The Model: Part Two

Ch.13- Killing For Love

Katarina's POV

"Alright, just a few more. Tilt your head- perfect." Ruby the master of photography squats down and takes the photos of me as I lean my flat palms against the stool. My butt is on the edge and my legs are extended out. Ruby almost reminds me of Erika. I remember she looked like that when she was younger and taking photographs of people. Determined, full of passion, and focused.

"Perfect. Hold it there." She stands up and looks down as the camera is in the middle of her body and takes a few more snaps. I notice behind her are a few people from Vogue. Since this is the winter special, I guess they need these photos pronto. All of this is so natural for me. I'm so good at it, it's almost boring. But my drive is to get a Madelina back for stealing and thwarting my plans the other day. I was so close to getting Erika on my side again. I could tell in her strong body language and physical body that she still wanted me.

"Ruby, are you still not happy working for Vogue?" I ask as she nods and I am free from our long photoshoot. "But I thought you liked it?"

"Nah, but I know Hana pays big bucks for me to take your pics." She laughs and winks, sticking her tongue out.

Good practice. I try not thinking too hard on it given as though, Casey, is not someone to be used as "good practice". I simply smile and walk over to my pile of clothes, beginning to undress.

"Hi, my name is Peter. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." I look up and Peter is all smiles, his hand extended out. But what the fuck is he doing here?

"Hi, pleasure to meet you. You work at Vogue, with Madelina, don't you." I state and I watch his smile turn sour and his hand almost retract before I took it in mine firmly and smiled. I want to ask him if there's anything he needs before we start our plan but it's too open here.

"Is there something wrong with the plan." I whisper, looking around me in case anyone saw.

"No, not at all." He pulls his hand away and looks at me with earnest eyes.

"Why don't we go to lunch? I'm free, what about you?" I ask as his eyes full of flame and hate diminish slowly into a smile.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Peter leaves me to change as he gathers his things. I don't tell Ruby since she's so busy looking through the photos on the computer. One catches my eye. It was the one from earlier where I was leaning against the wall, my eyebrows knitted in confusion as I held a fake pile of snow and a rose petal.

Ruby explained that it meant a lost love. I think it's rubbish. Casey and I are perfectly fine. With Cancun as our destination this winter, what could some fake snow and flower mean to us.

~~~~

"Thank you." I say as they deliver our food.

"You never did tell me why you really hate Madelina." I poke at my ahi poke salad. Peter shrugs and looks at me after swallowing a bite of his burger.

"I never figured, besides work, to bring up why I hate her now." He replies.

"I think it's relevant to know why. Besides, I've only known her for a little amount of time. Not like you," I say and he nods his head.

"We used to be super close at work and hung out a few times." He explains. "But when I would try to pursue her, she'd shut me out. Then all of a sudden, she meets that Erika model and she's all over her. And then that douche bag, Blaise, is in her life and now she gets two different types of action."

"Are you saying it's not good enough with me?" I ask annoyed and he almost chokes on his food.

"No!" He protests and drinks water. "No, I really like having sex with you. I'd love to have a threesome though."

Ugh, typical American man.

"Anyways, why do you hate her through work?" I ask and he eats a fry angrily.

"Because she kissed ass at our job back in L.A just to get the position she has now and I can see she's trying here to move up." He grumbles like a child would when he loses and I look at the people walking by. I doubt she kissed all that ass to move up but I can certainly say she has a way with people that ticks me off.

"She kisses ass, huh."

"Yeah. I bet she kissed so much ass to get that interview for Vogue. Since I worked in the same department as her and got nearly the same ratings, I could have been a great candidate for the job." It looked like Peter wanted to add something else but held his tongue.

"Well, Peter, I think you need to try harder in ruining her career so you get that Vice President candidate job that she now has.." I reach for his hand and caress the top of it with my index finger, swirling it around gently. I just need to manipulate him just enough to have him do my dirty work and when cops start asking, I can be out of the country with my darling Casey.

"Yeah, I deserve it. I work so much harder than she does." He pulls his hand away to eat as I do the same.

"Then Peter, I think you need to also up your game a little." I explain as he frowns.

"Isn't getting her fired enough?" He asks and I shake my head.

"No way," I say. "We need to humiliate her to the point that if she doesn't get fired, we'll just force her to resign and never show her face again."

"Okay, that'll be way too easy. I like it." Peter smiles and we clink glasses, praising my brilliant idea.

~~~~

I come home and Casey has already beat me to our bed. I enter, seeing her in a pair of Calvin Klein boxers and a t-shirt. She wears her glasses and is reading a book. It's no surprise to me that she reads so I don't say anything about it.

"Good, you're home. I'd like to talk to you." Casey sets the book down and I frown as my back is turned to her. What could she possibly want to discuss?

I set my things down and begin to undress. "I'm listening." I reply and hear her get out of bed. I feel her arms suddenly spin me around and if not for her strong arms, my footing would have caused a major accident.

She plants a firm kiss on my lips and grabs my shoulders in her strong hands. I hang on for dear life as she plants another kiss and another. It's not passionate enough to turn me totally on but the more she kisses me the more I blossom and want her to take me to bed.

She pulls me upright and I kick off my heels so I'm a few inches shorter than her. I want to smile but her lips don't twitch into a smile of any sort. She holds my hand and pulls me to the bed. We both sit on the edge and she releases her grasp on me.

"I've had a lot to think today. See, I feel as though my life is constantly a job. That I'm not pleasing myself. I please you and Vogue and anyone else who needs me. I make enough for us to retire and I am happy about that. But I personally feel incomplete. Like I haven't explored myself or my desires enough."

I wipe my sweating palms on my skirt as I fear the worse to come. I know where this is going and tears threaten to fall. Casey doesn't even look at me as I stare at her. Almost a year has gone by with Casey and I and everything was great until Madelina Denzo showed up to take my Casey away.

Almost a year and Casey and I could have gotten married. Adopted a child or two and been a family like Elliott. Almost a year and I am rid of my feelings of Erika. But now the love of my life, after almost a year, is breaking up with me and I know exactly who to blame.

"I think we need a break for at least until the summer ends. We can still go to Cancun if you want but for now, until I feel like I've completed myself, we need to live separate lives." After a moment of silence and a quiet wailing of displeasure and praying to God she change things, she stands and says, "I'll take the couch."

She gets up and leaves, shutting the door behind her. I let out a silent cry. The tears falling like waterfalls down my cheeks. I get into bed and cry into the pillow. A part of me is torn apart. I feel a gaping hole in my chest and stomach. I cry so hard that I can't breath but I only continue to cry.

Eventually, I cry until I fall asleep and now, there's no going back to what I'm going to do to get my revenge.