CHAPTER EIGHT: RULE NUMBER THREE OF BEING AN ADULT:  REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED WITH COLD HARD CASH... AND MAYBE A LITTLE ADVICE.

JUSTIN:

“Hey, Dee. How are things?” I answer the phone, while Brian navigates through the traffic.

“Everything is going pretty well here, Justin. The reason I’m calling is because I need to know when you and Brian are planning to hold the interviews. I’m not afraid to tell you that ever since you guys put out the wire for new hires, you’ve received a number of letters of interest.”

“Really? How many?”

“At last count, two-hundred and fifty.”

“WHAT?!” My exclamation caused Brian to startle behind the wheel a bit. So I hastily apologized, before explaining. “Sorry, Brian, but Dee just said that we’ve received two-hundred and fifty letters of interest…”

“At last count, Justin,” Dee reiterates, before adding, “We stopped counting around noon yesterday, but the requests for interviews kept pouring in. So again, I ask, how soon can you and Brian get back here? And will your core staff be able to accompany you? The only way I see a way to get any type of control over this mass mess here is to officially announce a cut off date, and subsequent interview appointments. Once that’s done, you and Brian might have a little breathing room before it’s time to get busy with staffing. Oh, and your office furniture has started to arrive.”

Shit! When Brian and I drafted that letter, we thought we would have maybe twenty applicants at most. But this is so far beyond anything we could have imagined. “Brian, do you think we can send Cynthia ahead of time? I don’t know if Stephanie will be able to go with her at this juncture. I think she and Murph are still working out their notice.”

“I can ask Cynthia,” he answers. “But I think one of our attorneys should go with her. Not Gabe, since he’s going to be needed here. Mel has things to do, and with the deals being closed regarding your properties, Julian is going to have to be at your beck and call until it’s all settled.”

“Then that leaves Robert and Joel.”

“Joel IS who you were planning to have as your Human Resources administrator, right?”

“Yes, but that was regarding all my ventures here in Pittsburgh. And since Robert is a Forensic Accountant, I thought it prudent to have him come with Joel to have a primary look at the books so he can bring Ted up to speed on what should be our next move in reference to the store.”

Brian nods, even as his eyes are still on the road. “Sunshine, I know that he was supposed to review employee records once we oust Craig from the premises, but… Well, now is the time for you to learn to delegate. There’s just no way you’re going to be able to do everything by yourself all the time…”

“He’s right, Justin,” Dee interjects.

“Says the KING of micromanaging!” I advise both of them.

“True. But I also know when it’s going to be too much, kinda like now. Delegation is a part of growing pains, Sunshine. It’s also the realization that we have an awesome team behind us just as hellbent on our success as we are. The bottom line is that the earliest we can leave the Pitts for L.A. will be late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning. In those few days, you have contracts to get signed and preliminary renovations to order done, for both Taylor Electronics and your new venture with the bookstore.”

I sigh, before conceding a modicum of defeat. “So, any suggestions?” I know he has some, since Brian never brings up shit like this unless his smug ass has a point to make.

“I would fax this stack, but well, there are just too many. So if you have a viable solution, let’s examine it,” Dee says, over the speaker. 

“As a matter of fact I do have one that I think can work wonders at this juncture. Ask the grandparents if they would be willing to go through the employee records of Taylor Electronics on your behalf. In all honesty, I think they are probably going to be just as ruthless as you are sometimes. The only difference is that they have the advantage of age behind them, whereas if you were to do the same exact thing, you would be misconstrued as a brat.”

Dee laughed. “Say it isn’t so, Justin! I can’t even imagine you being anything less than congenial.”

“Don’t let the innocent look fool you, Dee. Our little Justin can be a very bitchy princess, and mean every single word while he’s verbally crucifying someone.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“I’m not bitchy… I just think people should be more thoughtful in their words and deeds. Most of the time when I’ve had to be that way, somehow the person mistook me for a marshmellow and their eardrums paid the price for it. What they think of me isn’t my business, until their mind-to-mouth filter malfunctions in my direction,” I explain.

Brian chuckled. “Very diplomatic way of confirming that you’re a bitchy princess, Sunshine.”

I look at him with narrowed eyes, before saying sarcastically, “Well the princess has learned from the best bitchy Queen of queen-outs there is, sooo…”

Brian outright laughs then. “Touche, Sunshine. So now back to the plan, I think your mom can handle overseeing the renovations being done in both places, and since she’s a kick-ass real estate agent with a list of trusted contractors, she’s the best person to see your visions come to life.”

