Page 35 of Peasants and Kings
I blinked. “Thank you. Jase did a great job, didn’t she?”
Annika nodded. “She’s a master.” She waved me down the hallway. We passed the wardrobe room and then turned the corner. There was a door at the end of a short corridor and as we entered, the decor changed immediately. It finally looked like a hotel floor complete with numbered wooden doors.
“This floor is reserved for our girls. No clients are allowed in these rooms, even if you want them to come, so don’t bring them.”
“What happens when there’s an event at The Rex and someone wants to be with a girl for the night?” I asked. There was no end to my questions. As soon as I had one answered, a few more popped up to take its place.
“Girls only go into our clients’ hotel suites.”
“And there’s no worry about mistreatment?”
“No. Our clients are vetted. They’re screened thoroughly as a prerequisite to entering our world. These are not random men from the streets. Besides, security screens every room for cameras or anything suspicious or out of place. So you don’t have to worry about a video of your night with a client hitting the internet, and neither do they.Everythingwe do is controlled.”
We arrived at suite number twenty. She inserted a universal key into the lock and pushed the door open but made no move to step inside.
I went in and looked around, listening with one ear as Annika continued to speak.
“Key to the suite is on the coffee table next to your new cell phone. It’s been pre-programmed with all the numbers you’ll need. Genevieve is speed dial one. I’m speed dial two. You contact Gen for high-level inquiries or major problems only, and me for everything else. I’ll answer any questions you have about scheduling and the like. New clothes are in the dresser. Dinner will be brought up for you at seven. Anything you need that is standard hotel fair, dial the front desk and The Rex will see to it. Food, towels, clean sheets, etc. Got it?”
“Gen for the important stuff, you for admin, The Rex for comfort. Got it. Thank you,” I said, marveling at the decor. Cream and gray lush carpet and furniture adorned the room. I wondered what the bedroom looked like but would wait to explore until Annika was gone.
“I know this is daunting and overwhelming,” she said. “If you need to talk to someone about all of this, please know that you can talk to me.”
I said slowly, “No offense, but I hardly know you.”
She smiled.
“Sorry, I know that was rude, but I—”
“Genevieve is the Madame. She’s our boss. She’s not a Girl Scout leader. She won’t offer you platitudes or sit with you while you process thisveryout-of-the-box situation.” Her face hardened. “She won’t be there for you the morning after your first time with a client.”
“But you will be?” I pressed.
“Yes. I have a master’s in psychology with an emphasis on post-traumatic stress counseling. That’s my real job here; the rest of what I do just fills the gaps between the time I spend with the girls.”
A laugh escaped my lips. “You’re a counselor to courtesans?”
Annika’s stare was penetrating and finally she said, “Speed dial two, Sterling.”
“My name is Eden,” I corrected.
Her stare was intractable. “Speed dial two,” she repeated softly. “I’m here for you when you need me. I hope you remember that.”
With that final pronouncement, Annika closed the door, leaving me alone in a very beautiful suite with nothing but my riotous thoughts.
I set the binder down on the coffee table and reached for my new cell phone. I unlocked it and scrolled through the numbers. Genevieve, Annika, Security, and the front desk were on speed dial. I added Tiffany to the speed dial list.
I set the phone aside and then went into the bedroom. A heavy wooden bed rested in the center of the room. A matching dresser sat across from it. I opened the top drawer and the scent of lavender wafted to my nose, tickling my senses.
Lingerie and undergarments in my size were neatly folded. I pulled out a bra and panties set.
Lace. Delicate. White.
I put the garments back in the drawer and shoved it closed.
The middle drawer had pajamas. A pink satin set with a button down top and bottoms. They were classy and stylish, and not at all what I expected.
I took out the pajamas and set them on the bed. A knock on the door startled me and I went to answer it.
