He follows, as well as Hobbes. That dog just cannot stand to be alone.
Once we’re inside, I ask, “Have you heard from Rebel? He should probably hear this too.”
“Yeah, he texted a little bit ago. They’re on their way back.”
“You want me to wait?”
“We can fill him in. I’m too impatient to wait, and it will give me time to think about it before we tell him.”
“Okay, yeah, gotcha.” I sit down and lean back in the chair. “So Michael says Santino is willing to sell the spa and, subsequently, the club.”
“How much?” Ice asks eagerly.
“Five hundred K,” I reply and Ice flinches.
“Holy fuck, that’s a lot.”
“Do you think it’s worth it?” He sits at his desk.
“You want my honest opinion?”
“No, Sainte, I want you to fuckin’ lie to me,” he retorts. Damn, he has no patience.
“Will you just chill. I think the day spa / massage place alone could be worth it, but you need to employ the right people and market it as an upscale establishment.”
“And the sex club?”
I laugh. “That place is a fuckin’ gold mine. They charge a hundred dollars for membership, just to get in. Ladies with a guy get in at half price, and if they are single, they’re free. The bar alone brings in revenue. And, if you go with the fee like Santino does, it’s legit.”
“Yeah, but five hundred K is a lot of money.”
“Yeah, but I would bet money that you would make it back in your first year and then some.”
He leans back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling. He’s thinking.
“Do you have that kind of cash?” I know it’s rude, but fuck, we go way back and I’m fucking curious. After seeing his house, I know he’s got money stashed away. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s got several thousand lying around, but five hundred? Unlikely.
“I do. Just not sure I want to blow it all in one place.”
“Well, before you think any further, there is a catch to Santino selling.”
“Oh fuck, what?”
“He has assured Michael that he will pull the trafficking side out of the club when it’s under new ownership, but he will not stop. He’s just gonna move it elsewhere.”
“That’s fine. I can’t tell anyone what kind of business dealings they should have, but I can fucking make sure the ones I don’t like don’t live in my town.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much what I told Michael.” He laughs.
“So when Reb gets back, we run this by him. If he agrees, we take it to church.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Hobbes walks to Ice’s desk and lets out a little cry. He looks down at the dog and smiles. This fucker. He loves that dog. His indifference is all a show. Wait until I tell Emma.
“Not one word, Sainte!” he says. How the fuck does he do that?
“You don’t know what I was thinking.”
