Chapter 5

Shaquille POV

Judging by the look on her face, I could tell she wasn't impressed with me showing up here, in fact, she seemed irritated, confused, and a little scared, "Are you fucking serious?"

"Lynn?" Mr. Brown raised his voice, I could feel him glancing down at me with wide eyes, shocked with Lynn's outburst, but I wasn't shocked, or bothered by this, I saw it coming "Mr. Jensen," Mr. Brown continued " I apologized on Lynn's behalf... She is the best employee we have here, she is even in lead to securing the bonus, her behavior is strange, and I can promise you..."

I was no longer listening to Mr. Brown, I locked into her stare and like an enchanting witch, and I couldn't look away, she was weakening my walls. Honestly, I think he is just trying to save his own ass. He thinks this was going to make him let him go, but I would be an idiot to do so. Mr. Brown had his flaws, but didn't everyone have those parts of us that we wished to hide from the world that we crave to share with a person?

"It's okay Mr. Brown," I looked over my shoulder,

"I would like to have a moment alone with Lynn."

"Mr. Jensen, I—"

"It's okay Mr. B," She spoke, staring past me, "it's okay, Mr. Jensen and I go way back," she taunted.

"Okay," Mr. Brown mumbled, hurrying away, leaving us alone "Lynn, I—"

"Are you fucking serious? You're a stalker, aren't you? How is this even possible?"

"No... I am not, and... why on earth would I want to stalk you? Get your head out of your ass for a moment, and be realistic,"

"First time is luck, the second was a coincidence... But this? This is fucking hilarious... Why? Why do we keep running into each other? The streets... The muddle of a fucking robbery, and now here, my job... A place you own,"

"First of all, let's get one thing on the table, I am your employer, watch your tone,"

"Mr. B is my employer,"

"And I am his employer... I can fire him... You, and the rest of those mother fuckers out there,"

I noticed her lips parting slightly, I couldn't tell if she was angry, or surprised, or if she could tell I was bluffing, that's all I seem to do these days, "You are a skunk... You know, the worst kind, you might have saved the day one time, but I meant what I said when you bumped into me, you lack class... " she stood from her seat,

"Fire me if you want, I don't care... I can find something else..."

"Listen... Wait, Lynn... I just wanted to check on you... How have you been? I knew the robbery must have shaken you up a bit, and I know how the justice system is around here," My voice softens, I was truly concerned for her because I was feeling like shit, not only did I have my father breathing down my neck, now I have to pay real attention to this store I opened as a joke because now it's the only source of income I will have, until I honor my father's wishes, "I am fine... At least I am no longer afraid," She sits back down, trailing her fingers along with the armrest of the chair,

"Well," I chuckled, "That makes one of us... I had a messed-up week, but the robbery topped It,"

"Yeah," she chuckled "That was crazy,"

"Yeah"

"Umm...I am sorry about earlier... Lost my shi—I mean, I shouldn't have lost my temper like that,"

"It's okay really, I wasn't going to fire anyone,"

"Right. So... I guess we will be seeing more of you around here,"

"Hopefully,"

"Okay. It was a pleasure meeting you again," she chuckled lowly,

"But I must return to work... I am sure if you are aware of the flash sale we have going on."

"Yeah, I know... It was my idea, to begin with,"

"Oh, well as Mr. B said, I am in lead and if I am to ever get myself a new phone, I better get that bonus," she chuckled nervously,

"Can't your salary cover for a new cell?"

"Our pay slips can barely cover grocery shopping... Well, I know mine can't. Anyway... See you," she ambled out of the office.

Staring on to the desk, my daydreaming was interrupted by Mr. Brown clearing his throat, something wasn't right,

"Mr. Brown my bad, but why don't you take the rest of the day off... I want to run through the recent invoices and paperwork,"

"Mr. Jensen... Why is everything alright?"

"Yeah," I scuffled through the piles of documents in one of the many folders, stuffed away in drawers,

"And I need to get familiar with the employees,"

"But why the sudden change, sir? You said you wanted to anonymously run this business,"

"Right," I compared a few invoices, "Things are going to change around here,"

"Oh, I see... Do you need any help sir, I can..."

"Go home Kennedy," my voice stood firm,

"Go home,"

I looked up from the papers starting him in the eye, he knew what he has done, what he has been doing, and if Lynn didn't speak openly about not being able to buy groceries I wouldn't have found out, maybe I did this for her, maybe if it was someone else I wouldn't have cared, but why do I care... I didn't know her.

Moving towards the corner of the room, he remains silent, reaching a storage box that sat on the middle shelf on the rack, packing away his belongings, "I am not angry... I am so fucking..." I cover my mouth with a folded fist, trying to sustain my yelling,

"I am so disappointed... So fucking disappointed, how could you?" I flipped through the pages, slamming the folder on my desk,

"Why... Tell me?"

"I needed to; I was going to put it back but... After the first time, you didn't notice, so I kept doing it, even though I didn't need to anymore, so I don't know why... Greed maybe, I don't know,"

Rubbing my eyes, I said nothing. I took out my checkbook and began to write down the names and how much owed to them. This was coming out of my personal savings, but I didn't care; I didn't. Hearing the door being closed softly, I set down the pen, stroking my immature beard, how could he? That the question I kept asking in the back of my head.

Standing from the leather chair, I straighten my suit, ripping the checks of the book, before I walked towards the door and out in the store, Lynn and the others wore disgruntled looks on their faces, thank God, that today was slow probably because it's a Monday. But they just say their boss leaving with his stuff in a box, and they weren't idiots, they knew he either resigned or was fired,

"You may not know me," I broke the silence, "But I know you all."

"I am Shaquille Jensen, some of you might know that already, some might not... But I am the owner of this store." I eyed them all as they paid close attention to me and what I was saying,

"I am aware of your present income and starting today, I want to announce that $500 more will be added," they stared at me with wide eyes,

"And these," I held up the checks,

"These belong to every one of you, you deserve it,"

"What happened to Mr. B,"

"Floyd, right?" I inquirer handing him his check,

"Yeah... Yeah,"

"It's come to my realization that 'Mr. B' is not fit for his job, that all," I handed out the rest of the checks and now it was down to Lynn "What did he do?" Lynn whispered through gritted teeth, eyeing her colleagues, but they were too hung up on free money that is actually owed to them,

"He was deemed unfit," I folded her fingers over the check,

"He seems fine yesterday and today. So don't give me that bullshit,"

"We are done here," I whispered, walking away, back into my office "Something happened between you two," she followed closely behind me,

"Tell me what happened,"

Seated in the chair, I continued to go through the invoices, to see where else did he fucked up,

"Shaquille," she murmured, "Please tell me what happened,"

"It's Mr. Jensen for you Lynn," I refused to look her in the eyes, "And everything is under his control..."

Staring down at my watch, I realized it's almost noon and that means lunchtime,

"Worry about that bonus you’re about to clock in, your salary has been raised so I suggest you take your lunchtime and look for a replacement cell,"

"You know what... You’re an ass hole and I quit," she glared at me before turning to leave,

"When you said you couldn't afford a new phone I found it odd... So, I started digging, and he was wiring money from the business company to his own, robbing you guys months of compensation."

"What are you saying?"

"He was stealing the store profits, Lynn."