Page 7 of Worthy: Cassius and Faith

“The problem is, how do we manage this?” Gina asked. “Because now we have an unhappy member who will be forced to watch the girl of his dreams be with other clients.”

“But that’s life,” I said, even though I knew that if I were in Elias Cartwright’s shoes, I would absolutely lose my shit. “If he’d met Macy on a dating app, and she’d ultimately rejected him, he’d still be forced to deal with her seeing other men.”

“He wouldn’t see her having sex with other men,” Gina corrected me. “It’s not the same.”

I sighed. “Offer him a full refund for his platinum purchase, and if he wants to leave the club, reimburse him the full fee. I’m not firing Macy for this—it’s her life and her choice. I don’t want the other girls thinking that they’ll be punished if they deviate from what the members want.”

“I agree with that, Mr. Blackwood. I think that’s the right choice.” Gina nodded. “I’ll speak with Mr. Cartwright and Macy this morning and have him sign another nondisclosure before I refund him his money.”

“What else has been happening with the employees? I need to know everything,” I said.

“For the most part, it’s been relatively smooth sailing,” the Madam responded. “I had to change some room assignments because of squabbling, but it wasn’t a big deal. There was some initial jealousy within the ranks about the platinum girls, but it’s resolved since everybody’s been bought out. It might happen again when the new hires arrive, but I’ll be prepared this time.

“The dungeon’s been a massive success, and I have to credit Tate for a large part of that. She’s played her role well and captured the attention of our more mainstream members,” she continued. “I’d like to give her a bonus if you’d agree.”

“Absolutely,” I said. “Make it equivalent to a double-platinum number. She’s earned it—I’ve heard rave reviews from our members. She’s an important part of our team and should be rewarded.”

Gina beamed at me. “Tate will be thrilled. Thank you, Mr. Blackwood.”

“My pleasure.”

Gina rifled through her papers. “We began our mandatory testing this morning, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

I steeled myself. “Yes, I’m aware.”

“All of the girls have maintained perfect health. There’s no evidence of any infection, and all of the pregnancy tests came back negative.” Gina raised her gaze to meet mine. “Except for one.”

“Except for one.” I squared my shoulders. “I’ve decided to buy out Faith’s contract. I’ve already discussed it with my brothers.”

Gina nodded. “Of course, Mr. Blackwood. I can have the paperwork drawn up immediately.”

“Thank you.” I paused for a beat. “We need to make two announcements—one to the girls, one to the patrons.”

The Madam started tapping on her computer, taking notes.

“First of all, please speak to Macy and Tate privately. Those are Faith’s closest friends. I want them to hear the news first. Please tell them that I’ve bought Faith’s contract out and she’s agreed to stay with me at my home on the premises. Tell them they may visit her this week,” I said.

Faith needed to be able to speak directly with her friends. I had concerns about Macy’s response to Elias Cartwright’s offer, but there was little I could do. Faith shouldn’t be isolated. I wouldn’t keep her from the other girls.

“I’ll let them know, Mr. Blackwood,” Gina said. “What should I tell the other girls?”

“The truth,” I said. “Tell them that Faith and I wanted more interactions above and beyond our allotted three, so I bought out her contract. She’ll be staying with me for the time being.”

Gina nodded, fingers flying over her keyboard. “What about the members? What would you like to say to them?”

“I’ll send out a private video message to our members. And I’ll also tell them the truth—I wanted to pursue things with Faith past what was allowed by the club rules. Therefore, I bought out her contract.”

“Are you also going to address the altercation last night?” Gina asked in a neutral tone.

So much had happened that I’d all but forgotten that I’d brawled in the dungeon last night. One of the patrons had put his hands on Faith, and I’d come unhinged. “Was he okay—the other guy?” I hadn’t bothered to follow up.

“He’s fine,” Gina said. She didn’t look at me as she continued to type. “He said he loves the club, so he’s not filing a lawsuit and won’t press charges. His nose is broken, though.”

“Fuck,” I said, even though the bastard deserved it. “Please offer to pay his medical bills and tell him that when the new virgins arrive, we’ll reserve one for him. He can enjoy a platinum membership free of charge.”

“Yes, Mr. Blackwood,” Gina said.

She finished typing, and the office got quiet. When I didn’t speak, she said, “Concerning Faith’s test…”

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