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Me.

Monique.

The one bit of happiness we’ve carved between us.

I’ll keep smiling for her because she needs to believe she can put all her trust in me. I don’t want to let that down. But I will.

The secret I’m hiding is too personal to survive.

Chapter 11

Appointments

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Monique looked up from her piles of papers strewn across her desk. “Now’s not a good time,” she said to Sybil, the one currently standing in the office doorway. “I’ve got the tax company coming in about thirty minutes and I barely have my shit together.”

Sybil took a step back but did not excuse herself. Monique continued to rummage through her desk, looking for a damned folder that supposedly held receipts from a certain cleaning company.I really don’t have time. Monique had this meeting scheduled for nearly a month. If those tax people showed up and she didn’t have her receipts for the past quarter put together, she would be feeling more pain than any of the subs taking up residence in her Manoir.

“I mean it.”

Finally, Sybil bowed her head. “All right. I’m sorry, ma’am, but I would like to talk to you sometime soon. It’s rather serious.”

“Unless you’re quitting or someone hurt you, I really don’t have time.”

“Well…”

Monique glanced up again. Well, what? Did Sybil have something to report? Or was she trying to take up Monique’s precious hour? Sometimes, the girl could be flippant like that. Monique would humor her if she wasn’t too busy, but…I am definitely too busy right now.

She shooed Sybil away as the first of the tax people arrived downstairs. It also happened that Monique found the receipts she looked for. Somehow, the folder managed to slip behind the file cabinet.

An hour of endless tax chatter commenced, shortly after she served her CPAs tea and cookies from the kitchen. Whatever these people thought of her business, they never let on.As long as I make a lot of money, they don’t care.Monique consoled herself with the knowledge that other clients probably gave them a harder run for their money in the tax universe. Sure, Monique’s Manoir skirted the edges of legalities here and there, but she was sure other clients were doing much more nefarious things. What was a BDSM dungeon between her and the IRS?

Nevertheless, there were always snags to hit, especially when it came to the large sums of money that passed in and out of this business. Monique had to be extra careful to not be audited. What a nightmare that would be!

By the time they left, she was more than ready for a bath. Or a massage. Except she didn’t have time for either when a long night of entertaining clients and guests loomed in front of her. It was Friday, and more than one party was scheduled to show up that night – and that didn’t count the patrons coming to see their mistresses. Monique had about two hours to eat dinner and getready for her actual job by the time the last CPA bid adieu and saw himself out.

“I must say, you’ve been looking extra radiant recently, Madam,” said Ms. Anderssen, a common patron around those parts. It was the first time in a good while she didn’t bring her wife with her. When Monique inquired about this, she heard, “She’s in Vancouver visiting relatives. Afraid Grace has to deal with me all by herself tonight.” Ms. Anderssen patted Grace’s knee when she said that. The woman gave a wan smile and motioned in secret code to Monique that she was feeling tired that night anyway.When will I start charging the Anderssens double?The rate things were going, Mrs. Anderssen would become Grace’s second patron. The couple kept the spark alive in their marriage by sharing a kinky mistress.

“Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Anderssen,” Monique said shortly thereafter. She sat in the salon with them. Only a matter of time before someone else was announced for her to deal with. For now, her attention could be solely given to one of the most generous patrons to enter the Manoir’s halls. “I admit, I’ve been feeling pretty good recently.”

Grace nudged her patron. “It’s because there’s a woman.”

Monique sent her employee a look, but Grace chose to ignore it. Ms. Anderssen, on the other hand, perked up. “A woman? Wouldn’t happen to know the lady, would I?”

I don’t know, do you?Monique would have to chastise Grace later for sharing personal information like that, even to her patron. Nobody was supposed to know about Helen Warner, the kinky billionaire who came to the Manoir solely for Monique.We’ve only been together once.It was one of the hottest nights of Monique’s life, but their relationship was fated to be strained from the beginning since Ms. Warner had many places to be. They were supposed to have a date two weeks ago, but Helen had to cancel at the last minute to fly to Paris. Then Amsterdam.Then Beijing.I hope she’s not being facetious.Monique knew how busy billionaires like Ms. Warner could be, but she needed more this early in a relationship.Is it a relationship?

“Miss Grace speaks of things she doesn’t know,” Monique assured Ms. Anderssen. “I have had the good fortune of my own recently, but we can attribute it to my business.”

“What a business it is! I wish I could bring more money through those doors for you.”

“In due time, Ms. Anderssen.” Better to gradually grow her business than have too much to deal with upfront.

The doorman announced one of the parties scheduled for that night. Monique excused herself and tended to the business she tried so hard to grow.

Another night, another dollar made. It wasn’t until late – well past midnight – when Monique finally had a breath to herself and was able to retire to her quarters. Either the guests had gone home or were passed out drunk in spare rooms… or shacking up with a woman for the night. Not a single lady was alone, as far as Monique knew. Not a single one except for her, as she was reminded when she entered her quiet room and had no one to talk to.

Or make love to.