Chapter 8

Sinclair

T hursday I walk into my office and stand looking out of the ceiling-to-floor window. I'm looking over the city, but truthfully, I'm seeing nothing. The upset recently has shown me I need more from my life, and I want a woman I can love and rely on. One that isn't after me for my money, but for me as the person who I am.

My parents are both living abroad, quite happy in their retirement. I fund their lifestyle and they deserve it after struggling for years while I grew up, went to college and eventually supported me while my business got off the ground. Now I'm more than happy to be able to return that to them and they are living lazily in a Caribbean retirement village.

Turning when a soft tap on the door grabs my attention. "Mr. Sinclair, Draven is here for your ten o'clock meeting."

"Thank you, Rebecca, please send him in."

Rebecca is my secretary and has been since I started the business. I keep trying to get her to retire, but she won't hear of it. She is a widow and nearing sixty-five, but wants to continue working as long as she feels she is able. I'm okay with that because she is the most loyal person who you could ever meet. She cares about everyone around her, and I've made sure she has a nice salary after anonymously paying off her mortgage. I'm sure she knows it was me, but we've never discussed it, and we never will.

Draven walks in and gives me a nod before taking a seat at the long table on one side of the office. I take my seat and look at him with a slight smirk because he's not aware of what's going to happen now.

"Okay, boss, what's going on? I see you know who has gone," Draven grins and I know he and Colin didn't get along, but never knew why.

"You never liked Colin, did you?"

"Nope, he was a man-whore and broke up more than one relationship. Let's face it, if he is not trustworthy, and if you cannot trust him, then why work with or beside him?" Draven gives me a serious look and I have to admit he has a point.

"Back to why you are here. I, of course, am the owner of the business, but I want to work more from home now I have purchased that beautiful piece of property. I will have an office, conference room, and can hold events. You, I need to step up to be the COO. I want to have you implementing my ideas here at the business while I work from home. I'll come in once a month for the progress meetings, and if you think it's needed on other occasions. I want more free time and to get away from the desk that I'm continually sitting behind. Do you think you can be the COO that I need?"

I've worked with Draven for a long time. He's been under Colin in the string of command. But I've felt for a long time that Draven has the drive and ambition to do what is needed for the business.

"I can, and I'm sure I can implement the ideas you have. We've discussed the business so many times over the years that I think your vision is now my vision."

"Good. Well, from tomorrow on you'll be in charge of the business building, and I'll be working from home. Let's call a meeting and get this done. I have to see a man about a dog later today."

"A man about a dog?" Draven frowns as we walk out of my office.

"Don't worry about it," I grin while turning to Rebecca. "Rebecca, call all heads of departments to the conference room, please. It's now, so don't let them fob you off with, they can't come yet . If they say that tell them they can collect their last salary check on the way out the door."

Rubbing her hands together, Rebecca gives me a grin, that I'd have to admit is a little scary. "Oh, I can do that, Mr. Sinclair."

"I've told you to call me Sinclair, not Mr. Sinclair. Honestly, Rebecca, you've worked for me too long for all that bullshit, and if you were calling me Mr. then it should be Mr. Edwards, but I don't want you to call me that either. It's just Sinclair, or as my new friends call me, Sin."

After a quick freshen-up, I walk into the conference room and notice the heads of departments.

My business is software development, and as Colin was in charge of the security, it made it essential to change everything and fast. Thankfully, with the help of my new friends, we did that before the opening of the next day's business. Colin was my friend and working toward being second in command, but I'd had a twitchy feeling about him for a while. Now, I'm more than happy he's gone and Draven will take his place.

"Good morning, everyone. This is going to be short and sweet. As of tonight, at the close of business, Draven will be your new COO. I am stepping back from the rigorous daily workload. I will work from home, and will have conference meetings and the like there. But you will be answerable to Draven on a day-to-day basis. Each of you will send a report to Draven before you leave on Friday for the weekend. If your department needs my eyes on it, you will not be happy because I'm more likely to give you your marching orders, than listening to ridiculous excuses about why your department is not up to par. Whether your department comes to my attention or not is up to Draven. Now, I'll leave you with your COO." I give Draven a wink as I walk past him, and whistle under my breath as I walk back to my office, much to Rebecca's amusement as I pass her desk.

