Page 28 of Her Patron
“Because you need to distance yourself from this job!”
When the woman finally snapped, she damn well snapped.That baby has no idea what it’s in for. Even June shuddered, feeling like a puppy crawling into the corner with its tail tucked between its legs. “I don’t understand. Why are you punishing me? Didn’t I do a good job? This is what we both wanted…”
“It’s what we wanted, but it’s not what we need. The two can conflate sometimes.” Monique forced herself up, hands bracing against the back of the couch as she steadied herself. Onehand darted to her stomach. “You have been presented with an amicable opportunity. These women could change your life in more ways than one! I would be so stupid to simply take the money and not point out that this could be so good for youpersonally.”
“I…”
“For fuck’s sake, June, you’re over thirty years old!” Monique’s knuckles turned white against the couch. Was she sweating? Was she even okay?Oh, my God. Don’t you dare have a fucking baby on me!“Do you think you can keep doing this forever?”
June wiped tears away from her cheeks.Stop crying, dumbass.“Plenty of lesser women do this until they’re too old to screw in a light bulb, let alone some client. At least, they can be Dommes. Besides…” June snorted. “You know I want to be where you are someday.”
“Yes. Plus, you won’t make it far in this business if you don’t understand the body and the heart. I wasn’t married when I opened this place, but I had been in love for a long time. I knew what it’s like. Now I’m happily married, having the most ungrateful baby to ever gestate, and I wouldn’t change any of it if you handed me a billion dollars of my own money and said I wouldn’t have to work another day of my life. I love this job as much as you do. I also know that if you keep going on this path, it will eat you alive. Maybe you don’t mind the physical stuff, but one day you’ll wake up at forty-five, fifty-five, sixty-five and wonder what’s missing.”
“What are you saying? That I should throw away my career for one of these women?”
“I’m not telling you to do anything but think. You’ll still make plenty of money until the wedding. I need you at next weekend’s bachelor party, after all.”
“Yeah, you’re a bitch. There are going to be two dozen of the richest bastards in the world at that party, and you expect me not to work any of them?”
“I’m not the bitch here. Perspective is.” Monique shook her head. “You think I didn’t know about all the freebies you gave Sette?” Whoa, did she call Sette by her first name? “Or all those heart-to-hearts you had with Miquela? You love those women as much as they love you. Again, I’m not telling you to do anything other than have a good think about what your plans are. You’re right when you say that your biggest asset is your body in this business, but you’re getting older. Your beauty will fade, and your skills won’t be able to make up for it. You might have another decade in this gig if you stay right where you are. You think any of these other girls are going to be here this long? They’ll fly this coop as soon as they’ve made their small fortunes or decide to get married. You’re the only one here who has made it their life. That’s not a bad thing, June, but… you need to be realistic about it. You have the brains and personality to take over this place one day or run your own location. I respect you as an employee and love you as a friend. Please, think about it. You can make whatever decision you want, but give it two weeks.”
“Two weeks of not making any money…”
“If it bothers you that much, you can double your commission until then. There. Does that make up for it?”
They both knew it wasn’t about the money. It was about the power yanked from June’s grasp. No limitation had been put on her like this before… her brain told her it was ridiculous, fucked up, and so totally not fair.
Her heart heaved a sigh of relief.
Chapter 8
Sette
Sette hated not knowing whether she won the silent auction, but she had plenty to distract her. Like finishing up her final collection for Joy’s approval and shipping it up to New York for the gallery opening. She received her itinerary and forwarded it to Monique, who forwarded it to June. Dinners, brunches, press junkets, interviews with her beautiful model… June would have more of the spotlight than Sette, and that suited her fine. June was the star of both Sette’s literal show and her figurative one.
She also had her nightly phone calls to look forward to.
She was surprised when June began calling her at night. She was pretty sure that was verboten at the Manoir… and that thought was confirmed when June told Sette to keep the exchange to herself. She was not allowed to contact her, aside from the usual ways, but she called her almost every night, sometimes at a reasonable time, and sometimes after midnight, when Sette was locked away in her studio or settling into bed.The echo and splashes of water told her that June was in her bathroom every time. Probably to avoid detection.
At first, she thought these calls were supposed to be erotic in nature. Sometimes, they were, with June begging Sette to talk dirty to her… orshewould start by talking dirty to Sette. “I’ve been thinking a lot about you. I wish you could touch me. I want to feel you all around me again. Why do you only come up twice a week?”
Most of the time, June simply wanted to talk. About herself. About Sette. Could she tell her more about her favorite artists and why she liked them so much? What were some of the silliest stories from her practice? Was med school really that bad? Which was worse: organic chemistry or being without June for days at a time?
For the first time, June was free with everything about herself as well. She was frank about her father’s death and what it had financially done to her family. Her mother’s illegal activities to pay off her late husband’s death, and how it led her to prison for way longer than she should have been incarcerated. One of the reasons June found her work so alluring was that she was the master of her own business while still controlling her beautiful body.
“People always assume that because my father died and my mom’s in jail, I became some kind of prostitute. That’s such bullshit,” she said one night, her bathwater splashing with extra vigor. “Don’t they know that we come from all walks of life? That we do this for different reasons and have different goals? We’re human, like any other woman. You think I’m a normal girl, right?” Of course, Sette did. So she had an unconventional life, and they had an even more unconventional relationship… life was quirky and strange and wonderful. “I’m tired of those hurtful stereotypes. Why can’t I do this because I like it and amgood at it? Isn’t that what we’re told to do? Find a career we love and make money off it?” Sette couldn’t argue with that.
There was an underlying… issue to everything she talked about. When they met for their usual sessions, June was somewhat aloof until they wound up in her bed – or against a wall out in the backyard. It was as if something plagued her dearest June, and she was open to every aspect of her life but that one. The one thing she most wanted to experience.What’s wrong, my love? Can I do anything to make it better?Probably not. June was still a mystery in many ways.
“I wish you were going to the wedding with me,” Sette said the night before the big day. “I know you have other obligations with…”
“I’ll see you there, anyway. Don’t worry. What, you think I’ll give you the cold shoulder because I’m with her? I’m not that merciless. Besides, I want to keep you happy too, right?” June laughed. “You have to promise not to get jealous, though. She and I look good together.”
That was the worst thing she could say, and now Sette seriously thought about not going at all.Then I won’t get to see her Sunday, so…She would go for a glimpse of June and maybe a kiss.Shit, I really am a total fool in love.Sette wasn’t sure what she thought of that.
Nothing good, right now.
Sette’s relationship with weddings was a mixture of curiosity and impartiality. There was a lot of artistic value in a nicely thrown wedding, as often seen at the ones she had to attend to stay in good social standing, but at the same time…weddings.
