‘You make it sound worse than it really was,’ he protested. ‘I was just having a laugh.’

‘A laugh that earned you eight grand and cost me my family.’

‘When you put it like that,’ he admitted, ‘it doesn’t sound great. I don’t know what to say to you. I do have a reputation as a bit of an idiot.’

‘You could start by apologizing.’

‘Right. Yes. Of course. I’m very sorry.’ He looked at her, trying his best to look ashamed of himself. ‘Does this mean that we won’t be having sex tonight?’

She shook her head and turned away.

‘That’s the very least that it means,’ she said.

‘Okay,’ he said, accepting defeat. ‘I guess I should go, then.’

‘Oh no,’ she said, standing up now and moving towards the door, blocking his way. ‘It’s not going to be quite as simple as that.’

‘You want the money back?’ he asked. He thought about it. Yes, he had £35,000 hidden away at home, but £8,000 of that was a big chunk to lose. ‘It’s not like my returning the cash will sort things out between your parents.’

‘True. My mother isn’t going to forgive my father for going after a rent-boy just because the money’s put back into her account.’

‘Strictly speaking, I’m not a rent-boy,’ said Achilles. ‘I never sleep with any of the guys I meet.’

‘You just blackmail them.’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, that’s so much better, isn’t it?’

‘I guess not, but—’

‘How many have there been?’

He shrugged his shoulders. He was growing a little weary of this conversation and was anxious to leave. There were still some friends he could call to make sure that the evening wasn’t a total write-off. He had an urge to get riotously drunk and have sex with a random stranger.

‘A few,’ he said.

‘How many?’

‘I don’t know. A half-dozen or so?’

‘Don’t you feel any shame?’

He thought about it. ‘The funny thing is, I don’t really,’ he said. ‘I think I might be a little deficient on that count. Look, I’m a selfish little twat, okay? I admit it. But it’s not like I’ve murdered anyone, is it?’

‘Not yet you haven’t,’ she countered. ‘But it’s probably only a matter of time until you do.’

He nodded. That had been something he’d worried about in the past. Threats of suicide. He enjoyed the con, but didn’t want anyone’s death on his conscience.

‘Well, I’m very sorry,’ he said, doing his best to sound contrite. ‘Truly, I am. I guess I should go.’

‘It’s not been a good night for you all around, has it?’ she asked.

‘No,’ he admitted, looking down at his shoes before looking up at her again. ‘What do you mean?’ he asked. ‘What do you know about my night?’