“I want this one, Charon.” Montgomery’s voice was clipped. His eyes didn’t leave Reiji’s face. “I trust you can have him ready within half an hour?”

This time Charon’s eyes narrowed, just slightly. He glanced at Reiji, frowning a question at him.

Reiji shrugged. He wasn’t about to be intimidated by this arrogant asshole of a lord. “I’m game.” He finished off the rest of his water, feeling suddenly thirsty. “Starting work early this afternoon means extra wages, right?”

“Splendid.” Montgomery smiled tersely at him, having turned his attention away from Charon entirely. “I’ll expect you to be showered and dressed in suitable attire. Bring whatever accoutrements you customarily provide for your customers’ use. Until then.”

It was an obvious dismissal. Reiji glared at him, but Montgomery was already turning away and walking toward the lobby. Probably to let his driver know he was going to be staying for the evening; Reiji wondered if the poor man was going to be expected to wait in the car outside until his boss was finished playing.

“My ‘accoutrements’?” Reiji let a hint of incredulity creep into his voice. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Charon looked worried. “Don’t feel you have to go through with this, Reiji. Lord Montgomery isn’t one of the House’s usual guests.”

In later years, Reiji might learn to have more trust in his boss’s instincts, but as it was, he bristled at the suggestion that he might not be capable of doing his job. “Don’t worry about me, Charon. I’ll take good care of him.”

Seeing the ferocity on Reiji’s face, Charon sighed. “He’s never been a guest in this House before, but I know he likes hurting boys, Reiji. If you’re not ready for that—”

“It’s not the first time I had a client who likes to play the pain game.” Reiji didn’t get off on the whole BDSM thing himself, but he knew how to go through the motions of it if the pay was right. “It won’t be anything I haven’t done before.”

For a moment he thought Charon was going to say he’d changed his mind, and he was going to choose another boy for Montgomery that evening after all. Reiji braced himself for a fight, annoyed by the thought that Charon might not have faith in him.

Charon gave him a considering look, then nodded and turned back toward his office. “You’d better go get ready, then,” he said. There was a weight to the words that made Reiji uneasy. “Lord Montgomery isn’t going to be happy if you’re late.”