The Deal : Billionaire Romance by Rose Cody

Alia…” Her dad says as he watches her reach for the front doorknob.
     
    “Yeah, dad?” She asks, sighing out slightly annoyed.
     
    “I’m glad you’re back home, you know.” He says before turning back to the TV.
     
      Alia smiles softly as she shakes her head slightly from side to side.
     
    “Yeah…” She says as she opens the front door before stepping outside. “Thanks, dad. Hopefully soon I’ll be glad, too.”

Chapter 2
     
     
      Alia huffs, wiping the back of her hand against her forehead as she drops off a shallow grey tub full of empty glasses on the stainless steel counter beside the back sink.
     
    “Jason?” She says, peeking her head outside the back door before spotting the cook as he sits on a blue bread crate with a smoke in his mouth. “I need two orders of chicken wings, come on, man. Then after you can close up the kitchen, I promise.”
     
    “Yeah, yeah.” He says, taking one last drag before standing up from his crate. “They’re already thawing in the microwave.”
     
    “My dad said I’m not supposed to let you have so many breaks.” She says, walking out into the alley.
     
    “Your dad’s not here, is he?” Jason says, smirking at her as he winks his eye. “Besides, I was finished work and had this kitchen spotless fifteen minutes ago…”
     
    “No, I guess he’s not.” She says, taking in a deep breath of the fresh midnight air before following the cook back inside the kitchen.
     
    “You’ve got people waiting.” Jason says, pointing to the cut out window between the kitchen and the bar. “Tell ‘em the kitchen’s closed, Alia, I’m not dirtying more dishes for another order of wings.”
     
      She nods her head as she hurries out of the kitchen, pushing open the grey double doors beside the bar before stepping behind the dark, walnut bar.
     
    “What can I get for you gentlemen?” She asks, sliding her hands across the smooth bar top as she leans in to hear.
     
    “Yeah, let me get…” One of the men says, scratching his finger tips inside of his long, brown beard. “You still got that honey garlic sauce here?”
     
    “Oh, yeah.” Alia says, nodding her head. “But I just wanna let you know, the kitchen is closed for the night, so I can’t get you any food besides peanuts or pretzels.” She says, pulling a basket of pretzels up from the shelf under the bar.
     
    “Pretzels?” The other guy says, pulling his face back as he kinks his neck.
     
    “That’s what we got.” She says, shrugging her shoulders. “But the bar’s still open for another forty five minutes, so I can get you anything you want here.”
     
    “Just get me a beer then…” The bearded man says, leaning with his elbow on the bar as he looks around the dark bar.
     
    “Same for you?” Alia asks, watching the other man nod his head up and down as she pulls two beers out of the cooler before grabbing the bottle opener and popping off the tops.
     
    “Here you go.” She says, setting them down in front of the men before sliding their bills off the counter.
     
      She walks over to the register, clicking her fingers against the keys as she rings them up before sliding the cash into the register door.
     
    “Hey!” She hears the bearded man calling to her from the bar. “I thought you said the kitchen was fucking closed!”
     
    “Huh?” She shrugs, nodding her head in agreement as she spots the cook, Jason, walk out of the kitchen with the previously ordered wings. “That was the last order of the night, man, sorry.”
     
    “The cooks right there!” The bearded man says, pointing at Jason as he walks back through the swinging double doors.
     
    “Kitchen’s closed, sir.” Alia sighs, placing her hand on her hip. “He’s getting all cleaned up to go home, now, I can get you some pretzels or peanuts…” She starts.
     
    “Hey! Hey, asshole!” The bearded guy yells, getting up from his stool to yell into the window. “Do me a favor and do your