“That’s not a bad idea…” And isn’t it a sad day when I can see the wisdom in Brian’s reasoning. Usually, I can always find a loophole or two, but not this time.  

“I really don’t have bad ideas, Sunshine…”

“And so modest, too,” Dee says snickering, as she listens in. 

“No need for modesty, when I’m right, Ms. Prince,” Brian smugly comments.

I can tell she’s enjoying the interaction between me and Brian. It’s a side to us others rarely get to see, especially when coming up with options for what seems an impossible situation. Little does she realize that it’s just the way Brian and I work, regardless of what it is. The bottom line is that if you can’t actually explain your reasoning, it’s a thought that should stay in your head. And that simple rule is the true secret of our success when it comes to ads.

As we’re turning into the parking lot of Taylor Electronics, I say, “Alright, Dee. Let me talk to everyone, and I’ll put Cynthia on a plane within the next twelve hours to begin separating the riff-raff from the serious contenders. She’ll know exactly what Brian and I are looking for when it comes to building our team. Also, can you have Josie take pictures of our half of the building- all floors- and send them to me via email. I have the preliminary sketches I did, but now I want to configure the set up on the computer before I give instructions on how I want it fixed for maximum productivity.”

“I’ll make that her first assignment when she comes in. That should be about forty-five minutes from now. “

“Which should work perfectly, since I intend to be just about finished dealing with my sperm donor by then.”

“Wait a minute… you mentioned an electronics store?”

“Yes. He- who provided half my DNA- stupidly used my college fund to keep the business operable, while helping himself to the lion’s share. He’s been ordered to pay it all back, and to turn over the business to me officially. Guess what my first order of business is?” 

I smile wide, even as Brian says, “Sir Bitchy Princess is coming out to play.”

“Damn!” Dee exclaims. “Brian, see if you can take a video and email it to me. This is something I just have to see to believe!”

I disconnect the call to the sound of her laughter, thinking that I’ve really found a gem in that woman. Despite Michael and Lindsay’s intentions, I think Brian and I have found true friends- genuine supporters of US- in Dahlia and DeMarcus Prince. So as far as I’m concerned, that puts Brian and I on an even more solid footing. I’m definitely looking forward to building a life to include these people, in addition to keeping the family here in the Pitts. Of course, I’ll miss Deb if she chooses to continue in her blindness where Michael is concerned, but Brian and I just don’t need the aggravation of trying to get her to see how manipulative he and Lindsay really are. 

We just simply have too much else to do on our way to achieving greatness. 

I turn to Brian, before asking. “What time is your conference call with DeMarcus?”

He looks at his watch, before saying, “In about three hours. The laptop is in the backseat, so I can conduct it from out here if you need me to.”

“First, let me call Gramps and the Gaggle to set some things into motion. I see the wisdom of delegation now, Brian. Also we have to decide on a new name for the bookstore. Did you bring the tablet as well?”

Brian doesn’t say anything; just reaches into the backseat to grab his computer bag. I smile as he hands me the XP-Pen Artist Pro. It was expensive, but has been earning its keep, since there isn’t much that’s art-related I can’t do on it. It hasn’t taken the place of my sketchpad entirely though, but definitely a plus to have around. 

While we’re waiting on Julian to arrive from RVA, I sit and sketch out my idea for the new sign for the Taylor-Kinney Electronics.

Then I add the colors to it that is sure to piss Craig off in the extreme.

What’s more is that he will know there’s not one damn thing he can do about it. Yeah, Brian was right. I can indeed be a bitchy princess! 

“That’s very eye-catching.”

“Thanks. I still have to do the one for the bookstore. Have you thought of a name yet?”

“You’re the one who names things in this family, Sunshine.”

I can’t help but smile at him then as once again, the realization of what we’re becoming dawns bright and clear on me. “We really are a family.”

“Hell, we have already joined business ventures, accounts, and a kid that comes with his own pet Melanie. And I didn’t even have to knock you up to get all that!”

We both burst out laughing. “You know you’re going to have to lay off Mel before she really bites you, Brian.” 

“I know, but I’m getting all my shots in while I still can.” He shrugs.

“So, you really like the sign? It’s not too ostentatious, even by our standards?”

