0 comments/ 9266 views/ 2 favorites Battles By: sxypaganmom edited by Altenergy * She stood there, breathless, sweat running off her face and dripping down the front of her soaked shirt. Was she breathless from the workout, or was it because of who she was working out with? She took a moment and looked him over. He'd finally broken a sweat, but he wasn't nearly as winded as she was. She noticed as she watched him closer that he was breathing heavily. But why? Could he feel the tension, or was it all in her mind? Was he looking her over the same way she was looking at him? Still catching her breath and wiping her face, neck, and chest with a towel, she let her mind wander. It wandered to his sweaty body against hers, up against a wall, pinning her there as his hands ravaged her body: searching, exploring, wildly taking her all in with just his touch. She shook her head and wiped the image from her mind. Focus, focus. Now is not the time or the place. She knew there were possibilities, and some growing comfort as well as sexual tension between them, but it wasn't her place to make the move. Besides, did he really look at her that way, or was it all just playful flirtation? He was so hard to get close to, so hard to read. He had a wife and family and was devoted to them all. But it was his wife who'd told her it was okay—that she wouldn't mind if her husband decided to let something develop between the two of them. She was baffled, confused and frustrated. That's why she was fighting, to relieve some frustration. She couldn't do much else with him, but this was one thing she could do that they both enjoyed. His voice startled her, coming from right behind her. "Are you ready?" He spoke in a deep, quiet, yet commanding tone. She jumped, but composed herself quickly, hoping he didn't notice. "Of course, let's go." They walked back into the center of the garage, a makeshift fighting arena (formerly a spare bedroom) and squared off, swords at the ready. She locked eyes with him, then caught herself and watched his chest, remembering what he told her about the eyes being a distraction. His attack was sudden and quick; for every shot she blocked, he landed two more. She resolved to turn her frustration into aggression and focus it on her target, him. If she couldn't have him, she'd beat him, or at least try. She tried to stand her ground and not let his advances back her up. She tried to advance on him, but for every step forward, she took two steps back. For every blow she landed on him, he landed three on her. She was fiercely focused, trying to take out her aggressions, trying to learn, and only getting more frustrated in the process. Thud. Her body stopped as she ran into the cement wall of the garage. It felt cool against her hot, sweaty body. Quickly she raised her sword in front of her as a defense, trying to protect as much of herself as possible, while trying to defend herself from his blows. In seconds, he was on top of her, blocking any way she had to escape. Their swords crossed in between them and he quickly overpowered her, pinning her hand against the wall. Her sword fell to the floor. She brought her free hand up to defend herself and quickly found it pinned against the wall as well. Her legs were spread wide in a fighter's stance. His thigh wedged between hers, blocking her from kicking. Their eyes locked--victor and opponent, sizing each other up in the heat of battle. She struggled uselessly against him. His voice rang out through her frustration. "Are you going to stop struggling?" Instantly she noticed how close he really was. Their eyes locked as her body responded to his closeness. His sweat mingled with hers as it fell, his breath warm and quick on her neck as he spoke to her. She started to struggle again, this time hoping that if she did so he might remain here, close to her for just a minute longer. With a strength and quickness she never realized he had, she suddenly found her arms folded and pinned behind her, her own body weight keeping her defenseless. Now she was more open and vulnerable than just a moment before. Still locked in his gaze, she dared him with her eyes, secretly hoping for him to do something. He moved the full weight of his body upon her. Then he leaned in and let her hair down, softly running his hands through her hair. He stopped and grabbed a handful of her hair, not pulling or painful, but forceful and controlling. She sharply inhaled and froze, chest out, head back, fully realizing she was his to command. Instantly she longed for skin, she longed to feel his naked flesh against hers. Their eyes locked again, faces centimeters apart, lips only a hair's breadth apart. Energy, permission, wants, needs, and desires all passed between them in that gaze. She was lost in that gaze, lost in his eyes. For the first time, she saw him completely unguarded. She looked upon his soul. And as she looked upon it, in all of