. Chances were I would never see her again.
So, what did I do? I took the last moment I would ever see her to completely alienate her. I'd barely gotten over the hump of having punched out her boyfriend and gotten her to at least talk to me again. Then, I turned right around and insulted him again, she loyally takes his side and once again, wants nothing to do with me. Stupid fucking idiot: that's what I was.
I could have played nice, pretended like I wanted to take the two of them out for dinner to apologize, and gotten to get to know her more over time. I could have offered to take her out to celebrate as platonic friends. I could have even offered her another modeling job. I could have done anything but I what I did.
Now, she was certain to throw away my number the moment I got home and that would be the end of anything that may have developed between us. Seeing her image on the cover and pages of my magazine as the only way I would ever see Kayla again.
I gripped the wheel of my car hard as I steered through the hills, wishing I could escape my own stupidity. When my phone rang through my Bluetooth, I almost ignored it, but then my sense of responsibility won out and I answered it.
"Can you come get me?" The voice was Kayla's.
"Yes," was all I could say and immediately flipped a U-turn with my car, causing several cars behind me to slam on their brakes, honking furiously.
I raced through the streets at top speeds until I found the bar she told me she was waiting at. I saw her standing out front, looking incredible in a simple pair of jeans and a pink tee-shirt. Her blonde hair had dried in the warm California air and now lay in soft waves down to her shoulders, and her face was fresh and free of any make-up.
"Get in." I smiled as pulled to stop right in front of her and opened the passenger door.
"Thanks for picking me up. I didn't know who else to call, and your card was right there on top of my wallet."
"That's okay. I told you I would take care of you anytime, anyplace. I just never dared to hope you would call so quickly, but I'm glad you did. Are you okay?"
"I caught Mick cheating on me with my best friend," she said in clipped words. It was clear she didn't want to talk about yet, so I let her sit in silence as we drove to my mansion in Beverly Hills, letting her process all that had just happened to her.
I wanted to press her for details, and make sure that son-of-a-bitch hadn't put his hands on her, but I knew what it was like to want privacy. She'd tell me everything that happened when she was ready, if she wanted to. The best thing I could do was just to be there for her when it happened and give her space until then.
I pulled up the gate that led to my estate and Kayla gasped in awe at the grandeur of my mansion and the sprawling garden with an Italian fountain that stood before it. I parked my car in the garage and guided her into the house through that entrance.
"Welcome to my home." I smiled as I let her in.
"This place is amazing. It's enormous and so beautiful. I'm afraid to touch anything," Kayla gasped, as she stared at everything from the crystal lamps hanging from the ceiling all the way down to the imported carpet under her feet.
As she backed away from the wall to get a different perspective on the fine painting hanging before her, she accidentally backed into the antique vase holding flowers on a little table by the garage. It was where I set my keys for the chauffer to put away when he washed the cars in the morning.
Kayla stifled a scream as I caught the vase seconds before it crashed to the floor.
"I'm so sorry. I knew I shouldn't touch anything. This place is like a museum."