"Hell no! Besides, why do you really care? Rainbow colors aside, and whatever subliminal message it might send to the world at large, I like how it gives the appearance of either being at a concert, or watching one on a huge screen.”

“That was the idea when designing it. I wanted to send a major message to our detractors to watch us succeed, where they intended for us to fail for their own benefit. But the colors… Well, if it pisses Craig off in the process, that’s his problem and my bonus. I think the sign alone is going to draw in far more people than just the country club set, which is the crowd he always wanted to cater to. The bottom line is that although we have the best electronic equipment and most knowledgeable staff in town, the potential of the store has been greatly underserved due to his lofty goals and poor leadership. It’s a situation that I’m more than happy to rectify now, and I think the employees will be grateful as well.”

“Any idea who you want to use as a manager yet?”

I thought for a moment, realizing that there was some truly untapped potential my father- in his greed- failed to cultivate so that he could seem like the Big Man he really isn’t. “I think there ought to be two people in charge, both of whom have to answer to me. I believe that was part of Craig’s problem, in that he had no one to be accountable to and thought he could get away with everything he tried. Sadly, for a time, he did. But having two people in place protects the business on many levels, especially against embezzlement, since they will ultimately be checking behind each other even as we do the same to them via Ted. Craig’s secretary, Erica Malvoisin is the first person I want to promote.”

“What makes a secretary qualified to be in the position of manager?” Brian looked at me questioningly, but I just smiled before answering. 

“Erica’s a lot like Cynthia, for one thing. She’s never been one to rest on her laurels once she obtained what most would consider a sustainable career. So she worked her ass off to get both a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, and a Masters in Finance, while still serving as the jackass’ personal assistant. And what’s worse is that while the company touts tuition reimbursement as a fringe benefit to working here, Craig had yet to make good on it, even after she obtained her degrees. Instead, he just outright refused to promote her, which simply increasing her salary would have covered without a problem.”

“I can just about guess the reason she wasn’t reimbursed since he was spending your money. But why didn’t she leave?”

“I know for a fact she was planning to leave his ass high and dry. Although he told her he wouldn’t promote her because of the current business model the store was working under, the truth was that she actually interviewed with Ryder, who in turn told Craig about it. But just like the misogynistic assholes Ryder and Vance are, Craig arrogantly thought that regardless of her education, her place was really to cater to him. So while she was still fuming at Craig’s bigotry, Erica called in a few favors of her own.”

“Favors?”

“Yep. As his personal assistant, Erica had access to just about all of Craig’s records… including his financial records. So while he was out of the office visiting his mistress, or out in the store front posturing like he was the almighty king, Erica made copies of those and had them hand-delivered to my mother. There were other things she did too, and I will say that I certainly would never want to be the man to cross her; undetectable revenge seems to be a specialty of hers. But honestly, all of this happening right now is fortuitous in a major way for her since he has spent the last few weeks looking for a legal reason to fire her.”

“I see your point, Sunshine. Promoting her now would not only show her that you value her as an employee, but it will give her the opportunity to put that heavy education to good use. So how about the second person? Who do you have in mind for that?”

“Pete Northrop, who has been here since I was in the seventh grade. The truth is that Craig treated him as his personal workhorse while never giving him a raise or the title he truly deserved.”

“And what’s his specialty?”

“All manner of electronics, especially those requiring programming. Pete is another employee here who has a dual degree. His is in Information Technological Systems and Purchasing.”

“Purchasing?”

I smile at Brian. “Indeed. Because of Pete’s continued research and guidance, TK Electronics maintains the reputation of being the best. That begins with the products we sell, to installation and beyond. All of the technicians- even though they also had to have some basic knowledge to get hired here- have been personally trained by Pete. The only reason Craig didn’t promote him was because if Pete was busy, Craig would be made to look like the damn inept idiot he is when he had to stand on his own two feet with the public. 

“Craig could never talk about the latest technology to anyone, since he refused to learn about it himself. It’s why he surrounded himself with people more knowledgeable than he could ever hope to be. And whereas that’s not a bad thing if you’re ambitious and looking to better yourself, in Craig’s case, it allowed him to be outright lazy while reaping all the benefits of their hard work.”

“I can see you have been thinking about this for awhile.”

“More years than you can imagine,” I acknowledge. “I always said that if I had the chance, I would talk to Craig about the high turnover rate of employees and why it was happening.”

“I thought you didn’t want to take over the business.”