its darkness and lightness, she was carried away as he leaned in and melted her defenses with a kiss. The kiss was soft and lingering, as two souls and spirits became one. She could feel the tension and frustration flow from their bodies as she opened herself up to his kiss. All of the tension between them swept away in an instant. All of her frustration was gone. Suddenly passion--fierce, hungry, and demanding--replaced it. His hands hungrily searched her body, feeling and caressing all of its folds and crevasses. They were searching for something, looking, tearing until they found their target: skin--smooth, soft, sweaty, sweet skin. He shifted his weight, keeping her pinned but freeing her arms so that he could rip off her shirt and bra in one fluid motion. She tore the shirt from his body, fingers sinking into his skin as she did. As soon as he was free from his shirt, she found herself pinned against the cool concrete wall again. The feel of skin against skin only turned up the heat and made things hotter. Passion, lust, and sheer animal magnetism lit up the room. Everything else was burned away, leaving only their two bodies in the center of a red-hot fire. His tongue found her neck and traced steamy lines across it. Instinctively she responded by embracing him, her nails tracing red pathways down his back. All the while, heat was pouring from her pussy, as the tingle of excitement started to grow stronger. His prick responded to the growing strength of their passion by pressing firmly into her leg. His tongue found her sweet spot, the one that sent shock waves of pleasure through her body. Her body arched, pressing firmer into his, as he teased and flicked his tongue over her sensitive neck. She moaned loudly, calling to him. But she was cut off as his teeth sank into her flesh, grabbing and holding steady and firm, marking her and making her his, claiming his prize. Her nails sank deeper into his flesh as she yelped, but the pain sparked a deeper desire in her. She lunged forward and sank her teeth into his neck and shoulder. His sweat was sweet and salty in her mouth, and a low growl of pleasure rolled from her lips. Neither could get close enough to the other, pressing their bodies firmly together, trying hard to melt together and become one. Her nails dug deep troughs down his back, as his lips found her breast and took her nipple between his teeth--biting, sucking and rolling it between his teeth--his fingers rolling and tugging on the other one simultaneously. Shock waves of pleasure coursed from her erect and firm nipples straight down to her dripping wet pussy. She grabbed his ass, sinking her nails into it, pulling his hips even closer to hers, and shifting her hips so that his cock could find her sweet spot, even through their clothes. Instinctually he responded, thrusting his hips forward, grinding into her as she spread her legs wider and stood up on her toes so his thrusts would find their mark, rubbing her pants against her swollen clit. Indescribable sounds of pleasure echoed through the garage as his raging hard cock fought to free itself from the confines of his pants. Each thrust drove them both closer to the edge of insanity and pleasure. Biting, clawing, kissing, their hands and mouths left fiery battle scars, fueled by the heat of their passion. In one swift movement he grabbed her hands and threw them over her head, pinning them up against the wall. She bucked wildly, desperate to have him, touch him, feel him. While his one hand kept her hands immobilized, he grabbed his pants with the other one, yanking them down and stepping out of them in one smooth motion. His raging hard cock rejoiced at its freedom and celebrated by growing even harder and fuller. She gasped at the sight of it, her head pulling wildly, tongue licking her lips, salivating at the thought of her lips wrapping around his member, driving him wild while sucking his cock. He stood there for a moment, reveling in her frustration. A wicked smile crossed his face as he watched her struggle. He took his free hand and started at her neck. His fingers--gently, lightly, and maddeningly slow--made their way down between her breasts. Her body froze with anticipation as his fingers continued their journey downward, stopped suddenly by the waistband of her pants. They crept beneath it, searching for something. She didn't care what they were looking for; she was lost in the feeling of his touch. He yanked her pants down as she stepped out of them. Both naked and free, neither would wait any more, the desire was too strong. Instinct took over as his naked body, glistening with sweat, suddenly pressed against hers, hips pinning her against the wall. He freed her hands as he grabbed her hips, lifting her off the floor. She clung to him, legs wrapping around his hips, denying him his freedom. There was no turning back now. She felt his cock raging and hard between her