Page 21 of Pretty Mess

I smile as Julian shakes his head. It’s intriguing to see that his usual studied calm is slipping a bit. A flush is on his cheeks, making his blond hair look almost white in the lamplight.Interesting.

He catches my eye, directing a death glare at me, and I suppress a smile and turn back to Fox.

“Well, it’s always interesting to meet a wicked man,” I say lightly.

“Really?”

I nod. “It’s much more interesting than standing here in the equivalent of a conversational morgue.”

“Goodgod,” Julian says, horrified, but Fox bursts into laughter that’s way too loud for this quiet room.

Unsurprisingly, we’re the focus of attention again. Even the poker game has paused.

Fox’s eyes twinkle. I can sense a wildness about him under the charm. “I like you.”

I grin at him. “I don’t know you, but I think I probably like you too.”

“Nothing good will come of this,” Julian says with a sigh.

Fox gives him an almost affectionate look, his gaze lingering for a brief second on Julian’s face before flashing back to me.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived, Wes. Slight emergency in the upstairs rooms.”

“Was it a shortage of lube?” I say and then jerk as Julian pinches me.

Fox just laughs again. “God forbid. That’s a disaster akin to the end of the world. No, I usually insist on meeting the new men, but Julian has vouched for you, and Ialwaystake his word.”

“Isn’t that rather dangerous for your mental health?” I say lightly and Julian huffs.

Fox laughs. “Darling, it’s always fun to live on the edge and don’t let Julian tell you otherwise.”

He looks me up and down. Unlike the other men in the room, his gaze isn’t avaricious or greedy. His scrutiny is more like a horse trainer assessing a horse, taking in my body and then examining my face. “Well, Julian, you do bring us the most interesting people. He’s beautiful.”

“Really?” I say.

“I did my best,” Julian says. “His appearance is down to me, but sadly, his character is entirely his own. You’ll be finding that out soon enough.”

Fox taps his lips. “Nevertheless, he’s the source of a lot of interest tonight.”

Julian tuts. “Let’s hope anyone who’s interested makes an arrangement without trying to engage him in conversation, or we’re all doomed.”

“Hey,” I say crossly, but they ignore me.

“I’ve had a lot of offers for Wes already,” Fox says. He looks to me. “I was told you’re happy for Julian to be your guide as you make your first arrangement.” I nod. “Good, because otherwise I would have appointed someone to help you learn the ropes.”

Julian huffs. “Hopefully not James Tilbury. He couldn’t find his way to his arsehole, let alone guide a newbie.”

I snort and quickly turn it into a cough. Fox names a few figures for me that are way above Julian’s initial estimate, making me feel a little dizzy.

“Fucking hell,” I mutter and Julian nudges me so hard I almost fall over.

“Are you still holding out?” Fox asks Julian.

“Yes, of course.” Julian sounds almost bored, as if discussing five-figure sums is part of his daily life. Having seen his flat, it probably is.

“There’s a lot of interest in him. You are a shiny new toy, Wes.”

I shift uneasily. I’ve been aware of men’s stares following me from the moment I walked into the room. Amongst the murmur of voices, I’ve frequently heard my name.