Run This Town

Round 1 - Winter 2023

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Derick Pace is 31 (Tessa Gunner is 27)

Derick Pace had a plan. It was a good plan. It was a plan that would allow him to become something more than a two-bit criminal. He would have a completely legit job, doing something fun, and make lots of money. It was a no fail plan. Only one thing could possibly stand in his way: Tessa Gunner. She was a key part to his plan and he really need her to cooperate. He liked Tess, she was a sweet girl. Beautiful and fun to be with. He knew she wasn't really the settling down type and he wasn't thinking marriage and kids himself. But they had fun together and he liked having her around......hopefully she felt the same.....

She comes in and stokes his jaw. Yea, she digs him too.
"So how are you Derick?"
"I'm doing great, Tess. Actually really great. I have a plan. A great idea to rake in lots of money and have lots of fun," he said.
"Why are you always coming up with these crazy get rich quick schemes? Why don't you just get a regular job?"
"This from the woman who isn't even employed anywhere. I don't want to fight with you Tess. I want to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime," he says.
"Uh oh......what are you cooking up now?"
"The Black Door."
"The Black Door? What the hell is that?" she asks.
"It's going to be our new club."

"Our new club? No way Derick! I am not putting money into some sleazy club you want to buy!"
"It's not a sleazy club! Damn, Tess, you don't even want to hear me out?"
"No! I'm not blowing my inheritance on this Derick. I can't believe you would even ask me to. You know I'm going to use that money to get a house so I can move out," she said.
"I know that. The Black Door is a house Tess."
"What exactly are you talking about?"

"There's a house on the nicer side of Englewood that I've been checking out. It's a pretty big 3 bedroom, 3 bath house. On the side of it there's a black door that heads down into the basement. It has a bar and a card table and even a little jukebox already down there. I'm suggesting that you and I buy the house and turn the basement into a club."
"Are you crazy? You think we are going to get a house together? Is this your little way of asking me to be in a relationship?" she asked.
"Oh for Simgod's sake, Tess. Hell no! I just told you that there are 3 bedrooms in this house. You will have your own room. You aren't working Tess and I figured you could work as the bartender. I'm tired of doing all this shifty mess. I'm not trying to get arrested. We would be like roommates. You would be under no obligation to me and if you want to bring other guys in, then whatever. It's a business arrangement, nothing more."
"I don't know Derick......"

"Tess, you want to move out on your own. You need a job. This is the perfect step for you. Yes, I would need you to contribute some of your money into getting this place. But you would be like a shareholder and if you decide you don't want to live with me anymore, you can move out and still get your share of the profits. I promise you, you'll make all the money you put into the house back and then some," he said pulling her close.
"I would need to see this place first. I don't want to put money into some shack you found," she said.
"It's not a shack. We can go see it tomorrow together. You won't regret this. I promise."
"Tabitha is going to freak. She'll tell me that I'm wasting my money, throwing away my inheritance."
"It's your money, Tess. It's your life. Your choice," he said.

 It took some convincing and a little romp in the sack, but he got Tess on board. His dream was going to come true. He would still have to take out a big loan to make up the bulk of the mortgage. Tess didn't have quite as much money as he thought she did. Her stupid sister invested most of their money jointly into that damn house they were living in. No matter, Tessa's money would be used for furniture for the house and the start up costs of the club. The only employee he would probably need to hire would be a bouncer. And he knew just the guy for the job.......

Dante Foster and Derick had been friends for a very long time. He was the first person Derick thought of when he decided he needed a bouncer.
"You want me to be a bouncer? Are you serious?"
"Come on, Dante. You're huge! I don't think I'll even really need you or whatever, but you never know. The house is on the nicer side of Englewood, but it's still Englewood and you know how sims get when they start drinking."
"I can't believe you talked poor Tess into this. You're just using that poor girl," he said.
"I'm not using her! This is a good investment and she will make her money back. She's going to have her own room so it's not like I'm forcing myself on her. But knowing Tess, she'll be in my bed every night," Derick said.
"What happens when she doesn't want to be in your bed anymore? You really gonna be ok with some other man all up in your house like that?"
"Me and Tess are just good friends. She does what she wants, I do what I want."
"I've seen how you look at her man.......you're a lost cause and you don't even know it," Dante said.
"You just stick to Donna and let me worry about Tess."
"Whatever you say man, just let me know when I should report for duty," he said walking off laughing.

 Dante had been secretly seeing Donna Johnson for a while now. It was a secret because Donna was the single mother of two kids and she wasn't ready to introduce Dante to them yet. Donna was a cute woman, but she was a little old for Derick's liking. She was almost 40 and had a teen daughter and school-aged son. Derick definitely didn't want a ready made family. But whatever floated Dante's boat was fine with Derick. He was just glad that he agreed to be his bouncer. The Black Door was really going to happen.

Derick's conscience did bother him a little about taking Tessa's money. Only a little. She was a female Peter Pan, sitting at home all day while her sister went out and worked. He was helping her grow up, turning her into a woman. And Dante was out of mind, Derick wasn't attached to Tessa. She was a beautiful woman with a beautiful body. Nothing more, nothing less. He wouldn't care if she brought fifty guys into their house. Because it would in fact be THEIR house. She was putting money into it too.

 But maybe he was spending too much time with her. Maybe he needed to be adding a couple of more notches to his belt. He didn't want to get serious about Tessa Gunner. That was like a shot in the head!

The Black Door was going to be a success. He would make sure of that. He wanted to make a name for himself. And he and Tess were going to turn LaQuest Beach upside down.....he just knew it.....

*Title comes from the Jay-Z and Rihanna song Run This Town
*I love Derick! He has no nice points and walks around punching one fist into the other! I downloaded this simply amazing house from http://www.simsurbania.com/ that is just great! There is a black door on it that leads down to the basement which will be perfect for the club. I'm going to put the little ticket machine outside and charge them that way and also it also has the bar. The basement has it's own restrooms so I can lock the doors to the rest of the house and only have the customers going down there. I'm excited to see how it works out!!!