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Monica sat in the chair on the other side of the small table, camped out quite comfortably in the corner of the salon she probably inherited from her mother-in-law.Real fucking demon, I hear.Becca had heard every story Nadia felt like sharing about the nightmarish Isabella Warren.“She’s so bizarre in what she believes to be true and then makes it your problem!”Becca could only imagine what Isabella thought of her son’s wife being a queenpin of sex work in the area.
“First, I’d like to thank both of you for coming out to meet me during your busy workday,” Monica said after making herself comfortable. Justin the butler returned with drinks for Mrs. Warren and Becca, assuring Jane that her cappuccino wouldn’t be too far behind. Becca opened her laptop and began typing any notes Jane would want later. While this meant she wasn’t a huge factor in the conversation, itdidmean she was forced to pay attention to all of it. “I’m sure you’re waiting with bated breath to hear what my current plan is now that the Monroes are puttingtheirplans on hold.”
Jane pursed her lips. “I feel like this is my fault, Monica. I should have been a better mediator between you and Damon. That and the fact that the other half in who says how we spend our money is currently in Iowa…”
“It comes down to what the Monroes think is best for business, Ms. Wong, not you. Damon and I have tastes that differ enough that it would always be difficult for us to work together, no matter how it boosts our income. I appreciate you sticking your head out for this, though. I know how close you and Damon Monroe are.”
Becca stopped typing. Jane awkwardly chuckled. “We’re old chaps going back to Cambridge, I assure you.”
“Of course.” Monica quickly moved on. “The more I’ve thought about your proposal and gone over it with some of my more trusted advisors, the more I like it. One thing I’ve always thought missing in this city was theexperienceportion that you pushed so hard. Plus, the lack of business filtering in since the pandemic has put a damper onallof our profits, including the Monroes. They’ve pivoted from restaurantering under Culver Hospitality to spa and massage.”
“So I have heard from them.”
“But the real money that keeps everything else afloat, including the hotel industry these days, is the night life. Specifically, the audiences that the Monroes and I cultivate.”
“You mean perverts.”
Monica’s lip twitched into a smile. “Nobody ever said that the perverts didn’t pay the bills. The rich ones, anyway. It’s theonetime misersdon’tget stingy. Ask me how I know.”
Becca was still typing everything as the other two spoke. “You know I love Le Salon,especiallyladies’ night! But it is also a bloody good place to take some blokes on the weekend. That is what we need more of in this city. By the time I want to take some discerning clients out for a wining-and-dining, the Salon is booked, and The Dark Hour istoonaughty for Cait and me to take a chance. Imagine what expanding both could possibly do?”
“I have a few ideas about a possible expansion for Le Salon,” Monica said. “Believe it or not, I’ve spoken to my sister-in-law and her wife about it.” When Becca looked up from her typing, Monica explained, “You know how Nadia isn’t that into the BDSM aspect of love and sex like the rest of us perverted Warrens. Her insight was invaluable about how I could create a bespoke environment for women like her. You know, should they be coming into town looking for a fun and safe birthday,anniversary, or bachelorette experience. Or a ‘just because’ night.”
“That is what I have been saying this whole time,” Jane said.
“I’m interested in buying the place next to ours. We will not be ‘knocking down any walls,’ though. I think a separate location right next door is exactly what I need to move on to the next phase of my plan to be in the city more often. My daughter is in grade school now, and I can’t schlep her up to the mountains anymore. It was fine when she was a baby who stayed in my apartment with the nanny, but she can see all sorts of things now. She’s already asked me what an escort is.”
“Oh, dear.” Jane kept her face straight, but Becca knew her girlfriend held back laughter.
“I do not intend to miss my daughter growing up. That said, I cannot relent more control of the Chateau until I have plenty of business to distract me here. That means expanding Le Salon into something beyond a hostess lounge. What I’m thinking…” Monica lowered her voice as if Justin the butler cared about what she said as he brought Jane her cappuccino, “is the very thing the Monroes are working on. Except it will be classier. All my respect to Damon and his business acumen, but he is a man. He sees things a certain way.”
“You mean The Dark Hour way.”
“I mean New York. There’s a reason I don’t attend parties there very often anymore, and it’s not only getting up higher in age.” Monica sat back again. “They skirt the legal line much more than I’m willing to these days. Even in sex work, I have to keep a squeaky-clean image here. There’s a reason that when you enter Le Salon you’re being watched like a hawk. That includes the women working there. I can’t haveanyonethinking intercourse is going on there.”
“Not the paid kind, anyway.”
“Yes, you know what I mean. That said, expanding Le Salon into a next-door but separate location means I can try some new things. Like offering male hosts or, as was suggested to me, classes in BDSM.”
Jane cleared her throat. “Classes, huh?”
“You might be surprised, Ms. Wong. Many women around here are interested in the lifestyle but don’t know where to begin. We don’t all have the opportunity to meet the perfect love of our lives who initiates and trains us into the lifestyle.”
As cheekily as she said that, Becca kept typing. She was too desensitized now.
“Classes and some male hosts. Well! Sounds like a brilliant time, Monica.” Jane placed her elbows on the table, leaning forward, destroying how she was properly raised in Hong Kong to express her more Western ways if it meant Monica trusted her more. “Tell me, how can Cait and I make this a realization for you?”
“Ms. Wong, I am not used to people approachingmeto invest. It’s usually the other way around, not that I like dealing with investors to begin with. But…” The more Jane leaned forward, the more Monica leaned back. Becca rubbed her knee against her girlfriend, urging her to back up a bit. Jane immediately moved. “You have a keen eye for what people of all flavors want around here. It’s one of the things Damon said positively to me when he and I had dinner the other night.”
“Should I be happy to hear that? Also, one of theonlythings?”
“He also had nice things to say about my daughter. Our kids both go to Winchester Academy, and I guess Clarise and Abigail have library duty together.”
“Library duty?”
“All of the grade schoolers are assigned light chores around the school. Many of the lower grades get a leg-up on how libraries work by learning how to shelve. It’s wonderful, really.Helps reinforce the alphabet as well as teaching them the Dewey Decimal System. Wish I had something like that growing up.”
“Me too,” Becca said.Maybe I wouldn’t have been behind in my reading in third grade.She considered it a miracle that she could type and read as quickly as she did now.
