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Aw, damn. I instantly feel bad and shove Vanessa off of me.
“Sorry, Elena, sorry!” I shout. “One second while I get decent.” I get off the bed and reach for the blanket to wipe myself clean, then redo my fly and straighten out my shirt. I glance at Vanessa, who scrambles for the shirt I’d discarded earlier.
“Okay, it’s safe!” I say. “Come in.”
I should have stopped by Elena’s room first, but I’d been so focused on figuring out just what Damien saw in Vanessa that I’d forgotten.
I shoot Vanessa a glare. “If you do anything to upset her, you’ll see where I really sit on the creepy scale.”
She pulls the shirt on and quickly buttons it, then pulls the dirty sheet up to her waist. She nods to me, and I eye her for another moment right as the door opens.
9
VANESSA
Idon’t know what to expect from this…Elenaperson. I only know that Giulio and Stef had mentioned her before. Now I’ve gotten two warnings not to upset her, and I worry about what kind of woman she is for her to have special standing here.
My eyes widen when she steps into the room. She’s a shorter, slim woman, with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a long skirt.
Her face is also entirely disfigured, with scars all over. I can’t tell how old she is, because whatever age markers might have been there are hidden by the scar tissue.
Giulio walks over to her and kisses her on the cheek in greeting. “Hey, great timing. There’s still some leftover sushi. I got the good stuff.” He looks at me, then back to Elena. “Why don’t we head to your room instead?”
Elena shakes her head. “No, I thought… after what you mentioned the last time, I’d like to meet Vanessa? If that’s all right.”
I blush, embarrassed that the first time I’m meeting this woman is right after Giulio finished fucking me. I didn’t even get the chance to put the panties back on. I have the sheet, though, which I tuck around my waist to keep from flashing her. “Hi, Elena,” I say, fidgeting. “It’s… nice to meet you.”
Giulio shrugs. “Sure, why not. Might as well. Hold on, I’ll go grab a chair for you.” He pats Elena on the shoulder and heads out. A second later, I can hear him yelling, “Hey! Paul! I need an extra chair!”
Elena laughs a little and shakes her head. “I could have sat on the floor.” She walks over to the bed and bends down to pick up one of the sushi trays. “Ooh, it even has fatty tuna! He really did get the good stuff.”
I don’t know what to make of the ease in which she moves into my room and goes for the sushi. She’s obviously important here, though I can’t help but wonder how someone with her scars has managed to gain anyone’s respect. The thought makes me feel a little guilty, but don’t they only care about looks?
I don’t know what to say to her. I wouldn’t know what to say to anyone who walked in here right after Giulio and I… had sex.
“You don’t need to sit on the floor,” I finally say. “I can get out of the bed, if you’d like, but it’s…” I look down at the sheet, my cheeks heating. “It’s a little messy,” I mumble.
“On account of the sex,” Elena says matter-of-factly. “Oh, don’t look so embarrassed. We all know what goes on around here.”
There’s an almost bitter quality to her voice, which makes me think she’s very personally acquainted with the activities in this establishment. Did she look like that when she started working here? Or was that the work of one of the clients, or worse—one of the management?
I’m saved from having to answer by Giulio returning with the chair. He sets it down next to the bed, waiting for Elena to sit, then sits down on the bed himself. He wraps one arm around my shoulder, pulling me close into a mockery of an embrace.
“How was your day?” Giulio asks. “Donny or Paul give you any shit?”
Elena deftly uses the chopsticks to eat one piece of sushi, then shakes her head. “No. Paul ignores me now. Donny did ask me to talk to one of the girls, but I don’t know what I could say to her.”
“Aw, come on. You’ve got loads of experience. You could help any of the girls figure out how to adjust.” Giulio rubs my arm casually. “Or, y’know, I could put you up somewhere else. You don’t have to stay here anymore.”
If I were her, I’d be bristling at the comment about havingloadsof experience. I wouldn’t want that reminder. She doesn’t even seem to notice it, though, instead only shaking her head. “No, thank you. I’m comfortable here.”
Giulio is giving her the option to leave, and she’s choosing to stay here? I cast her an incredulous look.
“Well, let me know if you change your mind. I could get a condo in the same building me and Damien are in.” He chuckles. “I mean, there aren’t any vacancies right now, but we’ll figure that part out.”
“Giulio,” she says, with minor disapproval in her voice before she eats another piece of the sushi. “I’m fine here. You don’t need to force someone out of their home for my sake.”
“Forceis such an ugly word. I likecoercemore. Orentice,” Giulio says, smiling. I stare at him, surprised to hear him repeating the same things he’d said to me.
