Cate
“Holy fuck, LadyCaterine,” Lady Amanda, one of my favorite and more regular clients, groans.
The air around me explodes in a deep, dark pink as Lady Amanda cries out her release. I continue to stroke her while I search for the threads, the fear and betrayal and grief that normally accompany her orgasm. But today I find nothing but peace and happiness.
I grin up at her. “You left him.”
Her own grin echoes back. “I did.”
I laugh, sliding off the bed and slipping into a robe. “Then why did you come back?”
Lady Amanda shrugs, her lithe body stretching, accentuating her gorgeous figure. “I missed your mouth, what can I say?”
I snort, tossing back my long waves and wrapping them into a loose bun. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me in a long time, my lady.”
Lady Amanda perches on her elbows. “You know I don’t botherwith that honorific nonsense. Especially not now. Titles are a thing of the past, are they not?”
So far Lady Amanda—I suppose simply Amanda now—is one of the few nobility I’ve encountered who doesn’t seem to mind her new change in station, probably because it hasn’t affected her net worth. With the Uprising’s victory officially declared, life across the provinces has begun to see change. Minor ones, because laws that have existed for over two hundred years are not so easily swiped from the books. The Gifted have not magically been granted our full rights overnight, but there is a tinge of hope in the air that has brought on a new kind of lightness.
But despite our comfortable relationship, I don’t typically talk politics with my clients. So I flash Lady Amanda a wink. “I suppose it’s a good thing my title was bestowed upon me by myself. No one can take it away.”
She laughs, pulling the silk sheets up to cover herself, making no move to vacate the bed. “I am dying—no pun intended—to see how this candidate selection process shakes out.”
I grimace, trying to hide my frown by turning toward the mirror over my dressing table. “It does seem a little odd, don’t you think? That the Uprising preached peace at us for two years, and this is the way they choose to determine the first leader of our united country?” It’s a thought I’ve voiced often since the announcement was made, to everyone from Harold to the newspaper delivery boy. So far I seem to be alone in my worries that encouraging murder isn’t the best way to begin a new chapter in Avon’s history.
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. The commoners love a little violence now and then.”
It’s a stark reminder of the gap between us. Lady Amanda has never had to worry about where her next meal comes from or if she’ll have to spend the night on the streets. Even with her affectionfor me, I will always be a commoner, and she will always be nobility, even without the title to prove it.
“But that’s enough of that dreary talk.” She pats the silken sheets of the bed, tugging the fabric down so her breasts are on full display. “Why don’t you come back over here and I’ll leave you a little tip.”
My eyes travel over the expanse of her bare skin, tempted by the offer. “I wish I could, but I’ve got a meeting with the big boss.”
“Why must the responsibilities of real life always get in the way of the fun?” Lady Amanda pouts, even as she rises from the bed and reaches for her dress. We help each other don our clothes, cinching corsets and doing up the long lines of buttons on the backs of our dresses. Hers is a sumptuous midnight blue velvet, mine a dark gray with an elegant black collar and cuffs. Normally I wouldn’t dress up for a meeting with Harold, but things have changed since Lady M has taken the helm of La Puissance.
“The club has been looking well,” Lady Amanda remarks, almost as if she can read my thoughts.
“It has.” I don’t elaborate, not wanting to get into any part of this conversation with anyone, let alone a client.
She tucks a heavy handful of gold coins into the pocket of my dress, using the moment to draw me closer and place a soft kiss on my neck. “Is it all right if I continue to see you, Lady Caterine?”
I reach down, taking her hand in mine. “We both know you no longer need my services, my lady.”
“Maybe not your Gifted services, but I certainly appreciate yourotherservices.”
“My lady…Amanda, you know my goal is to provide whatever help I can, but the truth is, you don’t need me anymore. And there are others out there who do. If you would like to continue to benefit from a sexual arrangement, there are several girls here at the club who would love to meet with you.” I squeeze her fingers gentlybefore letting our hands separate. This part of the process can be difficult for many clients, but it’s actually one of my favorite things, when the work I have done for them reaches its final payoff.
“Something tells me there’s no one out there quite like you, Lady Caterine.”
“Well, of course you’re right about that.”
We laugh and separate in the hallway, her heading down the grand staircase—it’s been buffed and painted and repaired and is once again worthy of the descriptor “grand”—while I make my way to Harold’s office, my feet treading over the plush new carpet, so soft under my feet it’s like walking on a cloud. It’s late, but the main salon is still full of people, the sounds barely contained in the theater. I still have time for more clients, but the day has been a long one, and I would rather end on a high note.
I will miss working with Lady Amanda. She was as kind as she is wealthy, an unusual combination, even if she was a little out of touch.
I tap on the thick mahogany door at the end of the hall and wait for Harold to grant me permission to enter. It’s an action I’ve taken on so many nights before this, but nothing about our visits feels the same anymore. Now, not just Harold greets me from behind his massive desk; he is joined by Lady M.
On the surface, her addition to the club has brought nothing but positives. Repairs have been made, electrical lighting has been installed on the stage, new girls have been offered refuge, and the main salon is full to the brim every night. Everyone at La Puissance—including Harold—is prospering. The girls, and everyone else who lives and works at the club, seem to love Lady M, showering her with praise and gratitude whenever she blesses us with her presence.
