Erik's Inheritance Ch. 07

Erik woke up in his apartment, shafts of sunlight piercing his bedroom window. He couldn't tell if it was morning or evening. He checked his phone, which displayed 1:57 pm. Okay so afternoon then.

Pain crawled through his muscles and back while he lay in his bed, thinking about the prior night. He looked back on the events; Rachel, standing in front of him, offering herself, almost demanding to be taken; Camila's mouth on him and everything that was supposed to happen but didn't; the party inside of his club, and of every single person who had chipped in to help make the night a success.

Getting up, he found his way to the shower, thinking about what he had to do for the day. Hot water streamed over his skin, washing away the kinks and knots in his body, tension leaving him as he warmed up.

He couldn't just go through every night like he did last night. His business was going to require suppliers, and people.

This is going to be work.

Getting out and drying off, Erik grabbed his leather bound book of documents, intending to make some notes. He rifled through it looking for supply contracts. He found a few receipts for various things but nothing that looked like it was an actual contract. Looking down on his nakedness, he decided doing business nude probably wasn't professional and stepped away.

His stomach rumbled while he wrapped the towel around his waist. When had he eaten last? Camila had been present for his dinner of breakfast food that he had barely touched. He checked his phone for the time and found an envelope icon indicating an unread text from an unknown number He opened it.

This is Camila, I think you owe me a visit. Can I see you? It was sent at 12:07 pm. His phone now displayed 2:42 pm.

Just woke up, sure can, do you want to meet up or come over? He replied then set his phone down and started getting dressed. She'll probably want to meet up somewhere. His apartment didn't feel like something Camila would appreciate visiting but if she insisted he wouldn't stop her. It could probably use a cleaning and maybe some furniture upgrades if he kept hosting people here. He surely could afford some decor at minimum.

After putting on a red button down short sleeve shirt, some wranglers with his belt and black boots, Erik checked his phone for messages. Nothing had appeared yet so he set it back down. Work has to be done no matter the time, and he started looking for his notes.

Going to his kitchen he dug around and ended up with a bowl of cereal. Taking his first bite he started wondering how in the hell he was going to get proper supplies to his bar. That had been the most difficult problem to tackle, so much so that even his patrons had helped out.

He got up and grabbed his phone to start doing some searches. The idea of cleaning something crept into his mind and he felt like he was supposed to do something. Continuing to eat, Erik searched liquor suppliers. A few minutes later he had a few leads but nothing he could make happen until Monday morning.

His phone buzzed and Erik found the text message icon pop up. He opened it and his conversation with Camila opened to him with a new message.

Got any plans in a couple of hours?

He typed out his reply with both thumbs, Just trying to get things set up to reopen Tuesday.

He turned his attention to finding emergency cleaners and started a search for that. With results on his screen he started dialing numbers. The first one, A-1 Cleaners, didn't answer. The second one was a voicemail but he didn't bother leaving a message. The third one gave him a person.

"Spic-n-Span cleaners, this is Haley," a breathless voice said into his ear.

"Haley, my name is Erik and I need help cleaning up my business space."

"Okay Erik, we can handle that, what kind of business?" She replied. He could hear a vacuum running in the background.

"Gentleman's club, will that be an issue?" Erik asked.

"No that's fine," she said instantly, then paused, "When do you need it cleaned by?"

"I need to open up Tuesday afternoon."

"Will seven a.m. be too early tomorrow morning?"

"Nope, I'll see you then, can I text the address to you?" Erik asked.

"I'll text you from my work cell and you can send it there, sound good?"

"Excellent Haley, appreciate it."

They hung up and Erik got a text a minute later.

Haley with Spic-n-Span.

He sent the address and wondered for a moment at the fact she had a work cell phone. Why have a work specific cell phone? Business expenses being part of the overhead, it didn't make sense to him.

He did a search for the reasons behind a business cell phone. He found information on work life balance and keeping personal numbers private and having business numbers that appear professional. This made sense but something that also caught his attention was tax write offs. That became a rabbit hole of information that he got lost in so he decided it might be good to talk to someone. Remembering Kay, his lawyer, Erik made a mental note to call her tomorrow and see if things were progressing on the legal front.