“I wouldn’t have minded, but I did NOT want to do it because of the reasons Craig wanted me to. I didn’t want to have to choose between what I wanted and his expectations, which he was completely inflexible on. I’ve been more than qualified to run the store for more years than Craig even knows about, since he only bothered to make sure I would be accepted to Dartmouth without question. It was always his plan that I go, then come back to allow him to live his life in leisure while serially cheating on my mother AND his mistress.”

Brian snickered. “You mean he has more than one?”

“He had two others, but one of them recently received a tip from an unknown source that she wasn’t the other woman, but the other, OTHER woman. I don’t think you have to ask how that went.”

“And yet this is a man who calls gays morally reprehensible because we either like dick, or in the case of women, won’t fuck him at all…”

“Exactly! Anyway, now I don’t have to talk to Craig about his business model, because I can fix it all directly, without his involvement at all. I want this to be a place where the employees will enjoy their jobs, more than just beyond the next sale. I want them all to have a sense of accomplishment that they’ve earned fair and square. But first, I have to figure out where everyone else’s talents lie and utilize them accordingly. It’s why I wanted to go through the employee records.”

Brian started to respond, but we both got distracted seeing the black muscle car speed into the parking lot. Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems’ was on full blast, and the driver couldn’t find a fuck to give. I just had to laugh. As irreverent as I have always been of the societal norms within the country club set, Julian Gabriel was apparently even moreso. To me, that bodes well for him working for me; I loathe stuffy ass people.

Well, unless I’m the one stuffing their asses. 

“And just what is that salacious smirk about?” Brian asks me, an identical gesture gracing his own features.

“And wouldn’t you like to know.”

“I can just about guess, Taylor.”

“That’s Taylor-Kinney, thank you very much for remembering.”

“Sounds like someone is due for a spanking.”

“Let’s revisit that idea later, since I intend to earn a VERY firm hand in just a few moments.”

Brian’s smirk turned into a full-blown smile just then. He gestures to my tablet, saying, “Press send so I can take full advantage of tonight’s ass on tap.”

“Oooh, yes please!” I purr. “A rim job with extra tongue sounds just like what Dr. Taylor-Kinney should order.”

“I think I will, Sunshine.” 

I smile as I hit send on the design, emailing it to Maurice Tierney’s sign company. He was one of my first contacts within my logo business at fourteen, and between the two of us, we’ve been amassing quite a following. In the accompanying note, I advise him to expect another one from me within the next few hours and request that the signs be given priority to go up within the following forty-eight hours. I know he’ll stop everything to get my orders completed within the next few days.”

“You never did answer my question regarding the name of the bookstore, Brian.”

“Yes, I did. I said that you should name it.”

“Okay then. We’ll call it Kinnetik.”

“Kinetic? As in motion?”  

“Yeah, only we’ll make it a play on the last half of our last name. We’ll spell it K-I-N-N-E-T-I-K, that way it still has ‘TK’ in it, while basically telling the public who the store belongs to. If everything goes well, and the way I envision it, these two stores will only be the beginning of our budding empire.”

“Dreaming big, aren’t you, Sunshine?”

“No, Brian. We’re about to reinvent the way to not only dream big, but LIVE BIGGER. We’re about to show everyone who tried or will try to stop us just who actually has the bigger dick. It’s going to leave them gagging. And shit, I can’t wait!”

Brian laughs at my idea of figuratively fucking them all. But he also knows I’m absolutely serious. He knows that I’ll lead the charge if I have to before he’s ready to take over. It’s the indisputable level of trust we’ve been steadily building since the second night he fucked me, even though he fought it as long as he could. It’s knowing that if he doesn’t know where to go, or how to begin something, I’ve got him on all sides.

Lindsay and Michael changed the game, but they have no idea how Brian and I intend to play it. I really should thank them though, because their bullshit upped my timetable quite a bit. Brian was always my endgame; they just couldn’t accept it. Well, now they don’t have a fucking choice. There’s only one additional Taylor-Kinney in this town besides Brian, and I’m IT!

I alighted from our car, and moved around it to stand next to my husband. Yep, I just gleefully giggled inside thinking that. I doubt anyone would blame me since Brian IS such an amazing man. Julian was already out of his, and headed in our direction. Putting a genuine smile on my face, I extend my hand to greet him. 

“Looks like you’ve found the perfect theme song for today,” I say, laughing.

