She looked out for her staff too, adding security on site, a stringent client screening process, and touches like our keys including a panic button, where before we’d just had to hope everything turned out fine.
We were safer, made more money, and our clients were happier since she’d taken over. And she never let us forget it.
“You’re thanking me for convincing his people you could handle this.”
“Oh. Thank you for appropriately articulating my skills. I appreciate your honesty.” I made it clear that she didn’t do me any special favors. She was like the fucking Godfather when she felt you were indebted to her. I’d earned the skills and the reputation to be capable of this job all on my own.
“I expect the house to take its usual commission despite it being an unconventional arrangement…”
Ophelia cut in before I could say anything. “Bullshit. As her attorney, I’m squashing that thought right now.The housecan negotiate some kind of ‘finder’s fee’ with the client’s team if the house so chooses, but none of this arrangement will be conducted here, andyoushould be payingherfor taking one for the team.”
Victoria was visibly irritated, but I could only tell because I knew her expressions so well.
“House takes five percent,” I said. It was a much lower cut than she would usually take, but higher than she probably deserved since I would be the one doing all the work without using dungeon resources. “Your cut is in gratitude for bringing me the client…and for rescheduling and keeping all of my clients happy for the next month.”
Now she looked apoplectic, which for Victoria meant her mouth was a tight line and her head cocked a minuscule amount to one side. “I would fire anyone else for announcing they were taking a month off out of the blue.”
Ophelia let out a short burst of laughter at the very idea. No one was irreplaceable, but replacing me would be a customer service nightmare. Some of my clients had been seeing me three times a week for years.
Victoria ignored her. “You’re supposed to be mentoring the new girl. And your regulars will be displeased. Why can’t you do both?”
“Based on our discussion this afternoon, it’s fine for me to be a sex worker, as long as I’m exclusivelyhissex worker for the time I’m under the microscope. Next time you decide to scheme with the enemy, you should make sure you’ve got all the info. It’ll be all right. I haven’t taken a sick day or a vacation in five years. Tell my regulars whatever you need to. I’ll make sure their files are updated for my substitutes and I’ll be available to answer questions if any of the girls need me.”
“Fine,” she agreed, to my surprise. She wasn’t a woman who usually compromised. She must’ve really wanted the deal to work out. “Your client is in the parlor for his interview.”
Ophelia and I glanced at each other to get silent confirmation we were both ready and then headed down the hall to meet a client who was new to the dungeon. Interviews were one of the toughest parts of our job. You had to lay out guidelines for the session while getting people to confess their deep, dark desires without scaring them away.
“Wanna guess?” she asked me.
“I always win. Why do you even try?” I tried and failed to hide my smug smile.
“Because one day I’m going to beat you.”
We popped into the security suite on our way, pulling his file and taking a minute to scope him out on the surveillance footage. He hadn’t given an indication of what his session would be beyond that he was submissive and wanted both of us to top him for an hour.
I watched him closely for a moment. “You guess first. I don’t want to hear you whining about how I stole your guess again.”
She squinted at the screen as though a clearer picture might give her the answer. “Trampling.”
I managed to keep a straight face.
“Then you lose once again because that man is so clearly into puppy play.”
“Bullshit.” She tossed the file down. “Let’s go find out.”
“Every fucking time.You guess what they’re into every single time. You have to be cheating. How did you know he was into puppy play?” Ophelia plopped down across from me in a booth at our favorite after-work hangout.
“It’s my superpower.” I laughed aloud at how indignant she looked.
Our spot to decompress was the cafe attached to the library down the street from the dungeon, which also meant I could exchange books regularly. Reading was one of my greatest joys and the older I got, the less I felt the need to apologize for being happier in the company of books than most people.
“You should have your own TV show,” she said. “We’ll call it Lady Elena: Sex Psychic. I would totally watch it.”
If there was any justice in the universe, Ophelia would’ve withered on the spot in the face of the look I shot her, but all she did was blink innocently at me and pop another french fry into her mouth.
“I’m not dignifying that with a response.” I slid my plate of fries back to my side of the table. “What was your client’s deal when we were leaving? He didn’t exactly look like he was trying to schedule a follow-up from the way he was yelling at V.”
She cackled and my lips automatically quirked in an answering smile.