thighs, throbbing and aching to sink itself into her wetness. With a strength she never knew he had, he lifted her up just a touch and held her there, suspended above his penis as its tip grazed her clit, sending her to the edge of orgasm. She growled and moaned, guttural noises of pleasure rumbling in her throat, begging to have him in her. His lips curled with a dark smile, flashing his pointed incisors. Frantically she pulled and clawed at him, trying to gain some leverage to pull herself down on him. Suddenly, as she was trying to get at his cock, he let go and thrust with his hips all at the same time. In one swift movement, his cock filled her, reaching depths she'd never felt before. They both froze, clinging to each other, wanting to savor the moment--that feeling of being locked together, of being the perfect fit. Then, in the next breath, he thrust again. A small rock of his hips sent powerful waves of pleasure through her body. Her back arched, her head back and her eyes closed, as his thrusts got faster and deeper. She rolled her hips in time with his, riding the high as their passions, desires, and energies joined as one. She was lost in a sea of pleasure and emotion, riding each wave as he crashed into her. Her only hold on reality was her nails, digging into his back and ass. She hung on desperately, hoping not to be swept away. But she was losing her grip. She felt it building in him, groans and growls rumbling in his throat as his orgasm built. Suddenly she was lost, reality torn away from her as his orgasm exploded, flooding her reality and filling her body. She could no longer tell his pleasure from hers. It was all one. His thrusts hit the very center of her as he finished riding the last waves of orgasm. She clung to him, legs locked around him, lost in the feelings of satisfaction and fullness. Slowly she came back to reality, her back raw from the concrete, his fullness fading within her. He stepped back and she untangled herself and shakily stood up. Her legs buckled under her and he quickly grabbed her, preventing her from falling to the floor. She fell into him instead, head on his chest, and listened to his heartbeat. It reminded her she was still alive, centering her back within herself. As she stood there, head on his chest, she started slowly, casually running her fingers up his chest and through chest hair. Her fingers ran over his nipples, and his body responded. Her hunger not satisfied, she ran her fingers over his other nipple this time, rolling and pinching it a bit. This time his body responded more. Her tongue snaked its way across his chest, searching for its target. It flicked gently, lightly, teasingly over it, dancing around it in circles. Moans escaped his lips as his eyes closed in enjoyment. Her lips locked around his nipple and sucked harder, as her finger played with his other nipple. He leaned down and latched onto her neck. She responded instantly the same way. Not as fierce as before, but just as firm. She started to feel his cock grow hard again as it pressed between her legs. He looked down at her questioningly, and the look of hunger in her eyes told him it was going to be a long night. Without a word she walked away and headed toward the door upstairs. Speechless, he stood there. She looked over her shoulder and flippantly said, "Are you coming?" Without skipping a beat and grinning all the while he said, "Not yet." Disappearing up the stairs she said, "I can fix that problem." He was right behind her, hands grabbing at her ass as they went upstairs. In the living room, they stood and kissed, a deep, passionate kiss that resonated through her body. Feeling the hunger she still felt, she pushed him back onto the sofa and dropped to her knees between his legs. She looked hungrily at his cock, but was determined to wait, if even for a moment. She leaned in, her body pressed full against his. She felt his cock growing against her as she worked on his neck, watching, gauging his reaction, making mental notes of what drove him wild. She'd find a button and push it just to see to how far she could push him. She wanted to figure out exactly where his edge was--and see if she could she push it back a bit. She slid down to his chest, his prick hard between her tits. Exploring all of the wonderful places there, she moved to one of his nipples. As she did so, she brushed his dick with her tits. Mutual shock waves ran through their bodies. She couldn't wait any longer; she had to have his cock in her mouth and have it now. She got on her knees, naked in front of him. This is a position she was seldom in and rarely wanted to be in. But now her desire to please, tease, and control him obliterated all of her past hesitations. She knelt there and watched him as she ran her nails up and down his inner thighs, making pale track marks on his skin as she touched everywhere but his most sensitive parts. Occasionally she