Page 15 of We The Depraved

This can finally be my club.

“Mmm, no,” he gives a slight shrug, his shoulders shimmying.

“Wait, what?”

Disbelief at what I thought I heard is all over my face. I am so confused it is not funny. Slowly, with a grace I didn’t know was there, I run my hands over my jeans in an attempt to dry them.

“Yep you heard me right, I sold my controlling interest in the club.”

I notice a box for the first time. It’s sitting beside the desk. Junebug reaches down and picks it up and begins clearing his things out.

Just like that. He doesn’t offer any further explanation. I know how he sees me. I’m just a woman.

“I don’t understand,” I say to his turned back.

“Wellgirly, I’m not sure how to explain it,” he continues rummaging through the files with his back turned.

“How much did they buy you out for?”

Junebug started whistling some tune and completely ignored the question I asked. I am losing it as I stand up. I’m screaming and knocking shit to the ground. His famous crown and coke goes flying past his head decorating the wall. That gets his attention and he whirls on me.

“I asked you a question!”

He gives a laugh and dumps the last of his files in the box.

“This man came to me with a two hundred thousand in cash. Did you have that girly? Did you?”

I let loose plenty of curses.

My hand smashes hard into the desk. The room feels claustrophobic and I can’t breathe.

“Who?”

Junebug shrugs. “I don’t remember his name. Sayak or some shit like that. You’ll meet him soon enough. Hey who knows maybe he’ll buy you out as well.”

“Safaryan?” The question leaves my mouth dry.

Junebug appears happy as fucking clam as he gathers the box up.

“Yeah, that’s it. Why? Know him.”

My thoughts go back to just seeing that son of a bitch a few hours ago. Niki Safaryan had sat in front of my face, fed me dinner and said nothing about taking The Crescent over.

“Something like that.”

Junebug gives a thoughtful look around the room, the light still gleaming off his dome.

“Ran this place for twenty years. Houston was good to me,” he gives one last look around.

He opens the door and leaves. Gio and Yasmine are standing out in the hallway and I know they’ve heard every word exchanged between Junebug and me.

“Get in here you two!”

Immediately, I begin to pick up the things I knocked to the floor. Once I’m done, I sit down in my desk chair. My grip on the world I know is slipping.

Gio and Yasmine stand with their hands behind their backs trying to avoid my gaze.

“What do you know about the Safaryans?” My question is directed at Gio.