Page 92 of Forbidden Need

“Do I…?”

“Exploit women for profit?”

“No.”

Could she believe that? “Do you pimp women out?”

His frown deepened. “No.”

“You don’t make money from prostitution?”

“No,” he said. “I make money from rent.”

That was unexpected. “Rent? I don’t—”

“We provide safe premises for women to work. They pay to rent a room and keep every cent they earn. With their rent comes security.”

Like someone might rent a chair in a salon to make their money freelance.

“Do you sell them drugs?”

“No drugs allowed on site.”

“How do you—”

“We have rules. Anyone causes trouble, they’re out.”

Yeah, that was the McDades call, because there was no national body monitoring non-existent regulations. The McDades could make up whatever rules they liked and enforce them any way they pleased.

“But the women here, for the party—”

“We pay them to appear.”

“And take their money?”

“No, they keep everything they earn. Trade with the john is between those two parties, no one else. Everyone draws their own lines.”

“And if a john tries to take more than that or refuses to pay—”

“The McDades look after their people.”

Something he was proud of, something he deserved to be proud of.

“What about porn?” Curious, his hold loosened. “Is there any industry the McDades avoid?”

“Pharmaceuticals. Prescription and recreational.”

“Because?”

“Dealers end up using the product. Makes them unreliable, easily influenced. People need to put the family first. Addicts always prioritize their addiction.”

Like he did with her.

“And your prostitutes aren’t drug addicts?”

“They’re not my hookers and what they do off-site is up to them. How would you cope? Spending every hour of the day and night, playing with the cock of some incel paying you to act like he’s the hottest fuck you ever had?” What a futile and heart sickening way to live. “It’s not their fault, most of the time. Unstable and desperate fucks a lot of folks. A lot of families.”

“What other industries do we play in?”