would haphazardly dance her fingers over his balls and delight in his reaction. She leaned in, so her breath would caress his hardened prick. Her soft lips grazed his cock. His breath caught in his throat. A low growl of frustration escaped him, and she giggled to herself, pleased at her control and torture of him. She wrapped her hands around his prick, feeling every inch of his shaft, memorizing his reactions as she ran her hand up and down his shaft. She found a spot at the base of his shaft, right by his balls, that with the right amount of pressure made him go wild. As she played with that spot, she wrapped her lips around the top of his shaft--her tongue dancing around his head, just under the rim, across the top. Her tongue danced furiously around his prick while one hand stroked his shaft and the other massaged his balls. He was growling wild, hips bucking and arching in time with her strokes. When he reached out and grabbed her head, firmly but not forcefully, she froze, stopped mid stroke, grabbing his hands and putting them down by his side. "Let me tell you how this works. You touch me, I stop. Your hands move at all, I stop, got it?" "Yes," he moaned. She could tell when she'd stopped that he'd been seconds away from coming. And that, right now, wasn't her goal. She didn't mean to torture him; it was just a fun side effect. She wanted to learn his body, every inch of it, to learn what buttons to push to drive him wild, and just how far she could really push him before he pushed back. As she was pondering this, he was moaning and arching his hips trying to make contact, seemingly desperate to come. She looked at him with a wicked twinkle in her eye and said, "Now where was I? Oh my, I don't remember. My memory is so horrible. I guess I'll have to start all over." He growled, but his eyes gave him away. He was enjoying this as much as she was. And so she began again, this time playing with his nipples as her tongue explored his balls. This time, with just a bit of nails and a touch of teeth, his response was strong. Her nails explored his chest, her teeth nipping just a touch. When she finally got back to his engorged and throbbing prick, she didn't play with it, but took as much as she could in her mouth in one swallow. She grabbed his balls and sucked and stroked--stronger and faster than before. He went wild, body thrashing, head back eyes rolled up into his skull. She felt his hands flinch, but they never moved. She tasted his precum and lapped it up, savoring its sweet but slightly salty flavor. She knew she only had moments left before he came. So she slowed down her pace, but not the pressure. He growled in frustration. One of her hands released his balls and started exploring his ass, tracing lightly around his hole. He jumped in surprise as she applied a bit of pressure, testing the entrance, but his prick didn't lie. It drove him nuts. She continued the game, pushing and exploring his depths, taking him again just to the edge, but never over. By this time, she was sopping wet, and her pussy was aching. New plan. She grabbed him and pulled him off the sofa and onto the floor. She maneuvered him around till he was stretched out. Then she knelt over him, her wet pussy just brushing the top of his prick. He tried thrusting his hips up so that he could enter her, but she was quicker. Leaning into him, nibbling on his ear, she lowered herself back onto his prick, its head just touching her opening and whispered, "Is this what you want?" "Yes," he growled. She lowered herself just a bit, so that only his head was in her, and there she hovered, with his nails sanding her back in frustration. She arched her back and momentarily lost control, dropping down, his full length filling her, reaching places within her that hadn't been reached in many years. She threw her head back, crying out with pleasure as his nails continued to make tracks down her back. And then she rode him, taking slow strokes, savoring the feeling of his long hard length moving within her. His hands found her ass, grabbing her checks, spreading, pulling exploring. She quickened her pace just a bit as she felt her orgasm starting to build. But she wasn't ready to end it just yet. She reached around and grabbed his balls, fondling, massaging, and raking ever so gently. That was enough to send him over the edge. She rode him hard and he grabbed onto her, refusing to let her slow down or stop. His warmth filled her body, and she responded with a powerful orgasm of her own. Her screams of pleasure reverberated through the house. The neighbors three doors down heard them. She collapsed on top of him--spent, but very, very satisfied--not moving, just enjoying the fullness still inside her. A few minutes went by in silence as they both came slowly back to reality, still enjoying the afterglow. Their bodies, battered and sore, bore marks of the pleasure they had just enjoyed--claiming