“Seems like a lot of people are learning that particular lesson at your hands today, Justin,” he responds, smiling wide at me. “I can’t say that I’m sorry about it though. The reactions thus far have just been way too entertaining.”

“And just how did it go at Ryder’s?” Brian asked Julian, after shaking his hand.

“Very well. I honestly think Stephanie might convince Murph to blow that pop-stand earlier than Vance and Ryder have anticipated. She really can’t stand either of them. Personally, I think if she’s forced to stay there a week longer she might catch a double murder charge. Plus it looks like their head corporate attorney might be at the end of his rope with them, too. It’s definitely a good set up for a game of Clue.”

I laughed. “I could definitely see Stephanie as Miss Scarlet, and Joe Cabello as good ol’ Colonel Mustard. The question would be which one would choose the gun over the candlestick.”

“With what I saw today, I’m almost willing to bet Stephanie would opt to bend them over and put the bullets straight up their asses,” Julian said.

“So what happened?” 

“Vance and Ryder tried to fight the clauses in the NDA, but Cabello went off on them. I don’t know exactly what he has over them, but they surely wrote those checks like their hands were on fire. They’re in my briefcase within the car. I offered him a job when he finally became tired of the battling CEO’s of RVA. For the record, I honestly don’t see that partnership working out long term. Stephanie told them they sounded like a wife and a mistress fighting over a man. She wasn’t off the mark in her assessment at all.”

“Not our problem, but…” Brian said, before narrowing his eyes.

“What is it?” I ask, an eyebrow raised. I am beginning to understand the way Brian’s mind calculates plots, risks, and scenarios more and more. Such a mastermind wrapped up in a sexy package… and yeah, I’m feeling smug right now that he’s all mine. 

Brian smiled at the both of us, before responding. “Just thinking that when the time comes to branch out our side of DPAA, the current location of RVA might be an option. But first, let’s work on really establishing ourselves, and getting your businesses under control, Justin.”

We each nodded, before heading into the main entrance of OUR electronics store. Robert was at the door waiting for us, both shaking his head and also near tears in laughter. “Let me guess… Craig is throwing a tantrum,” I say.

“And I must say, it’s entertaining, frustrating, and downright pathetic. Your mother is possibly even more devious than you are,” he answers, obviously trying to control himself.

“What do you mean?”

“By the time we arrived here, Erica had called her. Apparently, due to that phone call, the two of them thought you could use some physical backup. Wanna tell us how your mother knows Detectives Tucker and Hern?”

I narrow my eyes at Robert, knowing the pleasure he is getting out of mentioning Detective Charles Tucker, specifically. I answer anyway for Brian and Julian’s benefit, since I know they’ll badger me until I divulge at least a little of the history. I sigh loudly in mild frustration before saying, “It’s a long story, but suffice it to say that mom met Melvin Hern during her freshman year in college. As for Charles Tucker, he’s Molly’s former science teacher. He also worked in the CSI department part-time before making the rank of Detective.” 

My discomfort is more than obvious, even though I know I’ve kept my face somewhat neutral while speaking. Tucker’s had a crush on my mother for longer than I care to remember. And now that Craig is out of the way… Yeah, I don’t even want to go there! Robert nods his head, as if he knows exactly where my mind just went; yet another un-benefit of knowing someone longer than I care to think of at the moment. 

It's not a total disadvantage, but definitely NOT fun at moments like this either. The bottom line is that Tuck is just a few years older than Brian, which makes him…. Oh my GOD! He’s twelve years younger than my mother! What the… I think I want to be sick! 

“Sunshine, you okay?” Brian nudges me, as I feel my face drain of all color at that realization. 

Robert laughs then. “Honestly, he isn’t, but I’m going to let him tell you all about that later, Brian. Regardless of how Justin is feeling right now about whom his mother called, it’s lucky, they were off-duty when she called them and sent them here. Currently, Craig is in the office, trying to reason with them, believing he should have been able to keep tampering with the ledgers. Instead, he was forcibly pulled from the computer, where they are kept. It was obvious that Craig was in the process of changing figures to match the printed ledgers in his hand, which held the original figures before he could get away with embezzling the funds. I didn’t see which month he was working on, specifically, but he’s being held between the two officers right now, while Joel looks over the changes that were made today since Craig arrived here from court.”

