Chapter 6 #2
Before I could decide, we rounded a corner, and the cafeteria came into view.
Carter West, our third roommate, was waiting for us at a table near the window, his muscular frame impossible to miss despite his shorter stature.
His cropped blond hair and chiseled jawline caught the sunlight, eyes narrowing as he spotted us.
As we approached, I saw that he'd already loaded the table with food for all three of us: grilled chicken sandwiches, sweet potato fries, and freshly squeezed lemonade.
“Finally,” Carter said as we sat, his disciplined, no-nonsense tone matching his clean-cut appearance. “I was about to send out a search party.”
“My bad,” I said, genuinely touched that he'd thought ahead. “Thanks for the food, dude. Total lifesaver.” I grabbed a fry and shoved it into my mouth, realizing I was starving. My emotional crisis had apparently worked up an appetite.
“The food here is top-notch,” Kaiden chimed in. “Ibrahim insists on quality ingredients for staff meals.”
“Makes sense,” I said, taking another bite and telling myself to breathe. After a moment of comfortable silence, I glanced between them. “I think I’m ready to talk about it now. About my first client.”
Carter set down his sandwich, giving me his full attention. Kaiden leaned in, his usual exuberance dialed down to genuine concern.
“He was... a duke. Like, actual European royalty.” I fidgeted with my napkin, feeling every bit of the weight of all the drama in that statement. “And the whole time, I was just... a tool. Something to use and discard.”
“Oh, honey,” Kaiden said sympathetically, his eyes widening in all the right ways.
“The worst part is,” I continued, “I don’t even know what I expected. A thank-you card? A cuddle? It’s stupid, you know.”
“It’s not stupid,” Carter said. “But that’s about him, not you. Some powerful people compartmentalize sex as a release. It doesn't mean you're not good at what you do.”
“Besides,” Kaiden added with a wink, “you never know what's going on beneath the surface. I had a client once that acted cold for three sessions, then broke down in my arms on the fourth, confessing he was terrified of emotional intimacy.”
Damn, that made me pause. What was going on beneath the duke's polished exterior? What had brought him to a place like this?
“The most important thing to remember,” Carter said, his voice low and serious, “is that you're not just a body; you're a skilled professional providing a service. Like a massage therapist, but with, you know, more orgasms.”
That startled a laugh out of me. “I'm pretty sure my community college career counselor never mentioned that career path. Thanks for the heads-up, guys.”
“Their loss,” Kaiden grinned, popping another fry into his mouth. “Speaking of which, now that you’re seeing clients, we should all check in with each other every morning. Like a little family meeting.”
“A family meeting?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, we are basically family while we’re here, right? Chosen family.” Kaiden looked between Carter and me. “We look out for each other.”
Carter nodded. “This job can mess with your head sometimes. Having people to talk to helps.” He pointed at Kaiden.
“This punk and I have nothing in common. He’s tall, I’m not.
He’s soft where I’m hard. He’s loud, and I’m a hell of a lot quieter.
But after two years here, he’s my best friend.
I sleep better knowing he's always looking out for me.”
Kaiden preened at the compliment. “Aw, Carter, my short king,” he said, leaning over to kiss the side of his head. “But he’s right, and now we get to look out for you, our little twink.” He rubbed his hands together. “I always wanted a little twink of my own to raise and care for.”
All three of us laughed, and it felt good to know they had my back. It had been a long time since anyone besides Casey had cared enough to check on me regularly. “Thanks, guys.”
“Don't mention it,” Carter said gruffly, waving his hand. “So, what's your assignment this afternoon?”
I thought back to the schedule I'd checked that morning. “Last I saw, I'm assigned to the nightclub tonight. General companionship, whatever that means.”
“It means looking pretty, dancing with guests, and being charming,” Kaiden explained, dramatically fluttering his eyelashes. “Making sure everyone has a good time while they stuff tips into your g-string. If someone wants more horizontal fun, they can request you through the app.”
“I'm on the schedule for the club too,” Carter said, taking a massive bite of his sandwich.
“Let me guess,” I said. “Security? Bouncer? Professional scowler?”
Carter shook his head. “Go-go dancing.”
I nearly choked on my lemonade. “You? Go-go dancing? Like, on a platform? With music?”
Carter's stoic expression cracked into a rare smile. “What? You don't think I've got moves?”
Kaiden snorted. “Oh honey, our little muscle hamster here used to be a Chippendale.”
“I was never a Chippendale,” Carter corrected, throwing a fry at Kaiden, who caught it in his mouth with practiced ease. “Just... similar concept.”
