Darcy Winters stood behind the glossy wooden front desk glaring at me as I approached. He was a trim, pretty blond man who looked a lot like his mother, only he had the attitude of a yippy terrier. He had a boyfriend, and I had no idea how he kept him. As soon as I got close enough for Darcy to speak without shouting, he said, “Do not bring me trouble today. We have a wedding this week and I’m not in the mood. The caterer is already driving me up the wall, asking to use our refrigerators.”
Grinning, I slid a photograph across the desk in front of him.
“What’s this?” he asked, jutting his chin in my direction.
“Trouble. He stole some expensive jewelry from your mother, and I want the staff to know his ugly mug. They need to tell me or her if anyone sees him around here or out in New Gothenburg. This man’s days are numbered.” I raised my eyebrows and grinned.
Darcy groaned and ran a hand over his eyes. “And you’re passing out photographs like it’s 1997?”
My face heated as he gave me a snooty little glare. “Well, maybe. You got a better idea?”
He rolled his eyes and went into a back room with the photograph. I waited because I had the impression that he thought he knew something I didn’t. A couple of minutes dragged by and when he came back out, he held up his phone and the photograph, crystal clear, was on the screen. After three seconds of him messing around on his phone, mine buzzed, and I took it out.
The Winter Prince: If anyone sees this man, report it immediately to the front desk.
The photograph was attached.
“Everyone who works here just got the same message.” He sniffed. “Far more efficient.”
“Well, that’s handy.”
Ephraim came racing over to the front desk from the bar, holding his phone above his head. Half the time the man was dressed up when I saw him—his clients tended to be the type into fantasy stuff—and today he was wearing some bizarre outfit that was a cross between a nobleman—a blue surcoat billowed behind him—and a cowboy. He had rope hanging off his belt and a Stetson tilted on his head. With his clean-cut appearance, I supposed people liked to pretend he was rescuing them. His eyes were wide. “What did that guy do? Did he hurt someone when he was with them?”
“Why would you ask that?” Darcy demanded, his tone deadly.
Ephraim waited until he was right beside us before he murmured, “He asked me to dress up in the hotel uniform to fuck him.” A group of people on a historical tour being led by Madam Winters came through the lobby snapping photographs, and he turned his back to them as someone pointed in his direction. “That was a wild night. The guy said that he wanted to role play he was getting something extra for his tip. You know what I mean by extra?” He glanced between me and Darcy, and if he didn’t seem so sincere, I would’ve thought he was trying to joke, but maybe he was just that clueless.
“Everyone knows,” Darcy snapped. “Continue.”
Ephraim ducked his head. “The guy was pretty serious about it. He wanted me to pretend that I didn’t want him to touch me, but in the end, I give it to him. I mean, it’s not the weirdest thing I’ve ever been asked to do.” He shrugged. “The guy got off on it big time. I also had to remind him about ten times that he couldn’t fuck me without a condom. Not a great customer. He tried to ghost the condom, but he was acting so fucking sneaky that I caught him.”
I sighed. “Let me guess. He stole the uniform when you were finished?”
Ephraim shrugged and took his hat off to run his hand through his glossy brown hair. “Well, he left a massive tip, and I thought it was because he wanted my clothes and he was also such a raging dickhead, so I didn’t bother saying anything. Some people act like an asshole, then pay for it. As long as they don’t physically injure me, I usually just roll with it. It’s my job.”
“No, no, no,” Darcy said, shaking his head. His face went red enough that I could’ve mistaken him for a stoplight. “That is unacceptable behavior.”
I growled. “You should’ve told someone. The security here in the hotel is on call for a reason. He used that uniform to steal from Madam Winters.”
Ephraim’s eyes widened and he darted looks between me and Darcy, who scowled and rested his hands on the desk as if that was the only thing keeping him from going on a killing spree. “Oh no.”
Darcy sighed. “You’ve all been told time and time again to report anything out of the ordinary. Never keep something like this to yourself again.”
“Am I in trouble?” he asked, grimacing.
Darcy shook his head. “Even Mother would’ve been hard pressed to predict this, and she’s all about client satisfaction. She might’ve given someone the uniform if they paid enough for it.Don’t ask questions about what makes other people horny.I’ve heard it from her more than once.”
“If he was a client he had to pay, right? And you take information for safety reasons?”
Darcy nodded at me and moved over to the computer, resting his fingers on the keyboard. “What name did he give you?” Darcy asked Ephraim.
He shrugged and the lights from the chandeliers sparkled on his dark hair with the movement. “Tyson? Tyson something.”
Darcy narrowed his eyes at Ephraim, then went back to typing on the keyboard. After a few minutes of searching, he growled. “I’m getting nowhere.” He grabbed the large red leather sign-in book and shoved it in my direction. “Look for Tyson something,” he said nastily.
“It’s not like I can be expected to remember every person I fuck,” Ephraim said defensively.
“Well, if Mother checked him in, she might have simply made him sign. She’s not as into keeping track of everything as I am. She’s more old-fashioned in some ways.” He shook his head.
