Shouldn't Have Dealt - Book II

Chapter 16 - Vesuvius

Pablo stops and Colin as well.

“Are you sure about this, Ross?” Paige’s voice sounds cynical but stern.

“You asked us to produce a female model in thirty minutes and she’s the only alternative we have found,” answers Ross. “There’s no harm in trying, Mr. Paige.”

He croaks but he did not argue anymore. His glare goes back to Colin whom I notice has been staring at me like he has seen Queen Elizabeth in her prime years coming off the plane.

Pablo calls for me and instructs me to take center stage.

“I said off the robe, Angel!” Kim raises her voice. I have just realized she has been repeating it many times now.

She unties the robe and helps me slide the sleeves off my arms.

“Now the jacket,” she adds.

“The jacket?”

“Aha! Weren’t you briefed about this shoot’s theme—steaming sexy but classy?”

But I have nothing else underneath the denim jacket but the lacy ivory bra she had provided me earlier. Now I realize why she insisted of me changing into these super tight brassieres.

“You want me to pose almost naked?”

Donnie notices my distress that he quickly approaches me and explains. “Angel, this is part of the modeling job.” His voice kept calm and low.

“I am not a model, so I am not obliged to do something like this.”

“But you are today. Listen, you are doing this for the company, and this we take with paramount gratitude. This will not be forgotten.”

Why do I hear greater work benefits singing into my ears when Donnie said that?

A light touch at my elbow suddenly pushes me to turn to my right.

“What seems to be the problem?” Colin is so near me that I almost feel the heat his body is emanating and smell the pungent fragrance of oil which Kim and the team spill over his skin.

“Everything is fine, Colin,” replies Donnie, smiling. “Is it, Angel?”

I nod.

“Are we good now?” Pablo starts as he sets the camera stand a few inches away from where it used to be.

Donnie makes a thumbs-up sign and proceeds to where Paige and Ms. Ross have been watching us. They all look at me like their lives depend on me.

“Angel?” Colin’s fingers reach for my face and brush the heat off my cheeks. But it only made the burning worse.

I pull back, shunning his hand.

“I am sorry you have to get involved in this mess,” he whispers. “I know it’s new to you and it feels absolutely unnerving. I’m going to help you. Just trust me, okay?”

How will I do that?

How will I easily make this whole thing work like a walk in the park?

“Do you trust me?”

The genuineness is overflowing that I am forced to withdraw my skepticism.

“Good,” he states after I nod. “Just follow my lead. You don’t have to put much effort. Leave the rest on me, okay?”

The music in Calum’s Disco Bar strikes through my head like large pins. The alcohol has taken its toll on me that I am beginning to only see hazes of light. My head feels like to break at the point of pain. Donnie and the team declare the next three hours after the photo shoot ended a moment to savor victor. When Paige saw the photos, he was ecstatic, and he even promised Ms. Ross he’d bring the company more clients after the first batch of the magazines is distributed to the market.