I can’t help but shake my head at his vindictiveness and spite. It was already bad enough that the fool was caught siphoning from my trust fund, and ordered to pay back every red cent in addition to handing over the store. But to actively be caught cooking the books? Yeah, STUPID doesn’t even really cover what Craig is. In fact, the word ‘stupid’ should be a person who could file a lawsuit for defamation of character since it’s being grossly misused to describe Craig. 

“Well, not that I was going to let him keep his job anyway, but now he’s given me legal reasons to fire his ass.” We could still hear the yelling and pleading happening within the office. “Let’s go deal with this, so Tuck and Hern can get back to enjoying their day off. I still can’t get over her calling him.”

“Get over it, Justin. Whatever is going to happen now isn’t something you can do anything about. After all, you will be living it up in sunny California. Besides, YOU set the example,” Robert smugly says. 

I just want to punch him, but I won’t... yet. As we arrive within the outer-office, Erica is sitting there smiling with a bag of chips in her hand. Wordlessly, she holds out the bag, which surprisingly Brian dips his hand into. Popping one into his mouth, he turns to her, and says, “Good choice. I take it you’re enjoying the entertainment.”

At first, she’s awestruck and staring at him like she’d like to take a bite out of him as he continues to chew. Can’t say that I blame her since that was nearly my own first reaction to meeting him. She shakes her head quickly to clear it, before responding, “Yes. It’s almost like watching an episode of World’s Dumbest Criminals. You know the results are going to be tragic. I mean, people like that tend to make you question why certain creatures in the human race are considered an intelligent life form, right? Yet, you still just can’t look away from the idiocy. It’s so ridiculous, it’s actually pretty hilarious.”

“You can’t seriously mean to arrest me! I was fixing it!” Craig yells from inside the office. 

Amazingly, Tuck and Hern had the genius idea of using a set of hard-rubber bungee cords to tie Craig to the vertical radiator in the corner of the room, in place of handcuffs. That’s what he gets for never upgrading the heating system, even though Mom urged him to many times over the years. The fact that every time his hands go near the damn thing he pulls back has me looking at Erica, both in shock and mirth. “Bad girl! You turned up the heat within his office, didn’t you?”

She shrugs, as if innocent. “I just thought he should get used to what hell feels like since it’s where he belongs. Also, I considered it the humane thing to do since prison isn’t usually known for their heat. I’m pretty sure that’s his very next pit stop before Satan comes to reclaim his ol’ mean, money-grubbing ass.”

“So this is a humanitarian effort on your part?” Brian asks.

“My mom always said you should be kind to monkeys, babies, and fools. So, since I haven’t whipped out my belt to tear Craig’s ass a new hole, I consider my duty done. Trust me; that would have been a lot meaner since he’s long since overdue for a good old fashioned ass-whooping. I’m sure Big Bubba will be happy to remedy that where he’s going.”

All of us within the office laughed, even as Erica dug into her chips again. “I see why you really want to promote her, Sunshine. Erica’s not going to stand for any shit from anyone.”

“Damn right I won’t! I’m all shit-taken out after having had to deal with that Viagra-guzzling gargoyle in there. By the way, Justin, your mother should be calling you in a little while to tell you that the money to your accounts is returned, and that you have some property coming to you.”

“Property?”

She smiled at me. “As you know, I’m very thorough when doing my job. But there are certain instances where I intentionally forget to do as I’ve been instructed where Craig is concerned. It just so happened that while I was on the phone with Jennifer, Craig called to tell me to have Neil Harris meet him here at the office with his will, and other documents.”

“What did you do, Erica?”

“Nothing really,” she answers in the most innocent tone I’ve ever heard her use. “Well, nothing except use a little black girl magic and the intelligent black woman’s guide to revenge- legal edition. First, I called the District Attorney’s office to advise that Mr. Harris was instrumental in helping Craig steal from you, then provided the ADA with all the necessary documents including copies of the emails between them, and Craig’s business account ledgers prior to the changes he made. They should be raiding his records right about now.”

“Oh shit! That means Mom still has Craig’s power of attorney.”

“Exactly! And since he’s about to be considered incapacitated…”

“Brian, you need to call Ted, and tell him to get over to my mother’s.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“All of Craig’s assets just became hers… and mine. He’ll help her tie everything with the exception of this store and the property…”

“Which is in YOUR name, Justin,” Erica helpfully supplies.

