Page 43 of Lucifer's Hounds

“Okay, I’ll be right out.” I glance back at Scott, and he nods his head in understanding. This conversation isn’t over, and I still have tons of questions about everything he just told me. I walk to the front to find the vendors sitting at a table by the stage. They’ve both got computers in hand and are waiting for me to set up the accounts. It doesn’t take as long as I expected, and ouraccounts are up and running in no time. The day drags on as we prepare the bar for the reopening.

Mindy at least gets to get away and run some errands, getting everything we need to have a fully stocked kitchen as well as the coolers in front with vegetables and other necessities like juices and milk. I’m stuck here waiting for the other vendors to arrive.

"What else do we have to do?" Leo asks, staring around the building.

"Not a whole lot. Mostly just sitting around and waiting," I say.

"I'm going to sit outside and call my girl." Leo walks away from the bar.

"He doesn't care to be here, does he?" I ask, looking in Scott's direction.

"There aren't any poker machines and his ol' lady ain’t here. The only thing that piques his interest is the fact that there’s alcohol, but he doesn't care to drink alone."

"I get that. Unless you're the only one in an empty bar room and have free reign of alcohol."

"Sounds like you have some experience with that," Scott laughs.

“Me? Never. I would never take advantage of a full bar that’s completely empty when I’m having a bad night. Nope,” I joke, putting on my best serious face.

“Mm-hm,” Scott hums.

“So, about that conversation we were having earlier…”

“What about it?” Scott asks.

My phone chimes and Cass’s name lights up on my screen, making me grin.

Cass: Landed in Cali. How’s the bar?

“What?” Scott asks.

“Nothing.”

Lilly: Good. You want to explain why everything is going in my name?

“You talking to the boss?” Scott asks.

“Yep. Anyway, back to our conversation. What else is there that I need to know?”

“We’ll talk later. You’ll be seeing a lot of me this week, therefore, plenty of time to talk about that,” he smiles.

“Not fair,” I huff, folding my arms in protest.

“Oh well,” Scott says and glances down at his phone. He’s texting someone too. Probably Cass.

“What’s boss man got to say?” I inquire.

“It isn’t the boss man. It’s one of my pin cushions.”

“What the fuck is a pin cushion?”

Scott chuckles but doesn’t give me an answer. “Ask your boss. He came up with the term to begin with.”

I pick up my phone and tap out a quick text.

Lilly: What’s a pin cushion?

A few minutes tick by before I get a reply.

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