Roses & Ruin

Chapter 68 (Lexi)

        Enzo looked like he was about ready to get rid of my company after only an hour or two together. He looked at the man behind the counter and said, "We'll take this one." He almost pointed with his finger right against the glass, but stopped himself this time. I had to bite my cheek not to laugh.

I think I paid more attention to the glass debacle than I even did the ring. That should say it all.

-

        3 carats weighs on my thin finger. I'm not used to wearing rings, so I can especially feel its presence here. I was back at the Rizzo residence in the back woods again with the girls to continue our lessons. Today we had those white sheets with the image of a body printed on it, tacked to trees in the distance. 

They were meant to hit the head or the heart. Even I picked up a gun today and decided to practice. Keep my skill sharp.

It was us four girls from before only with an added guest today. Sophia's sister Isabella, who is Dom's second sister. I let Sophia take over the can lesson and regurgitate what I'd said to her last time.

        The first thing that happened when we met up for lessons was the squealing attached to these ladies realizing I had an engagement ring on. They fawned. I let them. And now I'm holding a heavy glock, obscuring the weight of the diamond until it is forgotten. Well, except when the sunlight hit it and rainbows reflected from its major shine. 

Jezus, that should be considered a safety hazard when handling a deadly weapon.

I tried to stop myself from having a smoke, but after today I found myself needing one. I stepped away from the girls and fished my half crushed pack out of my bag to pull a cig and the lighter inside. 

"That's a nasty habit" Isabella pointed out for no good reason. Sophia glanced over her shoulder to see what she meant and rolled her eyes at her sister.

        "I'll have a drag" Sophia said, practically skipping over to me. "Since when do you smoke?" Giana scowled, like it was a personal offense. "I don't, not really, but when I hang out with my fancy friends in Paris they all smoke all the time. It's considered more chic" she took the cigarette from my hand and held it out with her pinky extended like it was high time for tea.

"Speaking of cigarettes...Lexi have you received the email with Sammi's photos from our shoot? They came out great" Mia interrupted. I nodded, "I did. She's talented." 

The beach shots were really nice. Black and white mostly, and I enjoyed the smudged eye makeup idea she'd had. And the tasteful nudity. There were some cool double exposure shots too. Close ups of my face.

        "She's thinking of using it as a full series in her gallery show. She'll have other work of course, but she said maybe a back wall with a multitude of the shots. We'll definitely have to go to it. You would, wouldn't you?" She asked me.

Sophia had handed me back the cigarette, so I was in the middle of a drag when she asked. I took the second to think about it. "Where would it be?" I asked her. "London, of course" she told me like I was silly for not thinking of it. 

Hm, I've been to London before on modeling jobs. I never had very much time to go be a tourist long term. I'm not making very much money though, which means Vitaly would have to buy my plane ticket. That makes me hesitant.

Mia's green eyes were big in her head awaiting an answer. She clearly wanted that answer to be yes. 

        "If it doesn't coincide with work or anything then, uh, probably" I gave a half answer so she wouldn't push the matter here. "Me too!" Sophia linked arms with Mia. "It'll be a girls trip. How fun" she said, then paused. 

"Uh, of course you ladies are welcome to join" Mia turned polite. Isabella barely even glanced at Mia, which I found odd since she's in a long term relationship with her brother.

Giana took the opportunity to be bitchy, which surprised none of us. "We don't have to pretend to be friends because we're taking lessons together. We aren't suddenly the sisterhood of the traveling pants here" she turned her nose up at us. 

Mia sighed, Sophia rolled her eyes, Isabella bit her cheek, and me? I laughed. All eyes shifted to me. "Sorry, sisterhood of the traveling pants. That was good" I chuckled again. Surprisingly the other girls came around and sort of laughed too.

        "Anyways, any work coming up Lexi?" Mia came closer to me and started a conversation while the other girls went back to their lessons. "A few minor things. Makeup campaign and what not" I told her. I felt compelled to ask her the same. It'd be a dick move not to. Her smile said it all.

"Oh yes, a ton of stuff. Karl will be back in New York soon, and I'm excited to see what work he brings with him. He's unpredictable, that one. Anything could spring up at any time. Plus Fashion Week is a couple months away. Have you ever participated in something like that?" She asked me. I laughed. 

"I wish. That's pretty hard to get invited to. You have to stand out, which I don't" I admitted the truth of it. I could see Mia was thinking. 

        "I think you've got a wonderful face and elegant body. You'd look great on a runway. I can't promise anything, but I'll float your name around. Send me a portfolio" she offered. This is it. This was the opportunity I wondered if I'd ever come across after meeting Mia. It's all about the people ya know.

"That's a very kind offer. Don't force anyone's hand though. I'd like to excel because of talent and not favors. I want to earn it" I told her. She nodded in understanding. 

"Of course not. I'll let your portfolio speak for itself. I promise" she swore to me. Perfect. 

I do want to feel the satisfaction of earning something that's only for myself. Not only so I can live independently on my own form of income, but because it's something I've never let a man have a hand in. I intend to keep it that way.

-

        I was at Enzo's apartment with Mrs. Rizzo and Mia doing wedding stuff. I was dreading it, but Mrs. Rizzo kept reaching out to her son asking when I might start looking into the details to start planning. Enzo begged me to put him out of his misery and just do it already. Now I'm in my misery.

Worse than the planning is the fact that Enzo and Anthony just arrived home together, and I'm forced to share a kitchen table with the very chatty Mia and Anthony as they clearly flirt in front of my face. 

I could hear them 'catching up' on each other's lives and they'd just been laughing about a shared memory. I thought Anthony no longer spoke to Mia because of the drama. Apparently having us all shoved together on multiple occasions has brought about a new formed relationship again. 

Didn't she break his heart? Why is he still all heart eyes for the girl? It was pissing me off.

        "How many bridesmaids do you think you'd have?" Mrs. Rizzo interrupted my shittalking inside my own head. I turned to her instead of glaring at the sides of Mia and Anthony's heads. "That depends if Vitaly is actually bringing my family over here from Russia for this or not" I wasn't sure how seriously Vitaly would be taking this. He's treating it like a real wedding because 'Petrov's should be respected' blah blah.

"If he does then I'd want my little sister Mila and my best friend Sasha to be in the wedding with me. I don't know anyone else in America unless I wanna make my agent my maid of honor" I made a sarcastic joke and chuckled. 

Mrs. Rizzo tried to hide that she was appalled at the idea.

        "Well, it's the joining of two families. I'm sure Giana would be honored to be a bridesmaid" she offered. Giana would cuss her mother out if she knew she was being volunteered. Still, I don't know who Enzo wants in his wedding, so it is a possibility he'd want his sister involved. He already mentioned Anthony being his best man, so fuck me sideways with that one.

"Oh Lexi, we're friends now! If you need anyone to stand in as a bridesmaid I'd be honored" Mia jumped to it. I've known the girl all of ten minutes and she wants to be in my wedding. Then again I've known the groom for all of five minutes, so what's the difference?