From. (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=98856.msg4946703#msg4946703)<br/><hr/><br/>His thoughts were still quite all over the place and inwardly he scoffed at himself. The Teahouse was a safe haven, yes, but its residents were supposed to be adults. There was a form of security, indeed, but there were no armed guards, no one was searched for weapons and if someone did wish to do harm they were able to. Ryan had thought the power he held over the city to be enough to keep the clients under control. Apparently Gareth was not impressed. Or...not impressed enough. Perhaps he<em>should</em>leak out information about what had happened to the guy that had scarred up Atticus.<br/><br/>The Master of the House did not stop anywhere and but walked quickly to his office, his mind far away, his eyes on things unseen. Only after he had closed the door behind him he noticed he was not alone in the room. The object of his thoughts was already there.<br/>A slight frown drew itself over his features. Of course the man would be here. He'd come to pay for Anel's services.<br/>And he'd pay for those service.<br/>And then some...<br/><br/>At least the man hadn't taken the chair Ryan normally used but had seated himself in one of the chairs for clients and visitors. And.. now and then a whore, though that was a rare thing.<br/>Wandering around his desk and taking his seat, his eyes never left the business man. There wasn't a shred of guilt in him. Ryan couldn't help wonder if Gareth saw what he had done as rape. Anel did.<br/><br/>"Mister Aldrich," he finally said, planting elbows on the desk to fold hands which he looked over at the other man.<br/>Blue eyes met brown ones and it wasn't too clear which ones were more distant or cold.<br/>"I do believe you have betrayed my trust in you," Ryan continued, creating a small frown on Gareth's features.<br/>"You might be correct in this, Valentine," came the answer, calm, quiet. Matter-of-fact. Like they were discussing the weather outside.<br/><br/>Ryan shook his head and leaned in "Anel told me. You took him against his will."<br/>Those few calmly spoken words drew surprise on Gareth's features, and this time it was his turn to shake his head. "I can assure you he enjoyed it, Valentine."<br/>Ryan snorted, then smirked and made a small gesture with his hand, discarding what Gareth had claimed.<br/>"Physically, maybe. Not mentally," he said, adding, but only in his mind<em>'He was in tears, moron. What do you think that says..?'</em><br/>Gareth but rolled his eyes and leaned in too, but when he opened his mouth again to speak, Ryan was quicker and cut him off.<br/><br/>"You and I are quite alike, mister Aldrich. I, too, can make a man do what he doesn't wish to do. Make him think he wants it, craves it. Then later despises me for it. Despises himself for it, too. It's quite the power to have. We both have it. You misused it. I should have your balls for that. Do not think I would not cut them off if Anel had even hinted towards wanting this..."<br/><br/>Still his voice was calm, cool, collective. All of Ryan's mask was still perfectly in place. All but his eyes. His eyes were night on fire. Smouldering.<br/><br/>Gareth swallowed and leaned back in his chair, hardly showing any emotion, but the movement spoke more than enough.<br/><br/>"As he has not," Ryan continued "I will but ban you from the Teahouse. You are to never set foot in here again."<br/>Leaning back himself too, but much more relaxed, even a slight smile playing around his lips, he kept speaking "I will inform any and all other brothels, though, that you may not be trusted with any whore and that your word means nothing.<em>Asides</em>this, you have also messed up the bidding war for Anel's virginity. I'm very disappointed in you."<br/><br/>And it was true. Ryan was disappointed in this client. This had not been Gareth's first visit. He had never done anything like this. Not even hinting he couldn't be trusted. Had he slipped? Would it happen again? Somewhere else maybe? Or was Ryan sending away a well paying client for a slip up?<br/>It didn't matter, though. He<em>had</em>slipped up. There was no way of saying he would do it again. If the next time would be worse. Or if he'd be the picture of innocence after this.<br/><br/>Gareth moved in his seat and nodded "I'm willing to triple the last bid, no matter how high it is now. No matter who's bid it is. That, surely, should be enough to discourage anyone else still bidding?"<br/>Though this was exactly what Ryan had had in mind, he didn't feel any form of victory. Sure, the money would be more than welcome. It felt, however, like bloodmoney in some way. Instead of going against it, he pulled a document out of a drawer, opened a pot of ink and handed Gareth a quill.<br/>"In black and white, if you would be so kind," he said and kept an eye on the man while he filled in the financial document.<br/><br/>"Do you really need to spread the word, Valentine?" Gareth asked when he was done, eyes flicking up from the paper Ryan pulled from under the quill. He blew on the ink and slid the document into the same drawer before answering.<br/>"I would say I do, yes," he said, lifting his chin up before standing to his full length.<br/>"I will not tolerate your sight any longer. In my book you are a rapist. And oath breaker. I will have none of those under my roof. You are excused."<br/><br/>Without an other word, he turned and folded his hands behind his back, gaze apparently on the garden outside, clearly indicating to the other man the conversation was over.<br/><br/>Just as quietly, though somewhat shocked even if it didn't show, Gareth stood as well, stared at the back of the Master of the House for seconds on end, frowned and wandered off and out of the Teahouse.