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She gazed at him with her mouth slightly open until he squirmed. “Do you miss Felix?”
Why all the questions? “Of course, I miss Felix. I didn’t sleep well, and you startled me awake. You look nice, and it’s good to see you, but I want to go back to sleep. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I don’t have the energy to socialize. Don’t let Aunt Betty come in here, okay?”
“Where’s Felix?”
“He’s in Yorn. Or maybe he’s back at the Pierced Pretties. I’m not sure which. Why?”
“I’m just curious. Why don’t you write to him?”
“I did, but he didn’t reply. He’s busy with his family and stuff. Besides, it wasn’t forever. Can you leave me be?”
He just wanted to sleep and conserve what shred of energy he had left.
Chapter Eighteen
Felix stayed for a bit at home. He had to tell two stories when asked about work. Grandma thought he cleaned a whorehouse, and it was a high-class one, so that’s why he made so much money. He’d certainly never dare to admit to her that he was a homosexual prostitute.
Mother knew the truth, and she didn’t mind since Felix was an adult who could think for himself and make his own decisions involving his body. He certainly wasn’t giving her details. He said he’d enjoyed working for the Prince who was a good man, honest, and fun to be with.
“He knows how to make a person feel safe too,” he said, and he let Mother think what she wanted about that. He didn’t mention Lance because he didn’t want to scare her.
As he settled into spending time with Grandma, and he wasn’t afraid she’d die, an ache stayed in his gut. He enjoyed seeing his family, but he knew he’d have to go back to work at some point.
He’d rather return to the Prince, and he debated with himself about asking for another six months. Tab would keep his room open. At the same time, he didn’t want to ask Rainier for more money since he’d doubled the first amount. Honestly, he didn’t even care about the money now. He enjoyed being with one man and getting to know Rainier in a way that couldn’t be done in a few hours. Going back to work would seem so dull now that he’d been spending so much time with one person.
If he was willing to do it for free, that meant he’d broken a rule that Tab had told him when he was new. It was okay to like customers and have favorites. It wasn’t okay to grow too close because they were whores. People paid for a service, it was given, and that was it. Growing too close could lead to a broken heart.
But even though Rainier could have picked anyone, and he’d done it with a purpose in mind, Felix hadn’t felt like a toy to use and set aside. They’d enjoyed the sex, but they’d had a lot of fun outside of that too.
It was still time to move on. Felix didn’t get a letter after he sent a second one with more details and asked how Rainier was. Maybe that meant the Prince would rather simply move on with his life and cut things off nice and clean instead of dragging it out. If so, Tab was right.
Hopefully, Rainier would be all right and put on some weight. Felix hadn’t liked the way he’d barely eaten and picked at his meals during their trip. He’d spent more time moving his food around and cutting it into little pieces than actually eating.
His Mum would make sure he was okay even if she nagged and disapproved of many things. Right? Mothers are supposed to look out for their kids to some point even when they’re adults.
***
Tab said he could come back, but they wouldn’t be taking any customers for a few days. He’d decided to renovate the place, and the floors were still partially torn up. He was also quite annoyed that things were taking longer than he’d planned on because the workers were slower than molasses.
Felix went to check the bank before dinner. He’d left his stuff in his room, and as he walked down the city streets, he wished he’d see Rainier riding somewhere. Tab would say he was hooked, and it was time to let go, but after weeks, he would have been happy with a simple letter. Rainier had even said to write to him.
He still had the special note so he could get in if he ever truly needed the Prince for something, but he was sure missing him wasn’t good enough.
When the banker gave him a slip of parchment with his total, he gaped at it.
“That’s not right.”
The banker on the other side of the window in the wall swelled. “I keep meticulous records of every coin in or out.”
“I keep a little record myself, and that’s too much by several thousand.”
“That’s what I have, and I can guarantee it’s right.”
I want to see all the recent deposits and withdrawals.”
The banker let him in the back and took him to the office. Felix knew that in the far back, a set of locked doors led to the vaults, and he couldn’t go in there. The banker had a huge ledger, and he showed Felix his recent records.
Everything looked right from his memory until he got near the end. The transfer from the treasury was there, but there was a second one of another eight thousand.
