Chapter 10
10:47 Erik's phone read when he checked the time after throwing his rental into park. Two small semi trucks waited for him, their long bodies stretching across the front of the building, hiding the entrance.
Erik walked up to the cab of the first one, a white truck barely larger than his rental, and spoke to the Hispanic man smoking a cigarette and staring at his phone. "Hey partner, I'm ready when you are."
The man looked up and spoke with a thick accent, "Okay, I coming."
Erik walked to the next truck, a yellow cab over with a polished steel fuel tank and spiked lugnuts. The driver was an older, hardy looking woman with thick lines in her face and bright eyes. Her voice sounded sweet and gravely like she had smoked her whole life. "Are ya ready for me too?"
"Yeah, let's do it!"
He unlocked his front door and a half hour later several pallets of supplies were waiting to be put away. He tipped both drivers a hundred dollars for unloading his stuff and he set about unwrapping them. He made a mental note to himself to get Bob's number so that next time he could help put things away.
It took him over two hours to get all of the liquor and beer put away but when he was done, he felt sure he would be stocked for over a week.
Sitting down in one of the rolling chairs and looking at the empty, unlit stage, Erik began thinking about his next problem; renovation.
A knock sounded on his open door and Erik swiveled to find a shadow blocking the light. "Hello?" a soft African American voice called.
"Yeah, can I help you?" Erik stood, peering at the figure. It moved inwards and a moment later Erik was face to face with a tall, lean man with close cropped hair in a wave style, dark skin, and a polo shirt with stylized rips at the hems. Lean muscle rippled like waves across his arms and neck.
"Yeah, I saw the door open and your truck out there and I was hoping to talk to someone about a job." His voice made Erik think of the sound a blanket made when you pulled it up to your chin; soft and welcoming.
"Well, I am looking for some help. What skills do you have?"
The visitor shifted his weight to one leg. "Well, I've done mostly construction before I was in the military, then I was a grunt, know what I'm saying? Now, I'm basically ready to do anything and I enjoy being around women, especially topless ones."
Erik nodded, grinning himself. "I understand, it is a nice perk."
Someone else stepped through the open door unannounced. The first visitor twisted and Erik looked around him to find three large men strutting into the entranceway.
"Hello, can I help you?" Erik called out.
"Yeah," a male voice said with a thick Boston accent. The three figures were in the light so Erik couldn't make out individual features. "We heard the'waz a new guy on th'block."
"Yeah, that's me," Erik said.
The man took a few steps inside, resting his arm on the podium near the front door, his partners following. Shadows distorted his face, but Erik could see he was wearing a suit. "Is there somewhere we can talk business?" the Boston accented man asked.
"Not really, don't have much of an office."
"That's a shame. Why dontcha come by my awffice sometime then? We can tawlk business." He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a card, then set it on the podium. Without a word the party of three left.
After a moment, Erik turned back to his African American visitor who stood with his shoulders slanted. "Can you do security? Throw out the bad apples and pitch in wherever needed?"
"Yeah man, I can do that. Whatever you need brother, I got your back."
"Alright, I'll pay you fifteen an hour, but I'm going to work you hard. You could be in the DJ booth one minute, fetching ice for the bartender the next. Sound good?"
"Solid as rocks my man, I can do that. My name is Allen. When should I start?"
.....
That evening, Erik opened up with the full staff. His three new girls from the last open night came back. He set them up with Trixie to get comfortable.
Erik introduced Allen as the security personnel and everyone seemed to approve. A couple of customers trickled in but Erik expected a slow night since it was a weeknight. The new girls strutted out like a set of sirens in different string bikinis and entertained them. One took the stage and the other two sat next to them like they were old friends.
Bob approached a few minutes later. "Hey boss," his face twitched, one eye closing then it relaxed, "Did you get a chance to hire a real bartender?"
"I didn't Bob, but I'll put an ad out right now." Erik promised. Guilt grabbed his stomach and twisted it. He was supposed to have gotten so much more done.
Taking out his phone, Erik started researching where ads for bartenders were placed already, then how they were structured. After getting an idea for the format, and choosing a site, Erik posted the need for a bartender.
A whiff of perfume and a hand placed directly on his cock brought his attention away from his phone. Looking up, Rachel's nude breasts encompassed his vision, her body much taller than he remembered and her skin glistening with body glitter. He walked his eyes up her curves, noting the position of one hand behind her back. The one on him started stroking his jeans where she thought his cock might be. She spoke in tone he barely heard over the music, "Would Master allow me to give him a lap dance?"
Erik paused for a moment trying to think, but nothing more came to mind except three words. "Lead the way."
Biting her lip and smiling, Rachel grabbed his waistband and walked backwards, dragging him with her, before turning around to face forward. She looked over her shoulder to make sure he was following, and his eyes met hers. They stood out an unnatural sapphire blue.
Leading him around the velvet banister that roped off the stage viewing area, Rachel took him up the stairs to the private area made from plywood, curtains and second hand couches.
He studied the room a little more now that he was in it, his hand slipping out of Rachel's. Plywood walls and dark curtains lined the entire room. In the middle were two mismatched couches and a coffee table.
"Is something wrong?" Rachel's voice had dropped the submissive tone.
"No, I'm just looking and trying to think of how I can really improve this space."
She came back to him and pressed her nipples into view, "I think some carpet would be nice, maybe some nicer furniture."