each other as their own, marking their respective territory. She slid off slowly, reluctantly laying on the floor beside him. Saying nothing, for fear of losing the moment, she took the chance to imprint the experience deeply in her memory. Battles Bar and Grill It was tough getting up so early, but the bar had changed hands again and the new owner wanted to meet everyone this morning. Reets hadn't seen a 9AM in a month of Sundays, but she dragged herself up anyway. Caryn, her lover, said, "Come on, break that law of physics!" The not-nearly-awake Reets could only reply, "Huh?" "You know, physics -- "A body at rest tends to stay at rest!" -- getting up breaks the Law of Inertia!" Reets look at Caryn with a thoroughly disgusted look and decided not to answer. "Hey, it's the best I can do this early." Caryn said and leaned away while crossing her fingers against the glare Reets threw at her. She smiled at her lover's back as Reets slowly stalked, still half-asleep, to the bathroom. Caryn couldn't help but think about how they met! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caryn woke up and for a second forgot where she was. The hotel room was packed with bodies on every surface, but that's what Spring Break was like. This was her second trip down and she was having a hell of a lot more fun this time around! Facing her was this cute girl who she sorta recognized from last night. She was . . .dammit, it was just on the end of her tongue when the girl's hand moved and went to Caryn's waist. Even asleep she was a knockout. Caryn slid closer until they were face to face and breathed in the girl's scent. She smelled of cigarettes, beer, and something else really sweet. That's when it hit her. The girl's name was Rita and was serving Caryn and her friends all night, she was so nice that the group invited her back to the hotel for a little after hours partying. It was almost dawn when Caryn and Rita crashed on the floor, but Caryn kept her hands off her because there was no telling how straight she might be and the guys were eyeing her ass all night. No one seemed to be able to complete a pass, so Caryn was more than a little hopeful, but the last thing she needed was to freak her out. There was a guy on one side of her, but Caryn knew nothing had happened, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. The guy, Woody, made his play, but he waited until the doll was practically out on her feet. She slept hard, but Woody wasn't the kind to try and take advantage of her, plus he saw Caryn was still awake watching. "I guess if she put her arms around me, I can snuggle with her without raising any homophobe shit!" She thought as the girl let her slip her thigh between her legs. Caryn pressed firmly against her and loved the feeling of their breasts touching. After a moment Caryn noticed that Rita's hips were moving. Rita had pressed her pussy down on Caryn's thigh and was slowly humping her. Caryn widened her eyes in both in surprise and more than a little lust. She saw Woody watching and stuck her tongue out at him. He made a motion to spoon up against Rita, but she waved him off. He made his play, now it was her turn! He knew Caryn well enough not to interfere. Caryn put one hand on her hip and started moving with her. Rita's mouth opened in a nice sexy sigh and then her eyes opened. She looked as surprised as Caryn had felt when she first woke up, but then she looked at Caryn and smiled and delightfully sexy smile. Caryn took this as a definite yes and pulled her tight against her and started rubbing her ass inside her denim shorts. Woody was rubbing his cock when another girl slithered though the laying bodies and took his mind off Rita and Caryn. Caryn saw her and knew Woody would have a good time; meanwhile her hands were full of a very sexy Rita. She pushed Caryn on her back and laid on top of her, her pussy never leaving Caryn's thigh, but this let her push down on Caryn's cunt, pushing her cut-off shorts into her warmly and with more tension and in a few she was near to an orgasm. Her low moans woke a few people up and soon there was several watching. Both guys and girls surrounded them. She saw two more couples start getting into it, two semi-regular pairings, but when she saw two girls starting to go at it she was happy. One guy next to them did spoon up and soon they were in a threesome that took some of the attention off or Caryn and Rita. That was her last coherent thought at Rita kissed her. The kiss wasn't forceful, it wasn't light, and it wasn't something you could describe to anyone. The kiss was very sensual and gentle while at the same time conveying how close she was getting to an orgasm. Caryn pushed deep into the backside of her shorts and rubbed a finger between her cheeks, finding her bumhole. That's when Rita seemed to freeze and stiffen up, and then she cried out in the kiss through cumming. "Girl, I think I would love to wake up with you every single day!" Later she learned that Rita preferred being called 'Reets', wasn't a local, but a friend of the bar owner who brought her down from to work Spring Break to earn a bunch of extra cash. She also learned that Reets was two years older, a single mom, and was also practically a neighbor, living in a nearby town not too far from the city where she went to school. