“The interview is where we meet to negotiate the terms of the session. This isn’t where you just declare you want to spank me. We have to discuss how hard, with what, and how you want me to feel about it.”

“So your reactions with clients aren’t natural?”

Get your head in the game, Alex.

“They are to a point, but I become the fantasy they want me to be. Think about who Lucas Steel wants his sub to be.”

I nodded.

She stood up. “So let’s pretend you’re seated in the interview room. The Desk Mistress would ask, ‘Good evening, Sir. Are you here to see a sub, a Switch, or a Dominant?’”

“A sub,” I said without hesitation.

“Perfect. Do you have a particular one in mind, or shall I send all of the available subs in to meet you?”

I knew what my answer would be, but I was supposed to be Lucas Steel. He would want to look at all of his options, wouldn’t he? I opened my mouth to say that, then reconsidered. He always knew what he wanted and would’ve planned ahead. I said, “I want Lady Elena.”

Her lips quirked the tiniest bit. “I’m sorry, Sir. You can’t have her. She’s not taking submissive sessions anymore. But there’s a lovely fire witch who might suit your tastes or a siren if you’re feeling like living dangerously.”

She was leaning into the fantasy elements, which gave me permission to do the same, but I wasn’t ready to concede.

I narrowed my eyes. Being told he couldn’t have something would only make Lucas Steel want it more. But how would he get there? More gold? Threatening? He could control minds, but now that I thought about it, he never used that power purely to get his way for selfish reasons. None of that felt right.

I leaned back in the chair and crossed an ankle over my knee. “I think she’ll make an exception if you tell her who it’s for. I assume my reputation precedes me.”

Elena beamed at me, completely throwing my focus. She whispered, “I’m impressed. I was fully prepared to make you pretend to see another sub, but that was a perfect Lucas Steel answer, so I’ll let you have Lady Elena. Let’s assume we’ve bantered and I’ve agreed to do a session so we can get to the substance of it.”

She dropped to her knees in front of me in one practiced movement.

“What’re you doing?” I was confused by the move and trying not to think about her being on her knees.

“Subs always observe protocol and conduct interviews in a kneeling position. It’s been a while since I’ve done that, but I’m trying to give you the authentic experience here.”

I nodded, but said, “You really don’t have to kneel on the floor. Hotel floors are always filthy.”

She let out a disappointed sigh. “Lucas Steel wouldn’t care that the floor was dirty. It would turn him on to make me kneel in the dirt and it would turn me on to be his dirty girl. Keep going.”