‘Don’t tell me you haven’t been entertaining the idea of hiring a Seraph EA since you found out the capacity in which Gabe hired me.’

I have many charms, but clearly an air of mystery is not one of them. ‘And if I have?’

‘Not only can I get you on their books.’ She pauses for effect. ‘But I have the perfect candidate for you. She’s just in the process of joining them, and I thought I’d do you the courtesy of giving you first refusal.’

‘Playing pimp now, are you? Did my brother slash your salary by that much?’

She shakes her head as if to say you foolish, foolish man. ‘No one’s twisting your arm. Are you interested or not?’

‘Why are you being nice?’ I demand. ‘Is this about sequestering some of my land?’

‘I’m never nice. I’m disappointed you haven’t worked that out already. And no, this isn’t about your land. I’ll let Mairead wear you down about the equestrian centre all on her own. This is because there are a handful of people in this world whom I care about—literally one hand’s worth—and your brother is one, but my friend Marlowe is another.’ She arches an eyebrow, cool as you like. ‘You remember her, don’t you?’

‘You know I do,’ I say mulishly, because not only did I make a gigantic tit of myself the night I met the celestial Marlowe, but I’ve submitted some inelegant requests to Athena since then to put in a good word for me with her mate, and she’s refused point blank.

‘Thought so. Well, Marlowe is joining Seraph, and I thought you might be a good fit for her. From a hiring perspective, I mean.’

She smiles innocently, as if she hasn’t just intentionally dropped a double entendre that goes straight to my groin, because her friend is nothing short of delectable, and I know very fucking well that she’d be a stellar “fit” for me.

But joining Seraph? That’s a concept I can’t begin to wrap my head around. The Marlowe I met was all wispy blonde hair and long, floaty dress and bohemian elegance. The vibe she projected before I scared her off with my creepy nerves was very much that of the wholesome, unwittingly hot primary school teacher you’d try to fuck if you had a kid in her class. Like Miss Honey from Matilda but with that virginal sexuality thing ramped up to porno levels, if that makes sense.

It doesn’t make sense.

But neither does her being a professional whore.

‘She has a job, doesn’t she?’ I ask, performing a mental scramble. ‘At the RA? Why the fuck would she want to join Seraph?’