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In the shower Reets nearly gave it up and went back to bed, especially a bed with Caryn in it. But while her job wasn't the best, but it was a job! Caryn was doing well, but she only graduated college two years ago and still gaining experience. Her salary was going up regularly and soon would eclipse Reets', but not right now, especially with the economy in the shape it was in. In the bright daylight 'Battles' didn't look so good. The sunlight showed where the front of the bar had worn and needed paint. At night with the neon on, you couldn't tell, but it was looking pretty rundown. Just before going through the door she straightened her spine and resolved to deal with this owner like she did the last 3! She took this job when she moved into town and never thought it would last this long. She's been through 3 owners, two name changes, and -- if she was honest with herself -- a general decline since Mark, the present owner/manager, took it over. When it changed hands the first time, she was optimistic. Now on the 4th new owner in 5 years she considered it a positive that she wasn't as pessimistic as the rest of the crew. She might not be pessimistic, but she was worried, Battles hadn't been doing real well lately! Inside it was less crowded than she expected. A number of faces were missing, which was strange because the message was "Be there or be gone!" in no uncertain terms. While she waited she did a quick rundown of the MIA's. Sharon and her fucked up sister were missing, to Reets' relief! She knew sooner or later they would get busted selling that shit in the bathroom or for hooking. She was only afraid they would take some of the other girls down with them. She didn't see Daryl either, another hopeful sign. He thought it was a compliment to be referred to as "Big D", but no one was commenting on his equipment, just his attitude. He could be relied on to hassle the servers, not only sexually but trying to rip them off on tips as well! Shirley was also missing, which caused Reets to raise an eyebrow in surprise. Shirl was one of the better servers and real popular with the patrons. She did have a problem with the last owner and his 'hand-sie' assistant manager, but then who the hell didn't? There were a few others missing, but before Reets could finish her mental role call the clock hit 10:00 on the dot and a tall guy in a suit stepped on the small stage. "A suit for god's sake." she thought and then she did a double take, "Shit, that's . . .!" "Hi everybody! Yes, it's me, Chris, and I am, or rather was, a spy. I was bar-backing to get a look at the place and helping the new owner to decide whether or not to buy it. They did and yea, I think they probably paid too much money for it." There was some nervous laughter at that. "Without further ado, let me introduce you to the new owner, Minuet Bordeaux." Reets was taken aback, "Minuet?" she thought, "A woman bought this dump?" She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, turned her head and her mouth went immediately dry! She averted her eyes to give her heart a chance to slow down. Minuet Bordeaux walked in from the left side wearing what had to be a Chanel jacket and skirt. It was expensive and tailored to perfection. It was even more out-of-place than the suit. Ms Bordeaux was in her mid-to-late 30's but could easily pass for younger. Her face wasn't classic, but had a firm yet friendly look. She shook Chris' hand and faced the group. Reets nearly went weak in the knees! She was a striking woman and resembled Reets' own Caryn so much! Reets closed her eyes for a second and thought "Caryn, Caryn!" But when she opened them the vision of Caryn in a few years was still standing there. Reets took a deep breath as the new owner started to talk. Thankfully her voice was different, a nice warm contralto, but very different from Caryn's. "Look around and you'll see some faces missing. I have no use for anyone doing drugs, or worse selling them, in this establishment. I kicked out a few folks already. The people you see here are the ones I think actually make this place work. I have plans and you're either gonna support what I want to do or find yourself a new job. I plan some changes and want to talk to each of you one-on-one, there's a list posted over by the manager's door. Before you head out today check it and come in at that time. Most are just before your next shift, but a few of you are right after this meeting. Please don't screw that up; I really want to talk to each of you over the next two days! Chris is the day-to-day manager, but I am a hands-on boss as well, so get used to seeing me around." Surprisingly there were no cat calls from some of the guys who worked here! She continued. "Some of the changes -- we'll be hiring some new staff in 6 months because we are going to be opening at 11 AM. We're adding a small kitchen and will be serving lunch. Yea, I know you all don't know much about serving food, but no worries. We have 6 months to get everyone carded by the state. That's the big change; the kitchen will be going in behind the bar." "What about Sweeney's?" someone called out. Sweeney's was the restaurant that fronted the building Battles were in. 