Page 35 of Dire Straights

“Alright, well…” I wasn’t sure what else to say. It was awkward. “There you go. You can wash your own now.”

I turned to walk away, but stopped when he spoke again.

“I’m sure you think I’m a moron, but I’m just really out of my element with all this.”

“All what?”

“Just… All of it.” He gestured widely with his hand, rolling his eyes.

“Did your mom just do everything for you or what?” My mom was fine at housework and everything, but she definitely didn’t wait on me hand and foot like that. She’d taught me how to do my own laundry when I’d been about 12.

He laughed, a little bitterly. “I’ve never seen my mother lift a feather duster, let alone wash a load of clothes.”

Oh, right. I forgot he was from some crazy wealthy family. They probably had maids and butlers or god knows who doing all that stuff for them.

“Well, once you’re done with school you’ll be back to havingthe helptake care of you, right?”

“To be determined,” he said, giving a mock little chuckle after.

“Did your family go broke or something?” I wondered.

“Definitely not,” he scoffed, leaning an elbow onto the washing machine. “I’ve beencut off.”

“I thought that was just a bad plot in soap operas. People really get cut off from their family’s money?”

“Only when you’re an embarrassment to the family name,” he said, giving me a cheeky little wink. “That’s me.”

“What did you do?” I asked, before realizing maybe it was too personal of a question, but Caelyx didn’t look offended in the slightest.

“Well, if you really want to know… My father’s never been exactly enamored with me, but I believe it was the last straw when he walked in on me drinking a very, very expensive bourbon he’d had locked away in a liquor cabinet, smoking a joint, and getting a very enthusiastic blowjob from the intern he’d just hired at the company.”

Blinking, I could only clear my throat. “I guess that would look pretty bad for you, yeah. What happened to the intern?”

“Mason? I think he’s in the finance or marketing department now, or something of the like. I didn’t really keep up after that. My father didn’t want any kind of scandal, so of course he didn’t punish him. In any case, I’m certain he blames me for the whole ordeal. I’m a bad influence, after all.”

“I didn’t know you were gay.” It was all I could think to say.

“I’m not gay,” he corrected me. “I’m more of an equal opportunity employer.”

“So you’re bi.”

“I suppose so. Hot is hot. That’s all I have to say on it.”

“So your dad cut you off because you’re bi?”

“No, no,” he said, shaking his head. “He doesn’t care about any of that. I think more than anything he’s worried I’ll squander the family fortune as soon as he dies and leaves it to me. He’s trying to teach me a lesson, making me get a degree and whatnot. It’s not about me liking cock, though.”

“Ah.”

“And how do your parents feel about your proclivities?”

“Excuse me?”

He smirked, flipping a strand of blonde bangs away from his forehead. “It’s a door, not a soundproof forcefield,Maddy.”

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped. It shocked and embarrassed me a little to realize it, but the nickname was something I only ever wanted to hear from Ren. From anyone else it was weird and gross.

He lifted his palms, wiggling his fingers. “No need to get defensive.” God, his voice was annoying. “I happen to think the two of you make a lovely couple. He’s the sugary marshmallow charms to your boring little oat pieces.”

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