Monica held back the gasp circling the drain of her throat. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I know what happens here. I’m not a baby.”
“You’re seven.”
“Sonot a baby!”
“Goodness. Wherever did you hear about something like that?” Was it school? Something she saw on TV? Monica and Henry couldn’t always track what their daughter watched with Matilda and Auntie Eva, who often fell asleep on the couch and gave Abigail the remote. “You’re much too young to know about sex.”
“Why? You and Daddy did it to get me, right?”
“Okay, where did you hear about this? We haven’t had this talk.”
“I know where babies come from! They come from the moms, who had sex with the dads so their genetics could combine!”
Monica had to mentally back up to deal with this while also realizing what time it was.The guests will be here any moment…They would expect her to greet them. See to their needs for drinks and snacks. Those who didn’t have a woman in mind for the night must be introduced to someone needing work. Wait, who exactly was coming?A bigshot patron and many of his friends.Shit.
I think she wantsmeto think that she knows more than the reality.Monica gritted her teeth before sitting on the bed so her head was closer to her daughter’s. “And what’s sex?”
“You know…” Blushing from her found-out ignorance, Abigail turned around with a pout. “When they love each other a lot. Kissing!”
Monica let out a small sigh of relief.Kissing isn’t always required…No, Abigail was too young to hear that! Let her keep thinking that babies were made from kissing. It would make for a funny story later when she had long learned the real truth at a more age-appropriate time.Which will be tomorrow at this rate.
Matilda popped out of the office with something in her hand. “Look what I found! A hundred-piece puzzle. I think all the pieces are even here. How about we take a crack at it while watching a movie tonight?” She shook the box and its rattling contents at Abigail.
That was Monica’s cue to get out of there. She kissed the top of Abigail’s head and said, “Make sure it’s Rated G,” to the nanny.
She was still shaken when she left her apartment and intercepted the arriving party in the main hall. The doorman had his work cut out for him when he announced five names in a row, all at a powerful clip that almost gave Monica a migraine. She was relieved to see that Judith was already way ahead of her, planting a kiss on the tallest man in the group and welcoming his friends.
“Mr. Bolivar.” Monica waited for the man to bend down so she could lift herself on her tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “So good to see you again so soon.”
The large Monegasque man with silver in his beard and that eternal Spanish accent in his voice greeted her with a laugh and proceeded to introduce him to his European friends who were in town for a big conference in North America. “I couldn’t wait to invite them where I met my sweet Judy.” His arm was always wrapped around his girlfriend, who happily grinned at him as if shealsohadn’t seen him in a long while.Is that how Ilook with Henry?Judith and Miguel Bolivar had been together for almost as long as Monica and Henry, but their constant long-distance lives meant that they sometimes went a couple of months without physical touch.The only reason Judith doesn’t complain about it all the time is because she has another boyfriend in this arrangement.A local retired doctor who now spent his days traveling the country for his art shows, many of which featured Judith in erotically nude poses.We have a print of her posing as Eve in the Garden of Eden in the middle of the Salon.
Monica had to wonder exactly what kind of daughter she’d eventually raise.
The party was held in an upstairs lounge that could easily accommodate a dozen people. Since there were no other appointments that night, Monica put everyone to work. Not just the maids and the cook in the kitchen, but herotheremployees who ran the gamut of “spoken for but still living here” and “full-service sex worker.” Employees like Madison now lived in the city and oversaw Le Salon full time, but there were others, like Savannah and Cate, who were always sniffing the blood-infested waters for fresh meat. They were the first in the room, arm-in-arm in their expensive but revealing dresses and making itvery clearthat they were in dire need of companionship that night. The way these parties worked? The point of contact, Miguel, kept an open tab for all drinks and “other services” that the girls sent their charges to. Miguel would settle the tab, either by paying for everyone’s fun himself or collecting in some other way.
This is the exact kind of thing the IRS is investigating.For all Monica knew, one of these men with a French or Austrian accent was actually an undercover agent ready to expose her. But since she found out about the audit, she had been extra careful aboutpayments rendered for “other” services. Nobody directly paid for sex. Not if they wanted to come back again.
Monica was careful. She hadalwaysbeen careful. Not only did she do everything within the law to the best of her ability, anything slightly askew was paid off under the table to the correct people. But the Château had survived more than one raid with nary an arrest.
Will we be so lucky next time?
Normally, Monica melted into sweet relaxation once she was in her element. Hosting – let alone parties likethese– was part of her soul. They spoke to her submissive yet powerful nature that wanted to ensure everyone had a wonderful time. She was a natural and educated conversationalist who could charm any dominant type and relate to any submissive. Male, female, in-between, or neither… it didn’t matter. Monica’s soul attached to people’s deeper nature. With her own desires and sex life she skewed only one way, but here?
She could make any of these men think she was the queen of the court. And she was.
Usually.
“We have been dying to come since we first heard about this place. Many, many years ago.” A man nearly as large as Miguel but sporting a French accent lifted his drink to Monica when she came by to check on him and his friend on a loveseat. “Miguel always says it is the place to meet the best American women. Everyone is so beautiful. The girls in Paris could learn something from…” His gaze was askew toward Savannah, who bent over a chair and kicked her heel up in the air as she showed off how easy it was to clutch a wineglass full of liquid between her thighs. “Such talent.”
“Yes, I couldn’t help but notice you two gentlemen were alone over here. Is that by choice, or should I introduce you to one of our many lovely young ladies who are here tonight?”
They were more than happy to meet someone, and that happened to be a woman named Tiff, who was pulled away from the other gathering to entertain the French gentlemen on the loveseat. She squeezed herself between them, commenting on their broad shoulders and excellent taste in liquor.
That’s taken care of.Monica scanned the room for any other guest in need of companionship.I’ve got five women on the payroll tonight, so where is my missing one?Somebody should be helping Tiff. But with Judith with her boyfriend and Savannah and Cate entertaining the other two men…
She finally found Ursula beneath the coffee table, searching for her contact. Before Monica could say anything, Judith pointed out that Ursula had the foresight to hike her dress over her very bare ass. Monica saw things up close that she didn’t know existed. Like Ursula’s Pinocchio tattoo right next to her waxed labia.