I nod in acknowledgement before continuing. “He needs to help her take his name off of everything, including the house, then tie everything else up in investments. In fact, have him write up a short sale to me for the house. Tell him to pay her from the money I just got deposited…” I turn to Julian. “You did have Vance and Ryder write the checks out to ‘Cash,’ right?”

He smiles at me. “Of course, and then took them directly to Cynthia for her to deposit into your account using the app. The money should already be there and cleared. Nancy Peterson had Ronald do the same thing, only with a little more added on. At least half of it should be there with the other amount clearing within the next forty-eight hours.”

“Brian, have Ted write the check for $275,500 for the house. Erica, how much did Craig spend putting both mistresses up on my dime?”

“One million, seven-hundred for the properties. That doesn’t include whatever else he may have bought for them in your name. Robert might be able to tell you more since he’s digging into ALL of the accounts, including the two hidden ones Craig had. I know that one of them has a fucking Barbie mobile, even though I’m not sure which one it is. I only know them by the size of the floatation devices they call tits. While one looks like you can float down the Atlantic on hers, the other’s tits look like they’re heavy enough to sink ships. And yes! He paid for them, the fucking dirty dog.”

Brian laughed outright. “I really do like her, Sunshine. It’s a good thing we’re keeping her here, even though I would love to have her in L.A. with us. It’s like having Cynthia and Stephanie all rolled into one person. So, about the money...”

“Don’t worry, Brian. I intend to put it back, only it’s going into the joint account once I sell those condos and whatever else is attached to my name without my knowledge.”

“That’s not what I was going to say, Sunshine, but thanks for the assurance. No, I was going to say take the sum of the house out of our joint account instead. That way, even if Craig tries to contest the sale of the house, he wouldn’t be able to sue you without me. And in lieu of past events, he wouldn’t dare go after me.”

I know exactly what he’s referring to. The statute of limitations isn’t up yet on several charges that Brian could have filed against Craig, including leaving the scene of an accident and simple assault. The only reason Brian didn’t press charges is because it would have hurt me at the time. I had just been told to never go home again unless I stopped being gay and agreed never to see Brian again. So in Brian’s way of showing compassion, he let it go. 

But Brian’s right that Craig would be an idiot to test him. First, there were many witnesses to the assault, so he could easily prove it happened. Babylon has always been full of queens, who love to prove they’re ‘in the know’. The Tell-A-Queen network is well and truly alive and gabbing. Add into the fact that it would me and Brian against a known homophobe… 

Well, Craig wouldn’t stand a chance of winning. As far as the jeep goes, even though there weren’t any witnesses beyond Craig and Brian, the mechanics’ reports from both Brian and Mom would be enough to convict Craig without a second thought. There’s no way Craig would be able to deny he ran into Brian twice since both the starter of the car and the trunk were crushed. It’s actually a miracle the asshole made it back to the house, since the fuel line was also bent at an awkward angle. So in short, Craig would do well to just accept what is about to happen with all the good grace of the boiled lobster he’s resembling.

He may claw and fight to get out the pot, but once the lid goes on his ass is COOKED!

Brian is already dialing Ted as I go inside the office. Tuck and Hern are both leaning over Joel’s shoulders, while the printer continues to sing out page after page of the ledgers. There’s already a stack on it with enough pages to put together an encyclopedia. I look over at Craig, who is still struggling against the radiator. Then I laugh as once again, he shouts yet another series of curses from burning his hand against it. 

“You know, any child would have stopped doing that by now, Craig. I mean, how many times must you burn your hand before you realize it’s still hot?” I ask rhetorically.

“Fuck you, Justin!”

“Not even with your own dick, Craig,” I retort, wryly. “But considering where you’re going, I would get used to the idea of being a bottom if I were you.”

“Just you wait! I’m going to sue these fucking pricks for Unlawful Detainment, and then you’re next! You hear me, Justin?! You’re fucking NEXT!”

I just stand there looking bored at his tone, which only serves to piss him off even more. I sigh and roll my eyes before saying, “Craig, you and I both know that there isn’t a crime being committed here… anymore, that is. The fact is that you were caught red-handed tampering with the accounting.”

“I was fixing my error!”

“A very deliberate mistake you made, which shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Do you know what that particular error is called, Craig?”

“Fuck you, you smug little bastard!”

