Page 102 of Stabby Little

I furrow my brow. "I thought you'd… be upset."

"Not for that reason." Valentin shuffles papers on his desk. "We never force boys to perform if they have moral qualms about their work. Not only does it make for a bad client experience, but it hurts our boys in the long run. We pride ourselves on informed consent and we'd never push you past your limits. If tonight is truly your last night, thank you for your work. You've made your client very happy."

I bring my thumbnail to my mouth and bite it. "He didn't complain about me?"

"Why would he complain?"

"No reason. Maybe he didn't like submitting to me last time. Or the mark I left on his chest. It could be anything."

"I have it on high authority he enjoyed every second. He's done nothing but sing your praises to my boss."

"Who's your boss?"

"His name is Constantine Ferrari. He owns this club with his two brothers."

I sink into my seat. "Here's the problem. I met someone in real life. Or I reacquainted myself with someone to be more accurate. I don't want to perform because I feel like I'm cheating on him."

Truthfully, I want to spend more time with Grant. My heart raced when we almost kissed. My anonymous mystery man is great, but Grant is… everything.

My best friend's Dad.

My rescuer.

The man I've crushed on since I was a lad.

I shouldn't have left so abruptly last week, it wasn't right to disappear without an explanation.

But I was afraid of destroying everything we had with a kiss.

I don't even know if Grant's into guys—I don't want him to write me off as a freak.

"I understand." Valentin slides a paper in front of me. "It sounds like you're on the fence. I don't want to pressure you. Sign this release and I'll remove your information from the system so you can quit."

I tap my index finger on the desk. "Let me think about it."

Valentin takes a sip of water. "You're the one who said you wanted to stop."

"I know." I hold out my hand. "But I could use the cash. Give me two minutes."

I have a nest egg that'll last a few months. But I'd prefer a larger one in case shit hits the fan. Kobe Bailey could report that I stole his ID and Valentin could discover I'm using it. Someone could show up to the Little Bunny Club and demand that I return the money I made. It's risky not having cash saved up.

"I need to level with you," I spit out. "I don't want my client asking my real name. You need to warn him because he got too close last time."

Valentin gnashes his teeth. "Press the button on the pendant around your neck at any time. This will alert me and I'll stop the action."

"It wasn't that serious." I drag my eyes away from Valentin. "I'm just saying that he needs to know I wish to remain anonymous. If he pressures me again, I'm never returning."

"Noted."

"I also want a raise."

Valentin glares at me. "That's something I'm not prepared to offer."

"You said you'd make it worth my while over text."

"I can give you an extra thousand dollars tonight. Not a penny more."

"I'll need more than that." I lean in. "Ten grand. That's what I deserve."

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