Page 29 of How We End
I watched her walk away, feeling old.“Is that what you’re into now?Is she even eighteen?”
“Nineteen.”He watched her before turning back to me.“Don’t worry, you’re still my favorite.Though Dallas is my top-earning girl.The older men love her eagerness to please.You used to be that way.Hung on every word I spoke.I miss that girl.”
“Well, she grew up.If you were hoping to make me jealous, you’re going to be disappointed.Fuck her.But if you ever want to be back in my bed, you’ll need to be retested and send your paperwork in to Margo.”I turned to leave.
Maverick grabbed me.“I’m not fucking around on you.But I can’t say the same for you.”
“Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now?It’s my job to fuck other men.”I yanked my arm out of his grip.“You better hurry.Dallas is waiting,Mr.Sands.”Margo followed me over to the bar.“Next time you and Maverick have a business meeting about my business, can you do me a favor and don’t?Vodka martini, please.”
“Do you want that shaken?”the bartender teased.
“Just do your job, pretty boy,” Margo snapped.“And I didn’t.It’s the end of the month.Maverick always goes over the profit-and-loss statements.”
I laughed at how stupid that sounded.“Christ, Margo, did you do an inventory of my underwear and condoms?Speaking of which, I’ll need more condoms.”As much as I hated that Margo knew the literal ins and outs of my job, I needed her to make sure all the insignificant details were covered.That the money cleared and that my clients were clean.It was how I’d made it this long without an STD.
“They are already ordered.And no, I didn’t run inventory on your underwear, but if you’d like to use them as a tax deduction, then I will need a count.”
The bartender shook his head as he pushed the two drinks towards us.
“Stay the fuck out of my underwear.And Maverick needs to be retested.”
“Maverick?Is the cheater cheating?”She turned to face the party.
“You didn’t ask during your business meeting?”
“I can see you’re still pissed off about the other day.For the record, I didn’t say anything.His accounting staff was confused on where the four-thousand-dollar payments were coming from.I don’t need to tell you that’s not enough for a deposit or full payment, and since there’s no large payment after, my claim that it was a tip wasn’t going to work.”
“What did you tell him?”I was still pissed at her.But I also needed her to do my job.
“I told him I’d look into it.I thought maybe you started offering another service.But you better figure it out quick.Oh, and by the way, your charity fuck is here tonight.”
“Julian?”I searched the room.My eyes darted to every tall, brown-haired man in a suit, looking for him.Maverick sat at one of the tables.Dallas was draped over his lap.It was an odd thing, seeing him with another woman.Especially since I was the other woman.
“Yes, unless you have another one,” Margo hissed.
“Does Maverick pay you extra for that humor?”I ran through the last conversation Julian and I’d had.He said he had an event he had to play Julian Silver for.Dallas’s laugh rang above the din of the room.
“I assume he didn’t tell you he was going to be here.”Margo turned and scanned the room.
“No.But most of my clients don’t tell me their schedule.”I waved off her question.“Is he with a girl?”
“In general or one from the Golden Serpent?”
“Never mind.”I turned back to my drink.“Plus, I don’t think Dallas is Julian’s type.”And if she was, it really wasn’t my business what he did with his free time.
“Well, if she is, he’ll need to get retested.The girls over there aren’t as careful as you.”Margo set her glass down.“You okay?I mean, being in the same room as him fully clothed and not calling out his name.”
“Oh, shut up.”I turned from the party.“And I’m fine.He’s a client.”I waved off her question before taking a large sip of my drink.Being in the same room with him wasn’t the problem.Being in the same room as him if he brought a date—or worse, that Dallas was his type—that would be hard.And that was something I needed to deal with.
“You’re a horrible liar.”Margo shook her head.“You better hope Maverick doesn’t figure out that Julian is your discount daddy.”
“Don’t ever say that again.”I turned my back to the party and swallowed down the rest of my drink.I had no idea what would happen next.I didn’t want to see him with another woman.“I can’t do this.I can’t watch him be with—” Margo shook her head.I could see the disappointment in her eyes.“It’s not what you think.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.I’ll tell Maverick you’re not feeling well.Slip out the side door.”
“Don’t overthink this,” I blurted.
“Maybe you should.”
