Page 15 of Out of Reach

“To scare me into calling him,” Jude said.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

With an exasperated groan, Jude announced he was going to shower and headed for the bathroom. He was never going to convince Hawk of anything—his head was too hard. Maybe he’d just ask Ricci if he knew the score. But no. He couldn’t do that. He didn’t want to do anything to ruin his chances of working at Utopia again.

***

“Have you considered the fact that going back to working for Utopia Modeling is just delivering yourself back into Prescott’s pocket?” Hawk asked half an hour later as he eased their rental car into traffic crossing RFK bridge.

“What do you mean?” Jude asked. He’d been staring out the window for most of the drive, barely noticing the overcast skies and heavy traffic as he contemplated his meeting with Ricci. Kit, Ricci’s PA, had said Ricci wanted a contract. There couldn’t be any mistake about that. Could there?

“I mean that by giving you your modeling career back, he’s essentially got a hold on you again,” Hawk said.

Frowning, Jude turned in the seat to look at the man beside him. “I’m a good model, you know. Sam may have given me a leg up, but he couldn’t have taken just anyone off the street and made them successful. I was really going somewhere before the breakup.”

“I’m not disputing that. But you have to see that he holds all the cards where your career’s concerned.”

“Ricci’s not going to keep hiring and firing me at Sam’s whim. I’ll make it so he can’t. You’ll see.”

He heard Hawk’s sigh but ignored it, staring out the window again until they pulled into the underground garage of the building that housed Utopia Modeling Agency.

CHAPTER TEN

Hawk

No matter what Jude said about Prescott not wanting him dead, Hawk wasn’t taking any chances. He stuck to him like glue as they walked across the plush gold and white lobby, past a row of large, glossy photos of different models in various poses, toward the private elevators of Utopia Modeling.

“You’ll be having lunch with Mr. Ricci on the roof,” Ricci’s assistant explained as they stepped onto the glass elevator. The ascent up eighteen floors afforded an eye-catching view of downtown Manhattan under gray skies.

The elevator doors swished open, and Hawk stepped off first, eyes assessing the area before he motioned for Jude to follow. Ricci’s assistant looked puzzled but recovered quickly and led them over to a man wearing a gray suit standing at the railing looking out over the city. When he turned, Hawk saw that the man was in his fifties and had a very dark, very even tan. Hawk had done his research—Ricci’s agency had buildings in Milan and Paris as well as New York City and Los Angeles. No question he was a big deal. Hawk understood what this meeting meant to Jude, and he felt bad for having brought up Prescott’s role in it back in the car. But Jude had to face facts—as long as a modeling career was the most important thing to him, Prescott would easily be able to pull the strings in his life.

“Jude,” Ricci said in heavily accented English—Italian?—before kissing him on each cheek. “So wonderful to see you again.” He turned to Hawk. “And you’ve brought someone?”

“I hope you don’t mind,” Jude said.

Hawk offered his hand and said, “Hawk Sterling. I’m Jude’s boyfriend.”

It was an easy lie to tell, considering how much he wished it were still true, although by the way Jude stiffened beside him, Hawk thought maybe he should have run it by him first. But Jude would have said no, and if Hawk was going to help him, he needed to be as close to him as possible. Besides, they were living together at the moment. Boyfriends made sense.

“Nice to meet you. Kit, go order another setting,” Ricci said with a flick of his finger.

He led them over to a tastefully decorated table underneath a large red umbrella. “I have ordered lunch from my sister’s restaurant, Aurora’s. Do you know it? It opened a few months ago.” He looked from Jude to Hawk.

“Yes! I’ve wanted to try it, but it’s always booked solid,” Jude gushed.

When Ricci looked at Hawk, he said, “I’m eager to try it.”

Hawk noticed there was already an extra place setting on the table, and he doubted Ricci had invited his PA to dine with him. So, he wasn’t exactly surprised when a robustly built man appeared from around the corner. Hawk had only seen pictures of Sam Prescott. They hadn’t given him a clear indication of the sense of power and entitlement the man exuded. Well into his fifties, his face was slightly weathered but still handsome, and his salt-and-pepper hair gave him a distinguished look he might otherwise not have had with his sturdy build and slightly pugnacious look.

Hawk might not have been surprised to see Prescott, but someone else definitely was.

“Sam! What are you doing here?” Jude asked.

“Baby, I’ve missed you,” Prescott said, pulling Jude into a hug that made Hawk instantly tense.

Jude pulled away. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” he said, circling the table to sit down by Hawk.

“I wanted to see you sign your contract. Who is this?” Prescott asked, looking at Hawk.