“Nope. Not a bastard since according to you and my birth certificate, I can’t legally deny we share DNA. It fucking sucks to be you, right? Well, not totally, but you surely understand that the suckage is only in reference to the fact that I can't yank your RNA strand from my body and cast it into the pit of hell, which I'm sure is your final destination. As for the offer to fuck me, uh, that would be a NO. First, YUCK! I don’t even like the thought of incest. If I didn't know better, and adore my grandparents, I would certainly have accused them of inbreeding since you really do lack some cognitive function to even spew those particular words in my direction.That you would even do it is just so simply shocking…”

“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT!”

“Not really, since we’ve already established that you’re a perv, smack in the middle of a midlife crisis. I mean, just how old are Barbie and Bimbette? Or should we call the secondary mistress Skipper since she dropped your ass fast when she found out about mom and her co-P.O.D.”

“What the hell are you talking about? And why the fuck are you spelling pod like it’s a bad word or something?”

“It’s P.O.D., Craig, and basically it’s an acronym for your nearly underage pussies-on-demand. Well again, I think you’re about to learn just how that feels, only in your case it’s going to be Booty-On-Demand. Your backside can't really be referred to as an ass since it seems to lack any cushion at all. Or is it just that with your advanced age it's gone south? Perhaps instead of trying to recreate the Titantic using fake tits, you might have invested in collagen shots for your behind. Hmm... maybe you'll find a nice bear in prison which won't mind your lack of behind so much. Some men just aren't as discriminating as they are when they aren't doing hard time.

"Oh speaking of a hard time, you should also probably work on learning to flex your tonsils too. Guys like getting deep-throated; you don’t want to gag too much. True some men want you to choke on their dicks, but... well, if you're gagging while you're blowing a small one that could just be insulting and go all types of wrong for you. Which reminds me, for goodness sake, make sure you cover your teeth, otherwise they will knock yours out. Well, I think that’s about all the blowjob advice I’m willing to give you, Craig. Everything else, you’ll have to learn on the job in the joint. Just think about how you liked your barely-legal THOTS to do it to you, and I’m sure you’ll be the Belle of the Bars in no time. That should make your next twenty years a whole lot more bearable, don't you think?”

“Sorry to interrupt, Justin, but what exactly is a thot?” Detective Hern asks. Sometimes I forget how old he is despite his young looks.

While Tuck and Robert laugh, along with everyone else listening in from the outer-office, I explain. “Forgive me, Hern. I should have put it in terms that both you and Craig could understand. You see, I like acronyms. In fact, I love them since I can get away with saying them, especially in front of the punkass who keeps purposely burning himself against a HOT radiator. Stop that, jackass! It’s not going to get you anything but burn marks in addition to the skid marks already in your drawers; Big Bubba will NOT be pleased!” I yell at Craig before calmly continuing. “Now where was I? Hmm, oh yeah…. 

“So the acronym of THOT simply means 'That HO Over There.’ You know who that HO usually is- Craig is about to become one himself, after all. It’s usually that anonymous fuck, who you really should have left alone, but you just couldn’t help yourself. But just like you couldn’t resist playing plug-in-socket with that loose chick or prick, everyone else couldn’t either. So basically, because no one can ever seem to remember the loose one’s name- even if they remember ramming their dick inside him or her- they are just simply referred to as a Thot. Which if you think about it pretty much describes Craig’s mistresses, who are about to be homeless among other things. Oh, and if it’s not clear to you, Craig… you’re fired. Book’em, Danno.” I snicker while looking at the three men, who are trying their best to hold in their collective laughter. “I’ve always wanted a reason to say that.”

As I turn around to leave the office, while hearing the tune of renewed pleas coming from Craig, I notice Brian holding his cellphone sideways. The only odd thing that gives him away is the shining light over the camera lens, which means the fool is recording me. I don’t even have the wherewithal to scold him for his antics. Brian just grins at me. “Dee is going to love this! Between her and DeMarcus, I wouldn’t be surprised if this went viral. As setdowns go, Sunshine, I think the student is about to surpass the teacher.”

I laugh before kissing him, enjoying the less than manly screech my action caused from Craig. Brian returns the gesture, making sure to pull back just enough for Craig to see him tongue-fucking me before we both come up for air. I moan softly, allowing the breath expelling from me to ghost over his lips. Yeah, I know exactly what that does to him, but there’s a bunch more we have to get done today. So I just settled on accepting his compliment with a truth of my own. “I learned from the Master.”

And wouldn’t you know that earned me another kiss to curl my toes. Hmmm, maybe business can wait a little bit after all...