Chapter 661
Tanya had been trying to outdo me forever, but honestly, all she’d managed was digging herself deeper into her own mess. This was on her, 100%, but would she ever own up to it? Nah. She’d just blame me like always.
And me? I showed up tonight for one reason—to stir the pot, to make her hate me even more. She avoided me the whole time I was there, which was classic Tanya. But just as I was about to leave, I made sure to call her over.
She walked up, looking like she was about to bite my head off. “Keira, I’m not serving you,” she snapped.
At least she had her pride. Props for that. Imagine turning down my money.
“I want to sign up for a VIP membership—the yearlong one. If you’re not going to help me, find someone who will.” I leaned into the moment, letting the weight of my wallet do the talking.
A VIP membership here meant Tanya would pocket 25 percent of the fee. If I threw down $30k, that was, like, two months of her salary. She’d feel that.
“You think flashing some cash makes you special? Quit showing off,” she spat, still clinging to her attitude.
I smirked. “What if I like showing off? You could, too, if you had the money for it.”
She spun around like she was leaving but stopped halfway, turning back with a glare. “If you’re so loaded, why not sign up for the supreme VIP membership? A hundred grand a year.”
Ah, there it was. She was finally dropping the act, realizing pride didn’t pay the rent. Now she was trying to flip the script.
I laughed, soft but just loud enough. “A hundred grand? That’s cute, but it barely scratches the surface for you. Tell you what…” I glanced around the bar, dragging out the silence. “How about I just buy this place instead? Then you could be the boss. What do you say?”
Tanya froze, staring at me in disbelief. After a few beats, she scoffed. “Who cares?”
“I’m serious,” I replied, keeping it breezy. “If you’re not interested, I’ll find someone else. A high salary tends to get people’s attention.”
Her lips twitched, but for once, she had no snappy comeback.
“You can think about it,” I added, nodding toward her. “Now go set up my membership.”
She didn’t argue this time, just grabbed my card and processed it. When the transaction cleared, I stood to leave.
“You’re serious?” Tanya called out as I turned toward the door.
“Guess you’ll find out tomorrow,” I said, tossing her a wink.
“Keira,” she said, her voice dripping with doubt. “You know I hate you. Would you really buy this place and make me the boss?”
I gave her a faint smile. “That’s the plan.”
“Why? To humiliate me?” Hermine, like she thought she’d find something deeper if she just stared hard enough.
“Do you really think you’re worth that much effort?” I said, a touch of scorn lacing my voice.
Her cheeks flushed, and I could see the fury bubbling just under the surface. Bingo.
This was exactly what I wanted. I wanted her to hate me even more, to get so mad she couldn’t think straight. If she took over the bar, she’d eventually start scheming. And in a place like this, it wouldn’t take much for her to slip into something shady.
Seavora’s bars and nightclubs had a reputation, and if Tanya tried to go big, the trail would lead right where I needed it to: DracoLux.
It was a setup, plain and simple, but I wasn’t about to sugarcoat it.
“Tanya,” I said, leaning in just enough to make it sting, my voice dropping low. “I’m using you. You’re easy on the eyes, and you’ve been here long enough to know how this place works.”
I let a smirk tug at my lips. “Anyone else would cost me more, but with you? I save cash. Plus, I get the sweet bonus of watching you grind your teeth while making money for me. Feels pretty good, doesn’t it? If you were me, wouldn’t you do the same?”
She stayed quiet, but her fists were clenched so tight I half-expected her nails to draw blood. That silence? It said it all—she hated me, but she couldn’t do a thing about it. And she knew it.