31. Melissa

CHAPTER 31

MELISSA

THE SAME DAY – FINDING MY PLACE

C arefully lifting the photographic paper out of the developing fluid, I pinned up another photograph to dry.

I was in a small basement room, which was once a large storage cupboard, now converted as my darkroom with Miki's approval. Marko had also set up a desk for me in the corner of his outer office, where Luca, Daniel, and others worked. This setup allowed me to work on my digital projects and course assignments comfortably, and my sexy Russian said he enjoyed having me nearby, which was sweet.

Working in the darkroom was amazing. While I made many digital prints, I had several old-style cameras that required film, and I loved taking photographs with them and developing the negatives. Recently, I spent a lot of time there, especially when I wasn't in college, developing photographs for my final portfolio and my very first show.

The Glowacki's were hosting several business associates and some family from Poland soon and wanted something small but interesting. An exhibition of my work was Sonia's idea, and she and Marcie were helping me plan it. Over the past few weeks, I had built a relationship with all the women in the house, getting to know them well through using them as models.

Marcie was particularly supportive, offering helpful tips on how to pose the models and suggesting interesting locations for the shoots. Sonia, being naturally glamorous, enjoyed modelling and made a great subject. Nonna, with her ageless elegance, brought a unique charm to the photographs. Using the house's beautiful grounds and various Rominov properties, especially Glitz, provided stunning and varied backdrops, making my work even more dynamic and interesting.

The entire process of preparing for the show, from shooting to developing to planning the exhibition, was a thrilling experience. The support from everyone, especially Marko, who often checked on my progress, made it even more special. With everything coming together, I felt a mix of anticipation and nervous energy, eager to showcase my work at the upcoming event.

Even Marko's stunning aunt Marta and her stepdaughter Magdalena posed for my photos, which piqued Glowacki's interest in my work. Photographing all the men would have been great, but so far, Marko was the only male model in my collection. The black-and-white prints of him in a tux had an old-school charm that I loved.

Plans for my next set of photographs included capturing everyone in black and white, inspired by Marko's photos. The idea was to photograph them in their sports cars, at their desks, and more. Also, a themed shoot, maybe from the 1930s with old-fashioned cars, seemed like it would turn out beautifully if the family could be convinced. They usually preferred to keep a low profile in the media and were rarely seen in photographs by the paparazzi, but they had intimated they would be happier being photographed by me. Especially now they had offloaded some of their criminal activities and were not as concerned with piquing the interest of reporters or law enforcement as much.

Miki had even suggested I could be the official photographer for their businesses, while Marcie mentioned hiring me for other suitable events.

My biggest highlight so far was photographing the cover for Gracie's next book. One of Anton's men posed for the "book boyfriend" cover photo, since he fitted the character's descriptions so well. Marko was a bit jealous, and insisted on watching, but it was a great shoot. Marcie's friend, a makeup artist, enjoyed oiling up the guy's body. Without my own book boyfriend, I'd have fought her for that job because, oh my gosh, phew!

Gracie, thrilled with the pictures, even paid me. That first proper photography job left me grinning when she handed me the cash. Between that, Miki's offer, and future prospects from Marcie's business, my photography business was off to a strong start. It was so exciting and kept me busy, which helped keep my mind off worrying about the MP and his pending conviction.

The MP remained a threat until convicted, which worried me. Anything happening to Marko, his family, or the Glowacki family would be awful. They had grown on me, and fitting in here had become a joy. Finding my place in life and becoming part of the family was wonderful. Loving Marko, even after only six weeks, felt right.

We had talked about things and were now officially living together. Everything happened so fast. Normally, it might have seemed too fast, but the situation thrust us together quickly. Falling for each other felt natural. Without this situation, we might never have met, so it seemed meant to be. The future together looked promising.

The only cloud on the horizon was the time we had to wait for the MP to be brought to trial. It had us all on tenterhooks. The sooner it was over, the sooner we could breathe more easily and get on with our lives. Then Marko and I had some plans to travel for a few months. We were having great fun planning where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do.

"Better than any book boyfriend?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows, his voice filled with mirth.

My lips twitched, and I shook my head at his antics.

Marko had continued to take his challenge seriously, and every day liked to have fun with it. For such a dangerous man, he really was such a silly, sexy nerd.

"Yes, way better than any book boyfriend!" I giggled.

"Gotta keep up my reputation," he said, winking and grinning like a fool.

I continue giggling as he grabbed my hand, and we ran up the stairs.