“So basically Magic Mike but shorter,” I said, grinning.
“Watch it, newbie,” Carter warned, but there was no heat behind it.
The thought of serious, no-nonsense Carter shimmying on a platform was so absurd that I couldn't help but laugh. Carter joined in, his deep chuckle a pleasant rumble, while Kaiden showed what he called Carter's “signature move”—a body roll that looked ridiculous coming from someone his size.
For a moment, we were just three friends sharing a meal and giving each other shit, the unusual nature of our employment briefly forgotten. These guys were nothing like the friends I'd had back home, but maybe that was a good thing. “What about you, Kaiden?” I asked. “What’s your assignment today?”
“I’m working the afternoon pool shift, then I’ve got a private client at eight.” Kaiden checked his watch. “Speaking of which, I should probably take a nap before I head out.” He added with a wink, “I’ll see you boys later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
As Kaiden sashayed away, Carter turned to me. “I was thinking of hitting the gym before our shift. Want to join?”
A workout would help clear my head, and let’s be honest, I could use the endorphins after the emotional roller coaster I’d been on. “Sure. Sounds good.”
We finished our meals and headed to the staff gym. As we passed the pool area, my eyes landed on a familiar figure reclining on a lounger. The Duke, sitting shirtless on a lounger and talking to an older silver-haired man.
My stomach did this weird flippy thing, like when you miss a step going downstairs. Part of me wanted to duck behind a potted plant like some ridiculous cartoon character.
What caught my attention wasn't just his presence but the whole vibe.
While the older gentleman gestured like he was directing an opera, the duke stood there with tension in his shoulders, responses measured.
He looked like a coiled spring, ready to snap at any moment.
This was a different dude than the commanding man who'd ordered me to my knees yesterday.
Our eyes met through his dark sunglasses, and my mouth went dry. My heart started hammering so loud I was sure Carter could hear it. I gave an awkward nod, because what else do you do when you lock eyes with someone who's had their dick in your mouth?
He returned the gesture before turning back to his companion, but not before I caught a subtle tightening of his jaw. Was he embarrassed to see me? Annoyed? Turned on? His aristocratic poker face gave nothing away.
“You know him?” Carter asked as we continued toward the gym, giving me a side-eye.
“He was my client yesterday,” I admitted, keeping my voice low while trying to sound chill about it. Like, yeah, I casually hook up with European royalty all the time, no biggie.
The memory of kneeling before him flashed through my mind, sending heat crawling up my neck. Shit. I was supposed to be processing this professionally, not getting all weird every time I saw the guy.
Carter raised an eyebrow. “Impressive first assignment.” He studied my face. “You know, nobility like that—they’re raised differently. Taught to compartmentalize everything and keep their emotions tight.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that sometimes what looks like coldness is actually careful control.” He shrugged. “Hard to tell without getting to know someone.”
I mulled this over. Was there more to the man than the dismissive client I’d encountered?
The gym provided a welcome distraction from my thoughts. I lost myself in the rhythm of my workout, focusing on the burn in my muscles rather than the confusion in my mind. Carter proved to be a good training partner, offering spots and form corrections without being overbearing.
By the time we finished, I was exhausted. We headed to the locker room to shower.
I closed my eyes, letting my mind drift.
Despite the strangeness of my situation—like, holy shit, I'm working as a sex worker at a fancy resort?
—I felt okay about it all. My roommates seemed to care about me.
I had access to real medical care and psychological support for the first time in forever.
The food was amazing, the facilities were stupid nice, and the pay would help Casey get the care he deserved.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
I stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist, and moved to my locker to grab my clothes. My wristlet blinked red. I found the nearest computer screen and entered my password. Swiping the screen, I saw a message from The Ranch's scheduling system.
Assignment Update: Private Client Request - Villa 6 - 7:00 PM.
Villa 6. The Duke's villa.
Wow.
He’d requested me again.
A jumble of feelings hit me all at once.
Shock, nervousness, and a tiny bit of pride that I hadn't screwed up as badly as I thought.
And underneath all that, I couldn't deny I was curious about who this duke guy really was.
What was that thing I'd seen by the pool?
Was Carter onto something about all that self-control hiding something deeper?
I closed the notification and finished getting dressed, feeling weirdly determined. This time, I wouldn't go in there all wide-eyed and clueless. I wouldn't take his cold shoulder personally. I was just doing my job, one he specifically asked for me to do.
Tonight, I'd give the duke whatever fantasy he was after. I'd be the perfect date—paying attention, showing off my skills, keeping it professional.
And maybe I'd get another peek at whatever was hiding behind that perfect mask of his.