The Contract - Stella Gray Page 0,1

starting to pound. “They’re on billboards, they have counters in every department store, and they have a huge international presence. I use some of their products myself.”

“That’s actually perfect,” Austin says. “Because we like your look for their campaign, Brooklyn. A lot.”

He moves opposite me and takes a seat in his chair. My pulse is racing so fast now, I can barely breathe. A contract with Maxilene would set me up for the rest of my entire career.

“That’s amazing to hear,” I manage.

Austin steeples his fingers. “Of course, we have a hundred other girls that would also be a good fit. Girls that we already represent. So…”

He watches me closely as he speaks, gauging my reaction, which is hard for me to contain. My initial excitement fizzles into confusion and uncertainty, and it’s difficult to keep my face from showing it. Just like that, any idea of an upfront contract with Elite vanishes. The saying, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is” pops into my head.

Still, I try to keep my smile pasted on. “Why did you mention it to me, then? I mean, there’s no point in being coy—I’d love to work with you if that’s what’s on the table, but it sounds like you might have what you need already. Is there another reason for this interview?”

“Maybe,” Austin says. “But that all depends on you.”

“O…kay. Can you be a little more specific?”

This industry routinely chews models up and spits them out. I should be used to the ups and downs by now, but this is the strangest lead-on I’ve ever had. He’s still weighing me up though, seeming to be considering something, his head tilted to the side. A glimmer in his eye makes me think there’s a lot more to his decision than just my face.

“I saw on your resume that you’ve done a lot of work in Chicago,” he says, pivoting.

I nod, my brows drawing together. “That’s right. I started working when I was still in high school, so I stayed close to home for a few years.”

“Ever had the chance to work with KZ Modeling?” he goes on.

My scalp tingles a little. I’m not sure how to answer. Of course I’d dipped my toes in the KZ waters that one night with Luka Zoric, but it hadn’t ended well for me. I really want a contract with Elite, though, so I can’t get into all that. I’d only make myself sound naïve.

I bend the truth slightly. “I had the opportunity for representation, but I turned it down so I could come out here. I wanted to branch out. See new places.”

His eyebrows arch as he leans back in his chair with a knowing nod of his head. “Probably a good thing. You dodged a bullet there.”

“Yes.”

I know he’s referring to the prostitution scandal that rocked KZ, but I don’t need or want to get into the details or participate in any industry gossip.

“What do you think of them now?” he prods. “Have they really cleaned up their act?”

I spread my hands in a gesture of uncertainty. Why does he think I would know? My sole experience with KZ Modeling consists of the one-night stand I had with Luka years ago—during which he made false promises of a contract in order to get me in bed. And there lies the beginning and end of my interaction with KZM.

By all accounts, the Zorics have recently gone full speed ahead in trying to clean up their image publicly, starting with a name change and a rebranding campaign. But as much of a douche as Luka is, I can’t see him or his family carrying on with any sex trafficking now that their patriarch is in prison. I’m sure they’re fully committed to keeping their hands clean.

“They seem to be on the up-and-up,” I say. “I wouldn’t know the full details, of course.”

Austin dips his head. “Of course.” He pulls a document from a folder on his desk and sets it facedown on the top. “KZ Modeling, or should I say Danica Rose Management, is exceptionally vulnerable right now. With all the bad PR and a slew of models breaking their contracts with the company, they’re going to have a difficult time staying afloat. In fact, their first quarter returns were frankly pretty dismal. You’ve heard about all of that, I’m sure.”

“I have,” I admit. “Though the majority of the models were happy to sign on with Danica Rose under new terms. I imagine they’ll bounce