Page 138 of Blue Gold

“Pretty like you?”

“He’s much better-looking,” I said, thinking of my brother and how long it had been since I last saw him.

Vito huffed. “I doubt it.” He flicked some ash into the ashtray between us. “Anyway. How’s your ankle?”

I glanced down at my foot, moving it a bit.

“It’s much better. I can hardly feel any pain now.”

“That’s good.”

The waiter arrived with Vito’s coffee, placing it before him. Vito twisted his lips, then turned the mug so the handle would face the side and not him.

“Much better.” He smiled to himself.

Thinking now would be a good time to apologize again, I cleared my throat. “I know I already said it, but I’m so sorry for ruining your show⁠—”

Vito snorted, shaking his head while putting the coffee down. “All you did was give me a good laugh, bello. Watching your fall, well, I was the one who told you to wow them, wasn’t I?”

My cheeks heated up, and to avoid the embarrassment, I scratched behind my ear. “Well, it wasn’t one of my best moments.”

“We all fall, bello. And when we fall, it’s better to make it big.” Bringing the tip of the cigarette to his lips, he winked at me, then took a long inhale.

He truly is so kind.

“But since you brought it up.” He blew out the smoke. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?”

Then, despite having about half a cigarette left, he stubbed it out in the ashtray. I didn’t want to part ways with mine, so instead, I smoked it faster as he straightened in his chair.

“I’ll be honest, Elliot… I’m worried about you.”

My heart began to race faster, and I smiled at him nervously.

“W-why?” Waiting for his answer, I took a long puff, then another one.

“I know how demanding this industry can get at times, bello, I really do.” His lips formed a thin smile full of pity. “And lately, it looks like it’s getting to you.”

I shook my head while using my thumb to flick the ash into my water glass. “I don’t know what you mean.” My fingers trembled as I brought the cigarette to my lips and took a long inhale. “I’m fine.” I exhaled the smoke, avoiding Vito’s eyes while I did.

“Are you really?”

“Yes. Why?” Annoyance clawed at my insides, and with my cigarette all finished, I tossed the butt into the glass before me and watched it float, slowly turning the water dirty. “Did Daniel tell you anything?” I hissed, because it couldn’t be a coincidence that Vito suddenly brought this up. And when I looked up from the glass and saw the expression on his face, I knew my suspicions were right. “What did he tell you?” I snarled, anger building inside of me. “You know what, it doesn’t matter because he doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t know what it’s like being a model, and⁠—”

“And what does it mean, being a model?” Vito interrupted me.

My brows snapped together at his odd question.

“You… You know what it’s like.”

Vito smirked, crossing one leg over the other. “Luckily, I was spared the trouble of being beautiful, and the last time I checked, I lack the talent and height to be a model, so no, I do not know what it’s like.”

Embarrassed, I swallowed back my words when he went on.

“So tell me, Elliot, what is being a model like?”

Wrapping my fingers around my wrist until my index and thumb touched and created a circle, I looked down at my lap. “Being beautiful, I guess.”