His gaze flicked to the stairs as he saw someone descend – Zara, looking radiant and serine in the aftermath of bliss. Even with the tension stalking back and forth like a long-caged animal, he couldn’t pull his attention from her for a moment. Seeing her so relaxed and content after a client made him pleased – but then he realised, stupidly slow, what Anel’s very visible anguish meant.<br/><br/>Usually a visit from Lord Aldrich left Anel in a similar state to Zara’s, tender but alight, memories making him glow distractingly. This... was beyond uncharacteristic. Drunken rage? Not the playful baiting, not the sly, wicked tease, but throwing out an agony so deep...<br/><br/>Where was Lord Aldrich? Anel was here, but there had been no one to Master Ryan’s office. There had been no frantic servant to tell him there was a disturbance that had to be investigated, so it couldn’t have been anything like that... had the lord decided to retract his patronage, and told Anel so? Was the boy heartbroken over a lost client? Or was it nothing to do with the man?<br/><br/>It still didn’t answer where the lord was.<br/><br/>When Anel’s pain spilled over and his bile spewed at Master Ryan, Atticus’ brows lifted, shocked at the youth’s daring, his stupidity. The his pale, lovely, furious face turned on him, then crumpled into the darkest sorrow that drove something deep into the aching muscle of his heart.<br/><br/><em>"Where were you, too!? Probably out doing fuck all, as usual... Or, wait... I bet you were doing each other! The Master's pet and the failure. Both of you... Not doing your jobs... What if something had happened!? What if someone needed a little help!? But no; you weren't thinking of that whilst you were having a good fuck..."</em><br/><br/>He didn’t look at Master Ryan, or flinch or betray the truth in any way. He didn’t even try to defend himself. He just took it and gave nothing back, knowing that was what the youth wanted. He did give a soft hiss as Anel turned to the client and bad mouthed the House – too far, he wanted to say, but he held his tongue.<br/><br/>Master Ryan ordered Anel be escorted away, and Zara come forward to do it. Atticus deeply wanted to find out what had happened, but he could not, not now. He let out a breath as the clients smoothed ruffled feathers, though they decided to stay. Luckily for Anel.<br/><br/>Fiona broke away from the line up and he curved his fingers around her elbow, drawing her a little further off, wishing for no one to overhear. In a whisper little more than a breath he said, “Fiona... The gentleman desires to... well. He claims to be an artist. And that I am suitable to his needs.” His utter disbelief was as clear as Anel’s anger. “Should my room not give adequate lighting for his endeavour, I would give you a cut of my fee for the temporary use of yours. An hour, he says is what he needs.” He was not at all happy, and he knew Fiona would see it no matter how blank his face was. “Five percent?” he offered.<br/>