'Battles' was in the back with an opening on a side street. Sweeney's was on the other side of the wall behind the bar and opened on Main Street. "We own Sweeney's as well. I'm going to add to their kitchen and open it up between us. Sweeney's will continue like it is, we're just adding food to our menu. Some light dinner stuff as well, but I figure most people looking for real food will head for Sweeney's. We get to add food and Sweeney's gets a full bar service." "Another change, as of right now you are all full time employees! This means medical, dental, retirement -- the works and the taxes that go along with them. I saw in the books that most of you were being carried as part-timers and yet you were still working 40+ hours. That's criminal and it stops now. If any of you want to go to part-time let me know when we have our one-on-one. We'll be working new schedules starting Monday. Through this weekend work the hours you are scheduled." "Does that mean overtime?" another voice called out. "Yea, of course it does -- at time and a half during the week and double time on Friday and Saturday nights, but I get to decide on who gets to work overtime! Well I and my managers." "Managers?" a third voice called out. "Yea, managers, like I said Chris is the overall manager. I hired Derrick away from Jacoby's, he's going to manage the bar side. I plan a new hire to manage the food in a few months, and I want Rita to manage the floor." Reets swallowed at that statement when she realized Ms. Bordeaux was looking right at her. It dawned on a few others who she was talking about and they cheered. Two of the other servers didn't! "That is, if she accepts. Rita, think about it and we'll talk later." She looked away and ignored the deer-in-the-headlights stare she was getting from Reets. "That's all for now unless you have any questions." "How about those benefits?" "We're doing the paperwork now. Chris will have it all on Monday. You'll also meet my accountant and HR person, Pat, at that time." "Who the fuck are you anyway?" Laughing, "I'm a girl who likes this town and wants to build some businesses here. I have other businesses but like to branch out. I've invested in a few other local businesses as well, like the 'Park-n-Go' over by the airport and the gym, I mean 'fitness center' ", she said with a smile, "on 9th for example. I have a partial interest in several others as well. I bought this bar and Sweeney's as a start for downtown. We'll see where it goes. Oh yea, I almost forgot to mention, as of right now you all own a piece of it. I own 60%, Chris and Pat split 15%, and the other 25% is yours based on seniority. So that means Rita, since you've been here the longest, you own 4% of this bar. Down to Shirley, as the newest, owns 0.5%. It may not sound like much but wait till you get your first dividend check. Like Chris said I probably paid too much, but now you own a piece of it. Pat is also my business manager and can explain in better detail what all that means. But from now on Battles is part yours and if Battles succeeds, you will succeed. I'm having a similar chat with the Sweeney's employees in a little while." "New hires? "New hires are employees. They can get an ownership share based on rules we have to lay out. No matter what, I will retain 51% so what that does is gives me 9% I can use to entice other people away from their current jobs. I'm serious people! You are now part owners. If you don't want to be, let me know when we talk and I'll re-allocate your shares to the members of the group who do want it." "More freaking taxes?" "Yea, and Pat will help you deal with those as well." She said with a booming laugh "Anything else?" Minuet looked around the room smiling a little at the shock she still saw on most of the faces. "OK, then check the meeting list before you head out and I'll see some of you tonight when we open." She and Chris left the room leaving behind a group of shell shocked employee-owners. The babble started quickly. "Shit!" "We own this dump!" echoing Reets' thought when she saw that a woman now owned Battles. "Who the hell does she think she is anyway?" "Reets, what the fuck just happened?" Rita stood there as some