A text popped up on his phone from Camila, Come to Pam's Pancakes, meet you there.

Erik had never heard of the place but figured he could get there with navigation easily enough. Grabbing his keys, his wallet and a slim stack of Bill's from last night's hall, Erik headed out the door.

Turning from locking his door, he collided with a female body soaked in black. "Oh I'm so sorry," rushed out of his mouth.

Long black hair curled into falling ringlets framing an angular face. "Fuck! I'm sorry, totally my fault," she said. Her voice was low and warm in tone, "I wasn't paying attention."

"Neither was I, this balcony can be narrow if you don't watch yourself. Are you alright?" He asked, studying her.

She took a moment to straighten her black dress and flipped her long hair out of the way as she adjusted the sides of something running across her ribs. A single dot of light danced on her slim, angular nose where a piercing rested in a nostril. Midnight blue eyeshadow was complemented with winged eyeliner.

"Yeah I'm fine," she sniffed and made for the door next to his but only made a couple of steps before one of her heels broke. She stumbled, a surprised sound exploded from her as she pitched sideways. A ripping sound followed as her knees fought to straighten.

Purely out of reaction, Erik stuck out a hand and caught hers, pulling upwards enough to keep her on her feet. She stabilized a second later after wobbling on rolled ankles, then exclaimed, "GODDAMN IT MOTHER FUCKER!"

She kicked her heels off and released Erik's hand, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to grab like that."

Erik smiled, "Well, I'm glad I was here to catch you anyway. Are you sure you're alright now? That looked painful."

She bent her knees and squatted down, picking up her heels. One of them was broken and she was shaking it. "I think I'll be fine once I get into my apartment, but we'll see if I survive the night."

"I hope you do," Erik said then when she looked up at him, Erik realized she was confused by the remark. He panicked because his reply had been to just respond but now he had to say something to explain his remark. "Duuuuhhh, because dead bodies stink and there's no telling how long it would take the coroner to get here to clean you up if you died."

Her chest strained against the dress holding her together as quakes of laughter erupted from her. She had to step back to lean her backside on the rail and used her free hand to cover her mouth.

Erik stood there, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking around, not sure what to do or say. He played his words back in his head but didn't get it. Then he imagined listening to them from someone else's point of view. That made him laugh as he got the absurd truth of what he just said.

Their laughter died together and a sparkle glinted from her nose. She tilted her head and said, "I hope you don't die either."

"Thanks," Erik chuckled out.

She offered her hand to him, "I'm Linda."

"Nice to meet you Linda. I'm Erik." He shook her hand. She gripped his hand firmly, like she was trying to squeeze the blood out his fingers.

She bounded off of the rail with heels in hand, "Well I don't want to hold you up Erik, but thank you, I needed that."

"No problem, I'll see you around then. I'll wait until you're safe in your apartment in case I need to save you from your dress choking you or something."

Linda rolled her eyes, "What if I like it?"

Erik started walking backwards, holding up his hands, "To each their own. Maybe have a safe word though in case she takes it too far?"

"She?"

"Yeah. The dress is totally a girl, I'm surprised you didn't know." Erik said.

Linda stopped and put a fist on her hip, "How do you know the dress is a girl?"

"Only a girl would cling that hard, and look that good."

Linda let out a burst of laughter, also blushing. "That was fucking smooth."

"It was a wobbly start, but I have my days," Erik fired back with a wink.

Linda's lack of reaction told him she hadn't caught the quip but maybe she'd get it later. "Well, me and my dress dominatrix are going inside, you have a good day."

Erik smiled and relaxed visibly, his shoulders dropping, "You too Linda." A second later she disappeared inside and Erik went down the stairs to his truck.

After getting the navigation and some music going, Erik let his mind wander aimlessly through thoughts. There were a ton of things clogging up most of his attention but not everything had to happen right now. There was a time and a place for everything, but fixing his schedule so that he had enough time for himself as well as his new life as a club owner was important. His business was his livelihood now because it was his source of income, but he couldn't lose himself to all of the titties, ass, and money.

