Page 35 of Tell Me Your Desires

Jaime’s stomach dropped. She would be on that list. “I-I’ll take care of that.”

Max studied her, narrowing his eyes as she stared back at him. Jaime could feel the suspicion oozing from him. He clenched his jaw, likely pissed off that he couldn’t read Jaime’s mind. “Fine. Take care of the client list and dig deeper on Frank.”

“’Bout time you got here,” Frank grumbled when Lady A walked through the back entrance.

“You’re lucky I’m here at all, Frank.” Lady A stood her ground when Frank stalked towards her.

She could admit to herself that with the recent murders—and Frank being on the short list of suspects—that she was apprehensive about being here.

The only thing that made her feel slightly better was knowing Sonny was always present.

“You’re gettin’ a little too comfortable, A. I’m still your boss.” Frank held up a piece of paper, waving it in Lady A’s face. “Speaking of, I have the info on your first client. Wants the works and wants it nasty. The fee with the tip is off the charts, and it’s a chick. So, no excuses.”

Images of the five women brutally murdered because they were with her flashed through Anya’s mind. Despite this client making the appointment well in advance, Anya just couldn’t do it. “Sorry, Frank, you’ll have to get Sapphyre to do it. Sex with me is off the table for a while.”

Frank crumpled up the paper, anger etched across his plump face. “I’m getting really sick of you changing the rules on me, A. I’ve been lenient with you up til now, but your pussy ain’t that special.”

Lady A tilted her head and smirked. “No one else’s pussy gets the money mine gets for this place, Frank. But even my golden pussy needs some ‘me’ time. If you’d like me to list all the bloody reasons I can’t be intimate with someone for the next few days, I will.”

Her excuse was a lie, of course, as Anya had already gone through menopause. But Frank didn’t know that, and Anya had learned throughout the years that the one thing men hated talking or thinking about the most was a woman’s period.

Anger quickly turned to disgust. “Don’t want to hear about your woman issues.

I’ll let this client know you’re out of commission for a few days.

I’ll have to give her a fucking discount now.

You better make it good when she books again, A.

” He took out his phone and looked at a few other potential appointments.

“Everyone wants to fuck,” he muttered. “I don’t see any regulars on the books yet.

You may have to go in blind. I don’t wanna hear a peep of complaint, A.

This is your fault. Go to your chambers and be ready to pull out all the bells and whistles when we get a client in.

” He dismissed her and walked away, grumbling about how women waste so much time with that ‘damn bleeding shit.’

“Yes, because we can control it,” Lady A called out after him.

“Idiot,” She scoffed as she set off towards her chambers.

It didn’t matter that she wasn’t really on her period.

She was still offended by Frank’s ignorance.

She shook her head, forgetting about Frank and his stupidity.

Lady A turned her thoughts to the night before.

Not that those thoughts were ever far from her mind.

Her body still felt Jaime’s touch. She could feel the weight of Jaime on top of her.

And that warm, sweet breath against her most sensitive areas.

Then she thought about what happened after.

Everything that happened. She was still hurt by Jaime leaving money on the nightstand.

Could she forgive that? Probably. Jaime’s explanation was plausible enough.

Obviously, Anya was mostly over it if she was considering going on a date with the woman who had accused her of murder, slept with her, and treated her like a whore.

She huffed at her pettiness. Jaime had so much more to offer, and Anya certainly caught a glimpse of that last night.

She was intelligent, charming, passionate, and even funny.

What worried Anya was Jaime’s emotional trauma.

“You haven’t even said yes to a date yet,” Anya whispered into the empty room.

Then it hit her. She wasn’t alone. Someone was watching her every move.

That was the only logical deduction for how the killer knew Lady A had slept with those women.

The realization made her feel exposed and vulnerable.

Not to mention, she’d have to be overly cautious about what she said and did from here on out.

Great. This ‘job’ used to bring her joy.

Now, just like in the past, sorrow and fear were attached to it.

The past. Being Dr. Anastasia Grant was something Anya had put behind her long ago.

So, it had surprised her when she told the detectives about her credentials.

She could have let the police find their own profiler without getting involved.

But these women deserved more from Anya.

She couldn’t, in good conscience, continue to look the other way if there was a possibility she could help find this killer.

Even if it brought up a lot of unwanted memories.

It also guaranteed more interactions with Jaime Baros, which couldn’t possibly turn out well.

Anya allowed Lady A’s persona to take over once again, putting the past back in the past where it belonged and focusing on what needed to be done now.

Trying to remain as unconcerned as possible, Anya didn’t change her routine.

That included getting out of her ‘street’ clothes and into Lady A’s leather and lace.

Her mind raced as she undressed. Frank wouldn’t tolerate Lady A’s ‘no sex’ excuse for long, and quitting before the killer was caught was out of the question.

However, putting another woman’s life in danger wasn’t an option either.

The pressure was beginning to settle in when the light signaling a client turned on. Fuck. It was going to take a considerable amount of control to get through this session. Especially since she had no fucking clue who it was or what their desires would be.

Suck it up, Lady A. You’ve done this before. Just then, she received a text.

Agreed to everything but fucking. Took some convincing. Make it good. Make it hurt.

“Thanks for that detailed description, Frank,” Lady A complained.

She wrapped a black satin robe around her, tying it tightly at the waist. She opted for a mask tonight, knowing it would help hide any apprehension on her face.

With heightened confidence, Lady A sauntered into her playroom… and audibly gasped.