‘Like most people who prostitute themselves, she needs the money,’ Athena says crisply. Clear subtext: Don’t for a single second dare to think that women actually want to be in these roles, you entitled dickhead.

‘What does she need it for?’

She frowns, hesitating before she answers me. ‘Let's just say she's been hit with some... unforeseen expenses recently.’

That sentence is brimming with subtext, but the unspoken has never been my strong point. I’m a guy who takes things at face value. So Marlowe’s got greedy, has she? Either that or she’s in some kind of debt. Well, I can get on board with funding her shopping addiction.

‘And you want me to hire her? Why the hell would you be okay with me hiring her but not okay with helping me date her?’

‘Oh, please.’ She gives me a look that’s beyond disdainful while massaging Mark’s jowls. ‘Firstly, you don’t want to date her, you want to fuck her. I’m under no illusions about guys like you, Brendan, so don’t waste my time or insult my intelligence by trying to pretend otherwise. And secondly, she needs this job. Do you really want to date someone who’s fucking another guy during office hours, Monday to Friday?’

My face, I assume, provides its own answer. On second thought, my brother is welcome to this woman. Smoking she may be, but she’s a piece of work.

‘I thought not. And thirdly, I may not think you’re anywhere near worthy of being dating material for Marlowe, but I suspect you’re a semi-decent guy behind this fuckboy-slash-alphahole exterior you have going on.’ Her expression grows more serious. ‘And, after four years of working for Seraph, I’m all too aware of what kind of clients it attracts. I’m just looking out for my friend, and I trust you, as far as I can trust any man, not to behave like a gigantic twat. I’m trusting that you’d abide by the spirit of the contract and treat her with decency.’

I’m half listening. I think she just said something that, by her standards, could be construed as almost touching. But, honestly, my chimp brain is racing away with me, because fuuuuuuuuuuck.

Marlowe in my office every day, where Plain Elaine currently sits? Marlowe sucking my dick under my desk and bending over my desk whenever the fuck I like?

Jesus Christ.

‘If you get so much as a semi right now, then I’m out of here,’ Athena warns, pointing her free hand at me.

‘Give me a fucking break,’ I grumble, but I scoot my chair closer towards my desk just in case.