Young & Reckless

Chapter 8 - Bennett

Chapter 8 - Bennett

"She was beautiful, huh?" I told my driver, smiling to myself.

"A real looker, sir." He chuckled, getting his eyes back on the road.

I didn't meet many women that took the bus. She must not have plenty of money. Her brown frizzy hair suited her face. The look on her face when she saw me pass, idling in the car. I wanted to give her one more look. She looked familiar. Maybe in a dream I had. They have been vivid. My therapist told me to analyze what I saw in my dreams. It could be a sign. She could be my next wife.

I fixed my cufflink and my tie. My next meeting was in ten minutes.

"How long, Charles?"

"We're five minutes away, sir." He made a turn, and my phone rang. It was that fucking cheap bastard Damon calling me. He still hasn't held his end of the deal. I paid him that much money, he had to make amends. Those two girls I saw again at the party. I had to have them. They were perfect. 

"What?" I gruffed.

"Bennett, my man. My bro!" He coughed and sniffed

"What's going on with your part?"

"I talked to Samuel, he's convincing them."

"Convincing them?"

"Yes! I'm gonna hand deliver them to you myself."

"You fucking better. I don't understand why you can't talk to them." I heard him sniff and moan. He's doing lines while talking to me. Fucking scumbag.

"They just met me. Sam's dating one of them."

I moaned, "I'll talk to you later." I hung up on him, the gray building was in my view. I buttoned one of my suit buttons before Charles opened my door. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, sir." Charles has been a loyal companion to me for years. Since I was 18, he knew my secrets and I knew his. He was one of the few people in my circle that I can trust. I opened the door, heading to my main office. My staff was already here, waiting for me.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming in today." I grabbed my computer, pulling up my powerpoint. I cleared my throat, what this meeting was about was no smiling matter. I'm pissed. The woman on the bus was a highlight, making my mood a bit better today. "We have a thief in this office," I simplified. "From January to May of this year, at least 100,000 dollars has gone missing. It's specific too. From the Marketing team." Confused murmurs came from each of them. I leaned on my palms against the table. Scoping out each one of them, if there were anyone sweating or fidgeting. So far, none.

My parents built this company from the ground up. We did this huge merger with Sanatorio. I'm losing money. It can't be. If my father was alive, he would strike fire and brimstone. Downsize everyone, make sure no one gets a bonus or a second job. Maybe that's what I'll do. I'm not heartless like he was, however, I have to keep my head above water. Stick to character. He left me everything, entrusted me and not my aunt, my dad's sister. She was pissed when she found out I was in charge. He offered another position in the will, a high paying sales position, she said it was too low for to start over. Ungrateful. He knew how her heart was, she exposed it every day. She still gets a check once a month from the company

"Do you have an idea who it is?" One of my employees wondered, she frowned so hard, the wrinkles in her forehead were deep.

"Which is why I'm introducing the situation to this meeting," I squared my shoulders, stepping around the table. "As of today everyone's computer activity will be monitored every hour instead of every day."

"That's a little much, isn't it nephew?" I shut my eyes from the condescending voice of Aunty Gabrielle. She chuckled, letting herself in. I could hear the beaded bracelets and necklace hit each other as she walked in. I turned around slowly, she touched anything at arm's length. SHe was wearing a faux fur coat. Probably a mink, the animal's head was hanging on her neck. Dad left her a few million, the first thing she did was buy a new home for her and her third husband. Essentials was needed, as they said.

"Hello," she said to the whole room, waving with her fingers.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Mauder."

"Ah. It's Mrs. Falls. Keep the name to distinguish my dear family." She tittered.

"We wouldn't want that," I spoke loud enough for her to hear.

"Nephew," she squinted, "is that anyway to greet family?"

"Are we still family? You don't visit."

"I visit when I can." She pinched my cheek with her index finger and thumb. "Look just like your father."

"Stop." I pushed her arm away.

"I'm here from the email I received. The company is losing money?" She ticked with her tongue three times, "not a good way to manage, Bennett."

"I've been managing the company for four years. I'm handling it."

"I bet you are. Without consulting next of kin, the company can astray."

"Actually, Bennett has been doing amazing. Considering the issues transpiring," my assistant Gloria chimed. I mouthed a thank you to her. Another few that I could trust.

"Great, another dick sucker for Bennett," Aunty claimed with an eye roll.

"How dare you?!" Gloria stepped up to her, her black braids swishing back before a colleague came behind her and held her back.

"Touchy." She waved her off. "Anyway, what are we gonna do about this?"

"We?" I frowned.

"Uh, I am a partial owner of the company."

"No you're not," I muttered.

"And as a partial owner, I have a say in what happens."

"You didn't want any part of the company when dad mentioned you in the will." Dad did add her in the will, she would be an employee, not a partial owner. He didn't trust her because she was frivolous with the money he gave her. Check after check, she wanted more.

"In a menial job, he was losing his mind anyway." I was about to lose my shit to begin with. She's testing me. I gritted my teeth, nodded my head to my assistant. A gesture for her to be escorted out of the building.

"Aunty, I will let you know what happens."

"You better." She stepped off with a scowl and a huff. Someone opened the door for her as she was leaving. I took a deep breath, continued the meeting.

"Mr. Falls, you have a call on line one," Gloria told me.

"Take a message," I replied to her.

"It's Amina." I shut my eyes, wincing at her name. What did she want?

"I'll take it to my office. Meeting is over." I stepped out of the multipurpose room, shutting my door. I pressed my fingers against my temples. WHat more could happen today? Now my ex was calling. I spotted the box on my desk in my face. I exhaled and licked my lips. I took it and threw it in the drawer. I guess I should give it back to mom. I messed up. I picked up the phone on the desk, pressed the one button. "Hello?"