things in perspective. Don’t fall for someone for the wrong reasons. She’s much too young, and she’s got tons of baggage. She’s the stepping stone you need to get to the top. Don’t lose sight of the top.
Kendle set the food on the table, and they sat to eat. “I’m not sure I can stay for the full week. I feel out of place. I’d like to go home.”
Graham nodded. “Give it another day. If you still feel uncomfortable, we’ll drop you off and pick you up. We have a lot of work to do, though. I’ll be sending your shots out to a couple of contacts, and we’ll need to teach you a few ways to move. How do you feel about cosmetic procedures?”
She raised her brows in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Chemical peels, teeth whitening, laser hair removal…”
“Is it necessary?”
Graham shrugged. “Not at this point, but it could be helpful.”
“I’d prefer not to do anything like that for now.” She looked down, not sure how she’d pay for it. She figured he’d pick up the expense, but she didn’t want to owe him. Was she really ready to be displayed on a print ad or a billboard somewhere? Would she wear clothes for a catalog? The idea of modeling felt alien to her. He was saying it was real, it could happen, she had something special, but were they just words? She didn’t feel special.
“I think you should be open to it.”
“I think you’re pushy.” She glared at him.
He said nothing, and met her stare. “You’re a tad ungrateful for this opportunity. I pluck you out of nowhere, and am offering you the moon and stars. You could at least be a little more grateful and willing to help yourself.”
She stared at the man, and then stood. “I think I should go.” She hated confrontation.
“Kendle, sit down.” His voice was firm.
“You don’t own me,” she snapped.
He shook his head. “You’re cagey and untamed. Go on and live your drab little life. One day you’ll look back on this and realize you threw away the best thing that would have ever happened to you.”
She didn’t know what to say. A deep sigh pushed out. Kendle dropped back into her chair.
“I’m glad you’ve changed your mind.”
“I’m here for my sister.”
“Don’t you want this?”
“I want to crawl into a crack in the wall and fade away. I want to be invisible, not splashed in the pages of a magazine. I don’t want people looking at me, and you want me to be vibrant and be seen. It goes against everything inside of me. And yet, the chance for a better life, the chance to have enough money to hire a lawyer, the chance to help my sister…” Kendle stood and walked to the counter, turning her back to Graham. “I don’t know who I am anymore, but I don’t want to be who I used to be either.”
Graham stood and went to her side. Hesitantly he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Let me help you.”
She turned to look at him, and gave a small nod.
Graham risked placing his hand under her chin, lifting her face toward him. “It’s going to be okay.” He’d save her. He’d step in and rescue her from her demons. He had to. He wanted to. He needed her to be okay. It broke him up inside seeing the pain in her eyes.
Chapter 11
She didn’t want to remember. Every time a memory cropped up, it pulled her under the dark waters of fear and loathing. Drowning, aching to breathe, she longed for air. Sleeping in the new environment, a spare bedroom at Graham’s house, felt different. She tossed and turned, but after a few hours she finally fell into a troubled, fitful sleep.
Thrashing under the sheets, she kicked and struggled. He was back on her, and then her sister. The visions were real, the pain unbearable. She woke and quickly scanned her surroundings. Where was she? Finally coming out of the spiral, she recognized the room and remembered she was at Graham’s penthouse.
Getting up, she padded to the kitchen to get a drink. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to be alone.
Kendle set the food on the table, and they sat to eat. “I’m not sure I can stay for the full week. I feel out of place. I’d like to go home.”
Graham nodded. “Give it another day. If you still feel uncomfortable, we’ll drop you off and pick you up. We have a lot of work to do, though. I’ll be sending your shots out to a couple of contacts, and we’ll need to teach you a few ways to move. How do you feel about cosmetic procedures?”
She raised her brows in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Chemical peels, teeth whitening, laser hair removal…”
“Is it necessary?”
Graham shrugged. “Not at this point, but it could be helpful.”
“I’d prefer not to do anything like that for now.” She looked down, not sure how she’d pay for it. She figured he’d pick up the expense, but she didn’t want to owe him. Was she really ready to be displayed on a print ad or a billboard somewhere? Would she wear clothes for a catalog? The idea of modeling felt alien to her. He was saying it was real, it could happen, she had something special, but were they just words? She didn’t feel special.
“I think you should be open to it.”
“I think you’re pushy.” She glared at him.
He said nothing, and met her stare. “You’re a tad ungrateful for this opportunity. I pluck you out of nowhere, and am offering you the moon and stars. You could at least be a little more grateful and willing to help yourself.”
She stared at the man, and then stood. “I think I should go.” She hated confrontation.
“Kendle, sit down.” His voice was firm.
“You don’t own me,” she snapped.
He shook his head. “You’re cagey and untamed. Go on and live your drab little life. One day you’ll look back on this and realize you threw away the best thing that would have ever happened to you.”
She didn’t know what to say. A deep sigh pushed out. Kendle dropped back into her chair.
“I’m glad you’ve changed your mind.”
“I’m here for my sister.”
“Don’t you want this?”
“I want to crawl into a crack in the wall and fade away. I want to be invisible, not splashed in the pages of a magazine. I don’t want people looking at me, and you want me to be vibrant and be seen. It goes against everything inside of me. And yet, the chance for a better life, the chance to have enough money to hire a lawyer, the chance to help my sister…” Kendle stood and walked to the counter, turning her back to Graham. “I don’t know who I am anymore, but I don’t want to be who I used to be either.”
Graham stood and went to her side. Hesitantly he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Let me help you.”
She turned to look at him, and gave a small nod.
Graham risked placing his hand under her chin, lifting her face toward him. “It’s going to be okay.” He’d save her. He’d step in and rescue her from her demons. He had to. He wanted to. He needed her to be okay. It broke him up inside seeing the pain in her eyes.
Chapter 11
She didn’t want to remember. Every time a memory cropped up, it pulled her under the dark waters of fear and loathing. Drowning, aching to breathe, she longed for air. Sleeping in the new environment, a spare bedroom at Graham’s house, felt different. She tossed and turned, but after a few hours she finally fell into a troubled, fitful sleep.
Thrashing under the sheets, she kicked and struggled. He was back on her, and then her sister. The visions were real, the pain unbearable. She woke and quickly scanned her surroundings. Where was she? Finally coming out of the spiral, she recognized the room and remembered she was at Graham’s penthouse.
Getting up, she padded to the kitchen to get a drink. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to be alone.
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