Later that afternoon, I make my way over to the home of Holly's parents. I watch a while before I approach a man that resembles the description Holly gave me of the butler, Stanley. He has walked out of the side gate of the property and is making his way towards my vehicle. Before he reaches me, I open the door and climb out of the driver's side.

"Excuse me, are you Stanley?" I ask.

Stopping and giving me a questioning look, he responds. "Yes, I'm Stanley. How do you know and what can I do for you?"

"Well, actually, it's what I can do for you." I quickly explain about Holly suggesting he leave here and come work for me. I outline what his role will be, and about the cottage at the side of the property next to the large pond and the ornamental garden.

We discuss salary, and I answer all his questions. But he surprises me when he asks. "Is the cottage liveable, like right now liveable?"

"Yes. I had it renovated with all new throughout. It's a beautiful cottage, but if anything isn't to your liking, I'm willing to consider changes."

"Okay. I've been thinking of leaving here since Holly left and I've thrown out or sold anything I didn't want to keep. So, let's take your vehicle around to the back door and I'll load my belongings and leave. I'll give them notice by sticking a note on the kitchen table. They paid my salary yesterday so they owe me nothing. Mind you, they owed me four months' salary and I threatened to tell the local store clerk as she's the biggest gossip and it would only take an hour for everyone to know they didn't pay staff."

Two hours later, I have Stanley unpacking in the cottage, and I'm feeling damn smug. Taking out my phone from my suit jacket, I do a group text to WAR.

Sin: Stanley accomplished.

It's been one hell of a good day.

Friday morning, I'm walking around the store picking up fruits, vegetables and other things I put onto a fake grocery list. I find the worst looking of everything I can find. I need a viable reason to complain.

Picking up cans with dents, I cause a few myself, mind you, but hey nobody is looking so no harm, no foul.

Pushing my cart over to the customer services area, I look at the young lady who has to be all of nineteen, and for a fleeting moment I feel sorry for her.

"I have a complaint."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. What can I do for you?"

Now she's spouting the standard sentence taught them when they start in the customer service department.

"Never mind what can you do for me. What are you going to do about all this? And saying you'll change it all isn't good enough. Let's face it, this shit shouldn't be on the shelves in the first place." I give her a scowl as I can see she's wondering how the hell she's going to calm me down, but before she can say more I continue, "I want to see the senior customer service manager. Someone in charge. What's that person called?"

The poor young woman stammers her response, "O-oh, her name is C-c-charlotte."

"Well, get Charlotte down here now."

Tapping my foot while the young woman calls for Car-Lot to be at the customer service counter, I feign being annoyed with the situation.

A few minutes later, Car-Lot appears, looking holier than thou. Oh, she's going to be coming down off her high horse in a minute or two.

"What can I do for you, sir?" She sweetly states as she looks me from feet to head and back down again.

Gotcha, I'm thinking. "Do you always look over people like they are a slab of meat? Is that how this store serves its customers?" I'm making sure my voice is getting louder, attracting attention that Car-Lot sure doesn't want. When the Store Manager appears from seemingly nowhere I turn to him and snarl. "Is this how you deal with customers, checking them out as though they are part of the menu? I've been in many stores in my time, but this…" pointing at Car-Lot, "has to take the cake. I mean, you come to customer service and want to make a complaint about the horrid produce that you are selling…" taking a deep breath as though I'm just so exasperated, "but to then be sized up as that one's nightly fuck is just plain nasty."

The situation explodes, Car-Lot trying to smooth the situation, but the more she tries, the more I stir the drama, until the store manager tells her to go to his office and wait.

"I want her job. She's not fit to be a manager. She should be a stock clerk where nobody much has to deal with her nefarious glances. I'll be writing to the head office and I know the COO, so don't you be worrying, if you don't downgrade the woman called Charlotte, he certainly will."

"Y-you don't need to do that," the manager stutters before continuing after clearing his throat. "I'll be speaking with the person in question and she will be dealt with accordingly."

I push my cart toward the manager and walk out of the store, nose in the air, but with my back to him, I have the largest grin on my face.

Giving Holly a call from where I'm sitting in my vehicle, she laughs before saying, "Ding, ding, another round to us."