Avoiding Intimacy (Avoiding #2.5)(14)

Cassandra repeated slowly.

“Oh.”

“You are very good, and you don’t even quite know it yet. I think you would fit nicely into our collection,” she told her confidently.

After headlining Glam Ball, this woman wanted her to go be just another girl in her collection. Was she mad? She wanted…no, she needed to be showcased.

Chyna craved it now. Marco had spoiled her, and at that moment, she knew it.

“I’m sure it doesn’t sound like much to you,” Cassandra continued eyeing her as if she had dealt with a thousand other divas.

“However, I believe if you’d consider it, you’d realize it’s a wonderful opportunity.”

“Um…yes…well, thanks,” she said, finishing off her Champagne. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure what I’m going to be doing this fall…if I’ll even be modeling.”

“You’ll be modeling,” Cassandra said as a matter-of-fact.

Chyna didn’t even bother asking her how she knew. She hardly stuck with anything long enough, even when she had loved many, many things. Perhaps modeling would die out for her as well.

Though, the thought felt like a lie even when she was thinking it.

“I appreciate your confidence, but I just haven’t decided about this fall yet.”

Cassandra tilted her head to the side as if she didn’t understand. She looked half like she wanted to laugh and the other half like she was taken aback. Her reaction was perplexing to say the least. Chyna had been modeling for all of a month and a half, but she had been around it her entire life. She had never heard of a Cassandra in the fashion industry. It didn’t mean that she didn’t exist. It just meant that she wasn’t important.

“Well, I can’t say I’ll save a spot for you, but if you change your mind, do give me a call,” Cassandra finally told her.

“I’ll do that,” Chyna said dryly.

Cassandra did laugh this time. At what, Chyna had no clue. Cassandra turned on her heel then and slowly began to slink back to where she came from.

“Wait!” Chyna called, glancing around to make sure she wasn’t disturbing anyone. “You didn’t tell me how to reach you.”

Cassandra turned back to face Chyna without a trace of laughter left in her eyes.

“Just ask Marco.”

“Great,” she muttered under her breath as Cassandra walked away. She had all but turned down a job offer without a consolation prize from Marco, and the only way she knew how to get in contact with this odd Cassandra woman was through the one person who would want to keep her away from anyone else. Not that she had any intention of taking some lame collection-modeling gig. She could do better than that, and she would.

When she glanced back up, she found Marco striding in her direction. She placed her empty Champagne glass on the tray of a passing waiter and braced herself for impact.

“My little star,” he murmured softly as soon as he reached her. “You’ve been gone much too long.”

“Hardly any time at all,” she corrected.

“You had company,” he stated plainly.

Somehow, she heard the threat in his voice.

“Everyone wants to marvel at your genius. It seems you have had another successful event,” she said, playing to his ego when all she wanted to do was bruise it.

“Of course it was, but what were you doing talking to her?” he asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the center of the dance floor. He leaned in closer, so they wouldn’t be overheard.

“She was talking to me,” Chyna said, trying to pull out of his grasp.

“Why would she talk to you in the first place?” he growled, his brown eyes boring into her.

Chyna glared back at him, wanting none of this attitude right now. “What does it even matter? No one can talk to me?”

Marco laughed lightly at her. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not being ridiculous,” she said, turning her chin and facing the other direction. She was tired of the game, and she just wanted to know what was going to become of all of this. Was he going to offer her the job or not? If only she could just ask him.

“You’re getting all worked up. While I like that, it is entirely unnecessary in this situation, and you should maybe hold on to that energy for later. You’re going to need it,” he said, running a hand down her arm.

“I’m not the only one getting worked up,” Chyna responded.

“Nor will you be later.”

“So, why shouldn’t she be talking to me?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Marco laughed again at her ignorance.

“Don’t you know who that is?”

Chyna hated admitting her lack of knowledge, but she shook her head.

“She kept her maiden name despite her marital status,” he said, clearly enjoying drawing this out for her. “Cassandra Corsa.”

Cassandra Corsa. Chyna was floored, destroyed, and totally dumbfounded.

“She is Clarice Corsa’s granddaughter and the owner of the Corsa fashion line.

She’s one of the wealthiest women in the world.”

And, Chyna just turned her down for a job. Fuck!

CHAPTER 4

MARCH FOUR MONTHS EARLIER

“Why?