Page 85 of Secrets

"You're an idiot for keeping both ledgers together in the same place," he says. "Our money guys found a lot of hidden money, Nicky boy."

"You stole our books?"

"I think you meanmybooks," he says. "Well, the club's books."

Daphne's eyes glare at him. "What?"

"The Drifters bought the shop from your investors, so looks like I'm your boss, Nick. Well, was. Your ass is fucking grass."

Standing, she gapes at him. "Max, what did you do?"

"The club agreed we need a side business here in Summerville. And when I showed them the coverup work you did, they all agreed. Well, mostly all. You wouldn't take money from me to buy the place that you should be running, so I had to go through other avenues. No chain tattoo parlor bullshit. No more shop fees. And no more fucking tub boy, here."

Phil stands. "Wait, we get to keep our jobs? And the shop as it is?"

"More or less, yes," Max says. "As for Nick, we found out a little information on you. How you work with the chain parlor to bring down the value of independent shops to allow a lowpurchase price for them. You keep all the money you skim from the shop after the sale is final, and no one's the wiser, it seems."

"How'd you get my books?"

Not the response he'd expected. "I'm dating Daphne, and she lives above the shop. You really think it was hard for me to break into the office and get it? Sorry, baby, but I had to do it in secret because I knew you'd try and say the club shouldn't be involved. But that's where Nick fucked up. He hurt someone a Drifter cares about."

"How the fuck did I fuck up?" Nick asks, his fists clenching at his sides like he might punch Max.

"Because one of our Treasurers had a father who was a bookie for the Mob. He knows all about this shit, and he knows skimming. It's how his Pops was offed and never found. Oh, and just a heads up. When he presented the information to the investors, they were a little... pissed."

Phil walks up with the others. "How'd he do that?"

"He took the shop fees for himself. He then adjusted the amount of the services, pocketing the difference, saying that the way you set your rates was costing them the money. He claimed that with the current contracts in place, he couldn't change anything to bring in more to keep them in the black. From our calculations, in the last six months, Nick pocketed over a half million dollars."

Jaw dropping, Daphne walks up to Nick. "You took half a million dollars to sell my dad's shop out from under me?"

"Look-"

Her fist hits his face, cutting him off. His arm winds back, ready to smack her back, but Max stands in front of her. "If you even spit on my girl while talking to her again, I will break every joint in your fucking body."

"Wait a damn minute," Nick says, backing up. "The deal with Rockstar Tats and Piercing was a done deal."

"No, it wasn't. You took too much money, Nick. The investors wanted to do an independent audit because the numbers didn't seem right to them, so they held off signing the contracts. We did the audit for them, so they're not out any money from said independent contractor. And when we showed them what we found on you... well, I think there's some legal action coming your way. Which is why I'll immobilize you rather than murder you."

Yohan waves a hand in the air. "So, what's changing here? I mean, do we want to work in a shop owned by a motorcycle club?"

Daphne shoots him a warning look, but Max just smiles. "Daphne is the manager. No offense to you guys, but this should be her shop. The Drifters own it, but she's going to run it. Like she was always meant to. You get to keep your schedule how you like, the rates you want, and there are no bullshit shop fees. The only request we have is that Drifters wanting ink get priority."

"You know, I'm thinking working at a shop owned by a motorcycle club may not be that bad after all," Yohan says.

Phil nods. "We might actually be able to keep our roofs over our heads after all."

"Oh, about that," Max says. "We were able to calculate how much Nick took from you in those fucking shop fees, and you'll be getting that money back on your next paychecks. We're adding to the suit against Nick to recoup the money."

"You... you can't do this," Nick stammers.

Laughing, he steps closer, towering over him. "I can, and I did. Get the fuck out of my establishment, and if you ever step foot in here again, we'll consider it a threat and beat you within an inch of your life.”

"How many other shops has he done this to?" Daphne asks.

"Many," he says. "But this is the last one."

Laughing, Nick shakes his head and walks to the door. "I'll never get charged. You're delusional if you think that's gonna happen. I'll just go find another shop to take down."

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