Enticed:A Dangerous Connection (Secrets) by Melody Carlson Read Free Book Online Page A

might want to try with it, and I promise to text her from the agency to let her know how the interview’s going. And before we finally hang up, she wishes me good luck and she sounds sincere. Michelle may be a skeptic, but she’s still my best friend and I know she has my best interests at heart.
    I’m so excited about tomorrow that it’s impossible to get to sleep, so I do some Internet surfing, reading up about professional models and the industry in general, in the hopes that I’ll learn how to speak their language before my big day. As I’m reading that the secret to one model’s success is drinking lots of water, eating fresh fruit and veggies, and getting plenty of sleep, I finally realize that it’s after midnight. What if I show up looking tired and pasty with bags under my eyes tomorrow? So I force myself to go to bed, and counting backward from a thousand, I finally feel myself falling asleep.
    When I wake up, it’s almost nine thirty and Mom has already left for work. I feel a little guilty that I never got to tell her about today’s appointment, but there’s no time to worry about that now. I have only an hour to get myself completely ready for this important day. Feeling like I’m on fast speed, I hurry to get my hair and makeup right and then I put on the sleeveless black dress, and to my relief it looks rather sophisticated. Very Audrey Hepburn. And I’m sure Mrs. Norbert would approve.
    Also, I’ve been practicing walking and sitting, and I really feel like I’m ready. I follow Michelle’s advice and keep the accessories simple. Just my silver locket and my fake diamond-stud earrings. But to give this outfit a little zing, I put on the red high-heeled shoes, and the effect is just right. If this doesn’t wow Marcia and Bryce, then maybe I’m just not cut out for this biz.
    With my faux Kate Spade purse, which is the same shade of red as my shoes, I stand outside the apartment complex, feeling a bit conspicuous and overdressed. But thankfully, the black SUV, just like Marcia described yesterday, pulls up and a tall man wearing a dark jacket steps out. “You must be Miss Simi Fremont.” He smiles at me, revealing a shiny gold tooth.
    “Yes,” I say nervously. “I am.”
    “And I’m Rod. Your driver today.” He opens the back door, takes a little bow, then waves for me to go inside. Feeling very much like a princess, I climb into the vehicle. It’s a late-model SUV with leather upholstery, tinted windows, and video players behind both front seats. An expensive ride, but nice.
    Music plays quietly and Rod doesn’t say anything as he drives me through town and then onto the freeway, and although I consider making small talk with him, I’m not sure about the proper protocol with a driver. Instead I just lean back and enjoy the ride. I could so get used to this.
    When he exits the freeway, I’m not exactly sure where we are and I didn’t notice the signs, but it doesn’t seem like we’re in Los Angeles yet. And now I’m surprised to see that he’s driving through what looks like a run-down industrial neighborhood. “Is the studio around here?”
    “It’s not too far.”
    As he continues down a street that doesn’t look the least bit stylish, an uncomfortable rush of panic surges through me. Where am I? And who is this dude? Something feels wrong here. What if I’m being kidnapped?
    Then I tell myself to stop being paranoid and ridiculous. Rod is just taking me to the agency. Maybe it’s a shortcut. Michelle has probably had too much influence on me over the years. She always thinks the boogeyman is around the next corner. But as I survey the graffiti and trash Dumpster and some beat-up cars, I’m not the least bit reassured. What is going on?
    “This seems an odd location for a modeling agency,” I venture in a hesitant voice. “Or is this a shortcut?”
    “Don’t worry,” he says lightly. “They use this big warehouse to do their photo shoots and screen tests and all