The image of one of his girls harmlessly flirting with him and bouncing her tits for him came across his mind's eye. He smiled thinking about how awesome it was that he got to work with and employ beautiful, naked women. One had already offered herself to him and all of the others seemed to be super cool.

Erik's whole body jerked sideways across the bench seat, the seat belt catching him across his waist and chest. The sound of metal screaming as it bent and glass shattering filled his ears. The windshield spun like the screen of a TV panning to the right, a traffic light, then the fronts of cars whizzed past his vision. The tires fought for grip on the concrete, screeching in protest, then everything came to a shuddering stop

Erik righted himself in his seat and looked around, disoriented by the scene around him. Confusion as to why his truck was trying to roll forward but couldn't. His hearing dialed into focus like someone slid up the volume knob on the stereo. A car horn blared like an injured sheep that never took a breath. His speakers blurted out the side effects for a heart medication in the super fast talk of a disclaimer's voice and somewhere behind him car doors were opening and shutting. His vision swam in front of him, a stop sign waving for a moment, then normalized into the red and white octagon. Looking around, he could see out of the back glass of his truck that he had been T-boned somewhere in the back on the right side.

"Well that fucking sucks." He said out loud to no one in particular. Then he regarded the chunks of automotive glass sprinkled around him like worthless diamonds.

A big man in dirty Jean's and heavy boots was running across the street and a van was parked in the middle of the intersection with its hazards on.

Rounding the truck the man came to the driver's door. Erik fought to open it for a second, then climbed out after unbuckling his seat belt. The man was holding an orange cap in his hand and kept talking, looking panicked. Erik stopped and listened to him after hearing him ask the same thing almost three times.

"I'm alright I think," Erik stretched his back in an arch and felt the space where the seat belt had held him. It ached like someone had lashed a belt across his chest but nothing else hurt.

"Are ya sure brother, that was a nasty hit you took," the guy said. He stood well over Erik's height with a farmer's build, and looked like he could crumple the truck up like a beer can. A Massive hand gripped his shoulder.

"Yeah I'm fine, are they okay?" Erik asked, "has anyone called emergency services yet?"

"Well, I don't know, my brother is looking after 'em now." The man said. He had an odd farmer like accent that wasn't quite redneck sounding but definitely wasn't what one called refined.

"I don't know where my phone is, will you call 911?" Erik asked.

The man nodded next to him and held up a flip phone to his ear. Erik laughed out loud without warning. It's 2019 and the man still has a flip phone. The irony of it was absurd in his mind. He started towards the disabled vehicle in the middle of the intersection, shaking his head.

Steam billowed out of the crumpled front end of a minivan. It looked to be a run down mid 90s model with faded clear coat splotches along the side and missing hubcaps on the two wheels he could see, along the driver's side. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, unmoving. The windshield was non-existent and the driver's door was open with another man in stained jean's and dirty boots. He held a similar orange cap as the first man and was on a smartphone talking to someone in a panicked tone, "No he's not responsive at all...okay I won't move him...okay thank you." He hung up and looked at Erik.

"Is he alright?" Erik asked, gesturing to the slumped driver.

"No sir, he ain't." The man said, "pretty sure he's dead, 'mbulance is on th'way though." Erik nodded in response. "Are you t'other driver? Was anyone else which ya'?" He asked.

Erik took a moment to try and translate what the man was saying into correct words. For some reason it was taking him longer to do so. Had he hit his head? He put a hand to his scalp, feeling for tender spots, but felt nothing. "No, I was alone. Thanks for asking though."

Sirens wailed in the distance and Erik walked back towards his truck. It looked like The Incredible Hulk had bent it in half right behind the cab.

"Looks like you might need a new truck partner," a voice said from behind him. Erik turned and found the first man.

Erik laughed, "Yeah, I think so, but at least I don't need new legs."

"True enough," he replied.

Erik felt himself as if someone else was driving his body. He walked to the back of his truck and dropped the tailgate. Then the world spun and he sat down. Whoever was driving his body at the moment had made the decision it was time to sit and wait. Floating there, Erik saw a cop car roll into the scene, followed seconds later by a wailing ambulance. Personnel in uniforms began working, doing things he didn't fully understand. He trusted them to do their job though. A fire truck roared up like a red dragon coming to establish dominance. Men piled out and joined the first group of responders.

