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“Why so low for me compared to you? What is it they like?”
“I was a runway model for a few years. That gets me some clout. You’re a lawyer, and forgive me, but there are plenty of people who do not like lawyers.”
June nods and shrugs. “Are the men … gross or desperate or something?”
The thought of some other man with his hands on her … renting her … it boils my blood. This cannot be happening. I won’t allow it.
Camille laughs. “No, not at all. Well, some of them aren’t the most attractive, others are well past their prime. But they’re respectful and appreciative of us.”
“These guys,” Callie says, “they’re wealthy enough to do this. So, why resort to it?”
“People pay for company for all kinds of reasons. The transactional nature means it’s honest?—"
“Honest?” she asks incredulously. “They’re paying you to pretend to like them.”
“Sometimes. But it’s not like going on a date where he’s not sure why the other person is there. For men of a certain echelon, it’s hard for them to know if someone likes them for them or for their money. Difficult to build trust that way. So, when he pays for a night, he knows precisely why we’re there, and so do we. But it’s not always for physical intimacy.”
June frowns at that. “What else?”
“One year, a man asked me to simply hold him while we talked about his life. It was my favorite. Not that I don’t enjoy the other kinds of attention, but it was different. Sweeter.”
June turns to Callie. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“If you want to do it, I stand by you.”
She takes a moment, then chugs Callie’s drink. “I want to do this.”
“Good. Because the auction is about to start,” Camille says. “Let’s go.” The three of them leave the bar, and I follow.
There is no way on this Earth that I will let some other man pay to put his paws on June Devlin. Tonight, she’s mine.
“Thought we weren’t leaving yet,” Tag says from behind me.
Fuck. I force a smile on when I turn around, but I keep an eye on where the women went to. I had been invited to take part a couple of times over the years, but I am not sure where it is held. The mansion is expansive. I’d never been interested before now—it seemed in poor taste. But at the moment, I don’t care. June will not fall into some other man’s clutches.
Now to cook up a lie. “I just saw someone I have to speak to. Work stuff. Don’t wait up.”
“Another merger?”
If I play my cards right. “It remains to be seen. I won’t bore you with the details.” Knowing what I know now about the woman in the naked dress, I wonder how it went. “You and the bony woman in the nude dress? Did you get her number?”
“Nah. She’s taken.”
Not yet. “Too bad. Talk to you tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Good luck with your work thing.”
“Thanks. I’ll take all the luck I can get.”
-
Chapter 6
JUNE
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Callie says enthusiastically.
