Chapter five: the deal

‎(The following morning) ‎

‎ ‎"I feel like I can take a day off but those models, we can't afford to lose them."

I'll be waiting for you in the office, please don't be long. Becky squeezed my arm into a bear hug. ‎

‎", I don't know what I'd do without you Becky." I blew her a kiss as I lazily rolled out of bed.

‎ ‎The slow morning was everything I needed to reset my head, there was no missed calls from either Carl or Trisha. ‎

‎Somehow, I couldn't tell how how much that hurt me. ‎ ‎But instead, ‎ ‎I got a motherly reminder that I've been summoned by mom to bring Lucas with me. ‎

‎Id rather choke on razors than allow mom disgrace me in the presence of Lucas or the other way round, ‎ ‎I needed a functional plan.

‎ ‎ ‎I had my bath and whooped my favorite bacon, but just as I was about to fit in the oversized meal into my mouth, ‎ ‎My phone buzzed loudly.

‎ ‎"hey Becky, what's good,?" ‎ ‎" Something is wrong, the office Is sealed," ‎ ‎"What?...by whom?"

‎ ‎"im so confused too miss Victoria, please come quickly." ‎

‎"okay, Im on my way." I quickly tossed the food aside , dashed out and hopped into my car.

‎ ‎ ‎As I drove, my head jammed with what could have possibly gone wrong, ‎ ‎

What had mom done again??? ‎

‎She was a woman with little patience but still, ‎ ‎Couldnt she wait a minute? ‎

‎I picked up my phone, trembling in silence, and wondering what I did to fan her hatred for me this time.

‎ ‎I dialed her number. ‎ ‎"you didn't have to seal my office mom. I was going to honor your meeting. " I said biting back the hurt that ruined me.

‎ ‎"oh, that's good to know darling," she hesitated saying.

‎ ‎" but while I cannot wait to see you and of course your toy, I cannot also wait to find out who made my life better by sealing your office." she said with a spark of joy, ‎ ‎And immediately, I hit the end button. ‎ ‎

‎How effortlessly it was for her to ruin my day. ‎ ‎Well if it wasn't she, then who? ‎ ‎

As I approached my office building, I sighted Becky from afar, standing right in front and I increased my speed. ‎ ‎

"Becky, what's going on?" I asked as I stepped out of the car. ‎ ‎

Then a man dressed in a tuxedo stepped forward and took off his airpods. ‎

‎"we have reliable sources that suspect there is an under activity of possession of hard drugs within your premises." he said rigidly.

‎ ‎"what!" I shrieked. ‎ ‎"are you insane?" ‎ ‎But he didn't respond.

‎ ‎"or would you rather we begin with a drug test?" ‎ ‎My heart skipped a beat. ‎

‎How can just barely minutes with Lucas land me into so much trouble?

‎ ‎"I think you are making a mistake somewhere."

‎ ‎"There's a person who believes otherwise, " he said stretching out a card I can reach.

‎ ‎"Deputy Charles?" ‎

‎"but for now, this premises remain shut down."he folded his arms saying. ‎ ‎

"Becky. This is crazy. Drugs?" ‎ ‎"miss Victoria,

"...the models, they are leaving." she sighed weakly as the models for the interview began to leave. ‎ ‎

"the show is tomorrow, and we have not one model, Mr Hosea won't be pleased at all" it dawned on me. ‎

‎"I'm so good at failing Becky,"

‎ ‎"No. You are wrong," she cut me quick. ‎

‎"All we need is to provide at least one good looking model for mr Hosea." ‎

‎"wait," I paused suddenly. ‎

‎"what? do you have a plan?" she asked.

‎ ‎", I do, and even when I hate it so much, Im going for it, it's my only hope."

‎ ‎"just wait here for me." ‎ ‎Immediately, I swung into my car. ‎

‎ ‎Now, the only problem was, Gates of hell was only open at night. ‎

‎ ‎As I drove, the last words Lucas shot at me caused me to jerk up in my stomach. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎There was no way he meant that right?

‎ ‎ ‎Afterall like he said, I did him a favor and this was his way of paying me back. ‎

‎****** ‎ ‎

Mid morning gates of hell had a fuzzy touch to it, quiet, less erratic and less to no people.

‎ ‎I stepped out of the car and went straight through the gates, ‎ ‎

‎There was a little security room just by the corner and I went straight in, but there was no one. ‎

‎"you are back already?" he caught me unawares, without enthusiasm.

‎ ‎"oh my" I yelped, "you scared me. ‎-And what are you now?, the security guard?"

‎ ‎"Nope, but I'm more curious why you are here."he tucked his hands into his pocket, with his eyebrows tilted up.

‎ ‎"I came here looking for you.", my breath caught, nearly stuttering.

‎ ‎His lips remained pursed but his eyebrows arched even higher, ‎ ‎He had blue eyes like the ocean under sunlight, I could totally get lost, staring in them forever. ‎ ‎But I caught myself quick.

‎ ‎"You owe me." I said defensively. ‎ ‎"yeah I know but I didn't mean id pay back the very next day either" he pulled his hands out of his pocket and folded them dismissively.

"And I know I don't need to remind you what your last words were."

‎ "or let me guess , are you here for me to dis-virgin you?"

‎I gritted my teeth, ‎ ‎Was this bum about to annoy me? ‎

‎",if it weren't so important, do you think I'll be here?

With you?" I fisted my palms on my sides angrily. ‎

‎ ‎"I'm sorry honeycup but I can't do anything for you." he said, turning around to leave.

‎ ‎I felt my insides churn with anger. ‎ ‎Of course I knew this was a mistake. ‎ ‎I watched him walk away, ‎ ‎No scratch that, ‎ ‎I watched the last hope for my business walk away, A six foot four, muscular lean and prospective world class top model walk away.

‎ ‎ ‎"I'm not going to beg you Lucas, but I hope you know karma is a bitch. And she kills real fast when there's evidence."

‎ ‎Then he stopped. ‎ ‎"what do you mean?" he asked slowly. ‎

‎"My office is on lock-down, drug issues related."

‎ ‎"I know this has to do with the deputy getting back at me for catching the both of us together, considering the fact he was supposed to be my father in law." ‎

‎"You wouldn't dare." he said in between his teeth. ‎ ‎"oh, just try." ‎

‎"Fine, what do you want?" ‎ ‎"I need a damn model," ‎ ‎

He chuckled dryly.

"Victoria isn't it?, just because you saw me perform last night doesn't mean I'm a model."

‎ ‎"it's that simple I promise you," I said.

-

‎ ‎" Fine. Just once."

he dropped the towel in his hand down, Saying.

‎ "but after this we are done, right?" ‎

‎"perfect, done done and one uh , one more thing," I said. ‎ ‎twisting my finger anxiously.

‎ ‎"Uh uh, No way. " he shook his head. ‎ ‎"I don't have the time Victoria, I've got enough trouble on my back already." ‎ he stretched.

‎"calm down Vicky, deep breaths" I said to myself.

‎ ‎"it's my mom, she wants to meet you." ‎ ‎

"-and before you say anything, I hate this twice as much as you do, three times over"

‎ ‎He chuckled, ‎ ‎"your mother?" ‎ ‎"like an introduction? Are we getting married now?" he asked in false amusement, ‎

‎ ‎"What!? Eew, hell no!" ‎ ‎"but it's such a long story, I'll fill you in as we go,"

‎ As I turned, I felt his grip on my arm,

‎ ‎"And after this we are even." he hammered,

"yes, and I'll be glad to never see you again" I seethed. ‎ ‎

"Deal?."

‎ ‎"Deal." ‎