The man that had come up to him earlier hadn't wandered too far away, and Erik noticed him glancing at him every few minutes.

"My name's Erik," he said, holding out his hand.

"Jim, and that's my brother Joe. What'cha do for a livin' Erik?"

Erik felt the laugh bubble out as he prepared to tell Jim. "I own a strip club here in town."

"No shit? Which one?"

Erik told him. "Come by sometime soon, I'll treat you and your brother to a night on the house." As he made the offer to Jim absurd ideas came to Erik; business card coupons.

Without beckoning, a vision played as if on fast forward in his mind of a man holding a card and offering it to his doorman, then coming in to a free drink and free lap dance. Then, after having a good time, buying a couple more and suddenly Erik had a new customer having a good time. The vision cleared in his mind and Erik made the decision to get these cards.

"I don't know any smart man who'uold turn down an offer like that buddy. We'll do that."

Jim and Erik occupied the same space silently for a time and then Jim asked how he had become a business owner. Politely, Erik explained until an older female with bright eyes came and checked Erik out. An officer, a tall stern man, took a statement and his information, then wandered off. Before the tow truck arrived, he found his phone but it now had a cracked screen with half of it black. He managed to call Camilla and explained the situation.

"Are you alright? Do you need a ride or something?" She asked, concern blanketing her voice.

"I'll call a cab and meet you there still, just need a little more time," he said.

"It's okay, we'll get together another time, maybe I'll come check on you tonight, okay?"

Erik answered, "Okay, sounds good, I'd like that."

The tow truck came and both of the vehicles were drug away. His poor mangled truck seemed to cry when the carcass was winched onto the back of the flatbed of the tow truck. When it started down the street, Jim and Joe stood nearby and `Jim asked, "Ya need a ride?"

"Would you mind taking me to the cell phone store?"

"Not'all," Joe answered. The big men lead him to a crew cab pickup covered in dirt and construction dust, paint and filled with tools. He rode in the back seat and they dropped him off at the nearest cellular store they knew of then said their goodbye.

"Make sure to come out so I can pay you guys back." Erik said before getting out of the truck. He reached into his wallet and gave Jim some cash for their help.

"You ain't gotta do that brother, just doing like I would hope someone would do for me, ya know?"

"Kindness is underrated and underappreciated, please, I insist." Spotting a pen, Erik took it and wrote his name and the club name on a bill, then the word coupon and finished handing it to JIm. "Use this to come see me, that way you have proof."

Jim hesitated then took the money from Erik with a sheepish smile, one side of his mouth quirked to the side. "G'luck out there," he said. Erik stepped out and their truck rumbled as they went on their way.

Erik turned and faced the store, looking at the swooshing deep purple color mashing with neon green circles. He found the color match up odd but bold. He couldn't think of another company using those same colors. The idea of branding came to mind while he walked inside.

Purple and green were splashed across the walls, devices of all shapes and colors splattered across the backdrop. A short and thick girl with hot pink hair greeted him, "Hello! Welcome to Purple mobile," she said, pulling a sheet of paper from a printer then setting it down.

No one else was in the room with them but along the left wall were rows and columns of devices. In the middle of the room were two islands where workstations were set up with computers. One interesting thing he noticed was a large awkward shaped green machine that displayed instructions on how to recycle old devices.

Turning back to the attendant, Erik said, "I need a new phone, I wanted to see what was available."

"Sure I can help with that, what kind of device are you looking for?" A septum piercing like a bull ring dangled out of her nose and three tiny curved rods stuck out her eyebrow.

"I'm not really sure. I'm a new business owner so something that would gear me up for that. I was also thinking of opening a separate business line."

"Well, I could try and sell you our latest and greatest if you want." She paused for effect."Big screen, high power, do anything you want it too," she pulled her lips apart, baring her teeth and sucked in air while gritting them. It made a wet sucking sound, "but high cost too. What kind of business do you own?"

"I just inherited a strip club not too long ago."