Page 58 of My Soul for Sale

“He’s in his office. You ain’t taking no more weekends off. I’m not working em’ and Lisa can’t handle weekend nights.”

“Trina, did I miss the announcement of you becoming bar manager and schedule maker?” I tilt my head, pursing my lips.

I shouldn’t goad her but I can’t help it. Her shitty attitude pisses me off. I thought I could easily put aside the fact that she gave Ali information about me, but seeing her here now is proving different.

I head through the door to the back, rolling my eyes when I hear her mutter, “Fucking bitch,” under her breath.

Knocking on the office door, I wait a few seconds and open it. Kevin is sitting at his desk, forehead resting in one of his hands, while he stares at some paperwork.

“Kevin, do you have a minute?”

He looks up at me and smiles. “Yeah. What’s up, Sloane? Please don’t tell me you’re quitting.”

I smile. “Not quitting.”

I take a deep breath, ready my thoughts, and remind myself I practiced this speech with the guys and had Branson draft up the paperwork, in case this works.

“I want to buy the bar. I’m prepared to make you an all-cash offer.”

The pen he’s holding drops from his fingers as his jaw drops.

“You want to buy this shit hole? Are you serious?”

“Yes.” I reach into my bag and grab the contract that Branson sent over this afternoon. “I’m offering one hundred and twenty-five thousand. It is slightly low, but it’s all cash and the place does need some renovation and repairs. I’ll need two to three weeks of transition time, just to get the utilities switched to my name and the distributors to know I’m now the owner. We can transfer the liquor license to me if you agree. I have filled out the application and asked them to expedite it, along with my background check, and paid the fee. I just need you to say yes.”

“That’s it? I stay and just hang out pretty much while we switch everything to you and they put your name on the license. You give me one hundred twenty-five grand, and I don’t have to worry about this shit anymore? This place barely keeps its own lights on. You’re aware of that?”

“I am. Do we have a deal?” I hold my hand out for him to shake and he looks at my hand, my face, then back to my hand.

“Fuck yes. You can make it one twenty even if you fire Trina while I’m here.”

I bark a laugh and pull my hand away. Trina is always hanging on him and I know I’ve caught them on more than one occasion getting it on in the walk in or this very office.

“Why? I’m not turning you down, but I thought you and her were like a thing?”

“Hell no. She’s got lips like a hoover, but I can’t stand her. I know what you’re thinking. Listen, I had needs, and she agreed to take a pay cut if we fucked. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“She paid you pretty much to suck your dick?” I'm shocked because, if anything, it should be the other way around. It's literally how I’m able to hand this man all this cash right now; someone paid for my pussy.

“Yeah. She ain’t the brightest crayon in the box.” He shrugs.

“Deal. She was getting canned anyway.”

I hand him half the money and he doesn’t even count it, just sets it on his desk and signs the papers signing his bar over to me.

“I’ll send the papers in officially for the license and we’ll just need to transfer the deed.”

“No problem. I’ll be here every day the same as I am now until everything is done. That work?” he asks.

“Fine with me. I’ll give you the other half of the money when the deed and license are done. That way, if any issues arise, neither of us ends up screwed. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a bartender to fire.” I leave his office and head to the bar where Trina is making a Bacardi and Coke.

I feel Kevin behind me, but I don’t look to see if he’s enjoying the show he’s about to get. Trina sets the drink down in front of the gentleman she’s serving and tosses the money into the register.

“Everything okay?” She crosses her arms over her chest, looking at us. “Oh no, Sloane, did you quit? No, you got fired, didn’t you?”

“No. I’m good. Great even. Still very much employed. But you aren’t.” The corners of my lips turn up slightly.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

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