in a breath, unprepared for such directness, but then I told her. It was an abbreviated version, and I essentially explained that the Foscari were after me without telling her about my family, The White Company. When I divulged the Foscari name, I watched to see if there was a flash of recognition in Genevieve’s eyes. There wasn’t.
She took a sip of tea, acting like I hadn’t just revealed an outlandish story.
Hating her lack of reply, I continued to speak. “I didn’t bring a resume, but I’m not picky. I’ll take whatever job is available, as long as I can get a new identity.”
“Whatever job is available,” Gen repeated. She set her teacup down in its saucer, which rested on the coffee table. “Do you know why you’re interviewing with me on The Fifteenth Floor and not downstairs with the rest of the staff?”
I shook my head.
“What is it you think Tiffany does for a living, Sterling? You’ve seen her condo and her clothes, her car, the way they waited on her at Folson’s. There’s no way you actually believe she works the concierge desk, do you?”
She didn’t give me a chance to reply.
“The Fifteenth Floor is a brothel, Sterling,” Genevieve said plainly.
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“A brothel.”
My head spun.
Gen went on, “Tiffany is a Rex girl, a courtesan.”
“She never told me,” I murmured in a daze. “Even when I asked her—I knew she wasn’t telling me the full truth but—”
“Of course she didn’t tell you the truth. She’s not allowed to. None of the girls are.”
Tiffany had sex for money.
My best friend, the only person in the entire world I fully trusted, had lied to me about what she did for a living and sent me into an ambush.
It all made sense; why she’d insisted on dressing me, doing my hair and makeup. She had groomed me so that when I met with Genevieve, I looked the part.
Looked the part of a high-end call girl.
The cage door of my emotions flung open and boiling hot rage poured through my blood. I stood slowly.
“You both must think I’m a world-class idiot,” I said, seething. “She let me come in here and all but beg for a job—any job—but apparently the only job I’m suited for is spreading my—”
“Sit down,” Genevieve commanded firmly, not bothering to rise from her seat.
I held her stare. The woman was cool and composed.
“Sit down,” she said again, this time more softly. “Or, walk out of here and take your chances trying to find someone who can do for you what I can do for you.”
Desperation bloomed in place of my animosity and I collected my emotions and bottled them. With a deep breath, I sat.
“Don’t blame Tiffany. She wasn’t allowed to prepare you. When I interview new girls, I need to see their true emotions when I explain what it is we do here. It tells me a lot about who they are, yourself included. If you’ll allow me, I’ll give you some more information, and then you can take your time and make a decision. You can leave anytime you want, Sterling. I won’t stop you or beg you to stay. I haven’t even technically offered you anything. But bear this in mind, if you do walk out of here, that’s it. You won’t be given another chance. Ever.”
“So, I have to decide if I want to do this before I leave your office?”
“You don’t even know what this is or what it entails.” She peered at me. “Besides, if anyone has the right to be upset right now it’s me.”
“You?”
“You can’t be that naive, can you? That story you told me, about your mother and the Foscari.” She shook her head. “I’m crazy to even entertain this meeting.”
I frowned. “Why are you, then?”
“Tiffany has never vouched for another girl. She’s never even asked me to meet with someone new.”
“That can’t be enough of a reason, can it? I mean, no matter how amazing of an…employee she is.”
She paused, her expression pensive. “I owe Tiffany a great debt. And in our world, you pay your debts. And that’s all I’ll say about it. But frankly, I’m not sure you’re cut out for this line of work. It takes a certain type of person to do this job—and I’m not just talking about the business transaction of sex. To be a Rex girl…it’s not just about being beautiful. Which you know you are. But so are many other girls. No, it’s about something more. That je