Chapter 3 - Under New Management
Tuesday evening arrived with a fresh layer of sleet. Harper wrapped her knee in an ace bandage, swallowed two ibuprofen, and began the trek to Ray’s Late-Night Diner. She was preparing her apology to Ray; she needed to ask for an advance on her paycheck, something the grumpy owner hated more than burnt bacon.
When she pushed through the brass-belled doors, the diner was completely empty. No truckers, no paramedics, no regulars. The "Closed" sign was flipped outward.
Ray was standing behind the counter, packing a cardboard box with his personal coffee mugs and a framed picture of his dog. He looked pale and sweating.
“Ray? What’s going on?” Harper asked, pulling off her damp scarf. “Why are the doors locked?”
Ray wouldn't look at her. “I sold the place, Harper. About an hour ago. Got an offer I couldn't refuse. Literally. I’m retiring to Florida tonight.”
“Sold it? To who?” Panic seized her throat. If she lost this job, the foreclosure was a certainty.
“To me.”
The voice came from the shadows of the corner booth. Harper spun around.
Damian Blackwood was sitting in the exact same spot he had occupied the night before. This time, he wasn't wearing a trench coat. He wore a tailored black suit, his tie loosened, looking every inch the corporate predator. The diner was empty, but Harper could see the silhouettes of his armored vehicles idling on the street outside.
Ray grabbed his box and practically sprinted out the back door, leaving Harper entirely alone with the kingpin.
“You bought a diner?” Harper demanded, her heart hammering against her ribs. “Why? The grease traps are failing and the roof leaks.”
“I didn't buy a diner, Miss Quinn,” Damian said smoothly, rising from the vinyl booth. He walked toward her, his presence suffocating the small space. “I bought your place of employment. Which means, as of five minutes ago, you work for me.”
Harper took a step back, her hands balling into fists. “I quit.”
“I wouldn't do that,” Damian advised, stopping just inches from her. “Because if you quit, you’ll have a very hard time paying off the medical debt I just purchased from St. Jude’s Hospital. And it would be a shame for Leo’s insulin supplier to suddenly lose your account.”
May you like
Harper’s breath hitched. He had found out everything. In less than twenty-four hours, he had systematically dismantled every wall of her life. “You’re a monster.”
“I’m a businessman,” Damian corrected, his dark eyes locking onto hers. “And I am offering you a promotion.”
