Ms. June certainly wasn’t cheap, now was she? Miquela was under no illusions. That was a per-month fee, not a one-time one. On the other hand, she wouldn’t have to pay for any of June’s services… and would have a lot more leeway.
Really, she would be paying thirty grand over a few months. What was the harm of putting in the starting bid? She would be saving money and making both her and June very happy.
Chapter 13
June
June hadn’t been this nervous since her first week at the Manoir.
Not that she would ever broadcast that nervousness. Wasn’t good for business, and it wasn’t her style, either. Confident, sexy, and able to take the hits as they came.Thatwas her motto in life.
This, though? This was different. This was her possible future. She hated relying on clients like this, but oh well, that was the career she signed up for!
Today, I find out who bid on me.June paced the floor in front of Monique’s chambers. Her lady-in-waiting peered through a crack in the door, probably debating whether or not to shoo June away. Somewhere in that office, Monique was going through documents, doing her ownhmmingandhahingbefore bringing in June and getting her opinions. No one had as much freedom of choice as June did at the Manoir, but at the end of the day,she was still at the madam’s mercy.Please don’t make me be with Nicholas Mills. I don’t care how rich he is.Did Miquela bid? How about Sette? Ha! As if. She hadn’t said anything about it when they were together Sunday afternoon. All they did was talk about growing up, Sette’s stint in med school, and the most erogenous zones on the body. That, of course, led to a lot of sex. Funny thing? June felt weird about charging her. She always charged for the intercourse and what came with it, because that’s where her big money was – and because Monique would be auditing her for that – but things like a second round with her mouth or letting Sette linger between her thighs for twenty minutes straight before sliding higher?Discounted.
June didn’t know if she did it to keep the miser around, or because she… liked her.
Fuck my fucking life.
The door opened all the way. “The lady will see you now,” Minerva said, prim in her black and white uniform. She was young, but not dangerously so. Out of college, maybe. Younger than June and Monique. Regardless of how old she really was, Minerva came off as nothing more than a young teenager trying to make her way through boarding school. June often ignored her, as she was meant to be ignored at work. In moments like these? She looked right in Minerva’s brown eyes and asked, “What’s her disposition?”
“Excuse me?” the maid squeaked.
“What’s Monique’s disposition? What’s her mood?”
Minerva looked away while she thought for a moment. “Pregnant.”
“Fuck!” That didn’t tell June anything! Other than Monique was moody, bitchy, bloated… someone could have bid a hundred thousand dollars on June, and Monique would still be acting like her world was crumbling from within.Okay, so it is…
She found her boss sitting at her desk and gesturing to the seat in front of her. There were two black boxes on her desk. “Sit down, June. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”
Gulp. “What are those?” June asked, perched on the edge of her seat. “How many bids did I get?”
“One thing at a time.” Monique finished clearing off her papers and pens, folding her hands on her desk and leveling her gaze at her #1 employee. “First, I want to make sure we’re on the same page. Before we discuss who did or did not bid, I want to ask… what do you want most from working here?”
June shifted in her seat. “To make money, of course.”
“Good. Now, what do you want most from your patron?”
“Is this a trick question?”
“Not at all, but it will help me think.”
Always the shrewd businesswoman. Sometimes, that didn’t work in June’s favor, though. “I want the best balance of money and comfort possible.”
“What do you mean by comfort?”
June bit her lip. She didn’t like being this out of sorts in front of Monique. I forget that we’re a business relationship first and foremost. It didn’t matter how much they got along personally. At the end of the day, June’s job was to make this millionaire more money. Monique was dedicated to her enterprise… many had expected her to retire and sell the Manoir when she married. On the contrary, Monique insisted she had no intention of doing so, and kept working even when she became so pregnant she could barely walk without the help of Minerva or someone else at hand. June understood. Monique had not grown up with many means. The self-made rich assholes were always the hardest working.
“I want a woman I am comfortable with. That I get along with. We don’t have to be a perfect match, but I refuse to accept someone that I dread to see. Mitchell wasn’t bad, but I wasn’ttotally into him, either. I know it’s work, but I like to think I’ve proven myself and earned a bit of fun with a patron.”
“I see. This will be interesting.”
June couldn’t take her eyes off the black boxes. “How many bids did I get?” This was either a good sign… or a terrible one.
The edges of Monique’s mouth twitched. Was she smiling? Unamused? Fuck! “So far, we have received two bids for the minimum amount.”
Phew! Two was good! If they were both interested, they could get into a bidding war, and June would be rich!All I have to do is what I’m already doing with them. Such as entertaining them… and herself.