of the folks started gathering around her. "People, I don't know, I'm as much in the dark as you are." "Hey Reets, you are the first in line for a meeting, in just a few. Find out what you can and let the rest of us know." "I will, you know that. But . . . Goddamn!!!!!" They all laughed a good tension breaker. . . . At the appointed time Reets knocked at the office door. "Come in." "Hi Rita. I guess I surprised you a bit out there." "I think you shocked a lot of people out there." "Good, I was hoping I did!" Reets sat down when Minuet pointed to the other chair. "You know meeting with the old boss always started with . . ." "I know and that changes too. I'm not running a whorehouse for mine or anyone else's enjoyment. I sure as hell don't peddle the ass of my employees or fuck them myself." Reets sat back and relaxed. "So that's why the sisters are gone?" "Yea, they were crummy servers and Mark only kept them around because he was hustling them to people." "And Shirley?" "She wasn't out there?" "No." "Damn! She's still an employee as of today. Can you call her the fill her in. She wasn't scheduled to work today so she might have missed the messages when they went out." "No, she got the message." She indicated the desk phone and Myn nodded. She quickly dialed a number. "No answer, that's not like her." She thought for a moment and called another number. "It's Reets, is Shirl around?" "Fuck, when?" "Where?" "OK, thanks Des." Reets looked over at her new boss. "Shirl's in the hospital; her neighbor said her boyfriend lost his temper last night." "Shit! Which hosp . . . oh never mind there is only the one. She grabbed up her phone. "Chris, one of our new employee-owners is over at the hospital. Call them, give them the insurance info." "OK, fine, give them your insurance info and we'll straighten it out later. She's one of ours. Shirley, you should have her file. OK, let me know if I need to do anything here. Bye." "OK, Ms. Bordeaux, you surprised me out there but you really freaked me out in here. You don't do things by half!" "It's Myn and I never have and I never will. What I want for you is to manage the floor action. The servers, their schedules, work with Derrick on the bar stock and Chris for anything else. I also want you to get state certified to handle food right away so you can help get the rest of the group through it. Some of them might need a little tutoring." "You mean some of them can't read too well." "Exactly!" "Salaried?" "Of course, you're no longer working for tips." "I've been doing pretty well with tips." She jotted down a number and handed it to her. "That a month to start." She looked at it and had trouble with the amount for a moment. It was well over the best month she ever had serving, way over! "You are either insane or a fantasy! You can't afford to pay me this much" "Insane, certifiably insane, and you are wrong. I kidded about paying too much, but the reality is I got it just right. Mark was a dick and a crappy businessman. This place can do damn well with a little work, but it takes good folks and good folks cost real money which explains that salary. "I've also found that people with skin in the game work harder and more creatively, which is why I basically just gave away 25% of the bar. I'm not altruistic, I could sell this bar today for enough so my percentage would still net me an overall profit, using that exess to motivate the team is a good investment to me. Did I mention that Mark was a crappy businessman?" We both laughed at that. So you'll do it?" "I've never managed anyone before." "Bullshit," she said in a firm tone! "Chris told me who was really running the floor while Mark was in here drinking or trying to fuck the sisters. Just do what you have been doing and Chris and I will help you with everything else. You have hire and fire rights as well, but until you are comfortable with them I would like you to discuss any fires with Chris or me. Pat can help you with the manager's part of the paperwork and in 6 months you'll feel like you've been doing it your whole life." "Damn!" Myn unrolled a set of plans on her desk. "Here is what I have planned. I'm after more than just Sweeney's. If we succeed, I want to own most of this side of the whole Main Street. The buildings are beautiful and most would qualify as historical places if the Town Council would get their heads out of their collective asses. I think I can turn a handsome profit by investing in businesses and keeping the home town style. This town is going to grow up and join the 21st century, at the same time try and keep the charm of a small town, and people are going to want to live here. Many of them might work in the city or at the military base, but they'll be relaxing and having a good time closer to home! Reets tried to study the paper in front of her, but Myn had moved around the desk and was standing next to her. Her presence caught Reets off-guard.