STORY EXCERPT

“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.”

“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. 

ADULT EXCERPT

“You’re not doing business with them. You’re not going to do the gallery event,” Mercury stated and stared straight ahead as if he had the final say in her life. What gave him the right to say something like that? She needed this. She didn’t want to be poor, to be hungry and needy. She wanted to paint, to express her creativity and live without fear of failure again in her life.

Tears filled her eyes. “That is not your decision to make. It’s mine.”

“Want to bet?” Mercury whispered, teeth clenched. She swallowed hard.

“I am not going to throw away this opportunity because you think it’s a setup. I have waited my whole life for this. To have my work be in demand, on display at some upscale gallery where people pay big money for artwork. Do you understand the personal success that will bring me, never mind the monetary freedom? You probably don’t. You have money, you have power, your fancy cars, your fancy house, and the ability to snap your fingers and have women kneel at your feet. I’ve had to struggle for every ounce of what I have, which isn’t much. I’ve gone without eating to buy more paint to finish a painting. I’ve had to lose my pride, my studio, my self-respect, and came so close to winding up in a shelter or having to tell my friends I’ve failed and can’t even support myself. You don’t know what my life has been like and tonight, this past week, and meeting Mulgoff has changed all of that. He hasn’t asked me for anything but to do the work he hired me for and I did. I paraded myself around to sell that diamond and I’m a shy, quiet person. I’ve sacrificed and will continue to sacrifice if it is going to help me be successful. So don’t you dare try to come into my life and make demands you have no right making. Stop the car. I want out,” she said and sat forward.

Mercury placed his hand on her thigh. “You’re not going anywhere. We’ll work this out, but first you need to learn a few rules.” He turned in his seat, gripped her hip, and pulled her up onto his lap. She gasped at his forcefulness and how easily he lifted her up to straddle his waist. Mercury cupped her cheeks and she covered his hands with hers and stared down into his eyes, wide-eyed and intimidated.

“You have a lot to learn, but I think my brothers and I are up for the challenge.” He pulled her closer and kissed her. She moaned into his mouth. She felt wild and just as needy as he was. He slid one hand away from her cheek and neck and moved it up under her skirt against her thigh. She lifted up and ran her fingers through his hair, a hunger so grand, so deep pulled at her entire being. She had never been kissed like this. She never felt so aroused, so turned on in her entire life.

As he deepened the kiss he turned her to the left and lowered her to the seat. Her back hit the leather and he moved partially over her as Rylan grabbed her arms and pulled them above her head, causing her chest and pelvis to lift upward.

She gasped when Mercury released her lips and unbuttoned her blouse.

“Mercury.”

“You’re incredible, Rose. So fucking sexy and beautiful, and I was jealous all night. All fucking night watching other men want what is going to belong to me and my brothers.” He lowered down and licked along her breasts then up to her neck, sucking hard as Rylan shifted so he was partially on the floor of the SUV, holding her wrist above her head against the seat with one hand and then lowered his mouth to hers.

Rylan kissed her as Mercury unclipped her bra, freeing her sensitive breasts from confinement. She never did anything so brazen, so wild, and with men she hardly knew, and somehow she didn’t care. The need burning in her core was electrifying.

Mercury suckled hard on one of her breasts and then shifted and she felt her panties pulled down and then fingers slide into her cunt. She was wet and willing.

Rylan released her lips and she moaned aloud.

“Oh God, Mercury, Rylan, please. Oh please,” she begged for more.

“Jesus, what are you guys doing to the poor woman. Make her fucking come,” Falco said from the front seat, reminding her that he and Slade were there, too. Holy God.

She rocked her hips and he spread her wider as Rylan suckled harder on her breast and then Mercury pulled fingers from her cunt and replaced them with his mouth. She cried out and came.

“Let me taste her. She’s so responsive, Merk,” Rylan said and Mercury lifted up and moved to the side. Rylan tapped her wrists. “You keep those hands up above your head and don’t move them or else,” he warned her.

“Or else what?” she asked. She felt the light slap to her pussy by Mercury.

“The kind of spanking you definitely aren’t used to, baby,” he said and she shivered with anticipation, wondering if she would like to be spanked by these men. It sounded hot.

She didn’t test them but instead complied as Rylan moved between her legs, caressed up her inner thighs and then lowered down to take a taste. She shook and shivered, her breasts tingled and the nipples hardened as she felt windows go down and cool air collide against her heated flesh.

“I can’t see, you’re fogging up the widows,” Falco yelled from the front seat.

She felt embarrassed but then Rylan nipped her clit and plunged his tongue deeply into her cunt, bringing her full attention to his mouth and techniques.

She lifted her torso and Mercury cupped her breast and then feasted on it.

She moaned, feeling her core tighten and then she felt Rylan’s tongue slide over her anus. Back and forth he licked her slit and anus, causing tiny vibrations of desire to erupt inside of her. She moaned and tossed her head side to side.

“I think she’s going to love a cock in every hole. She’s coming like a faucet and god damn, that hole is tight,” Rylan said as he pulled his mouth from her pussy to look at her and to watch Mercury suckle her breast. He pressed a finger into her anus and she gasped.

“Ever have a cock in every hole? In that tight, perfect ass of yours?” Mercury asked her.