The Bully & the Brat

It was an unusually cool day in Texas, but Anna was already sweating inside the massive meat packing plant. She didn't care for the face mask, but it helped mask the harsh odor that made her stomach turn when she arrived. Her new supervisor gave her a lengthy tour, showing her the ins and outs of pork production. It was a disturbing sight, but she listened attentively, straining her ears to hear over the loud machinery.

Anna was expected to start this new job Tuesday, and her orientation was supposed to be Monday. But she missed those two days because of her drug-addict mother, Lisa, who had taken her '02 Saturn on a four-day joy ride. Lisa returned early Wednesday morning with her newest mooching boyfriend holding her thin body upright.

Anna hated her mother's new man, Larry. Whenever Lisa turned her back, he would eye her with hunger. Despite her contempt for both meth heads, Anna had let them in without a fuss. Her mother was drunk, high, and barely able to stand, let alone argue with her only daughter over a vehicle.

Anna was only 19, but she was no longer shocked by her mother's bad behavior. She was far too used to Lisa being gone for days at a time. That neglect had started early on when Anna was in middle school. Back then, it had been easier to push responsibilities onto her irresponsible mother. Now as an adult, it meant she no longer could eat free meals at school or stay at a friend's house when her mother refused to pay the bills.

Anna had worked since she was fourteen, starting with under-the-table work and babysitting gigs. By sixteen, she began working full-time, struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Even with two consistent jobs, she still needed something more to keep up with her mother's recklessness. She had used her savings to bail her out of jail just last month, which added struggle to her already challenging effort.

Anna was so optimistic about this new job. It would have her making more than the others combined. She considered herself lucky that her supervisor understood her delay, but when Lisa disappeared for another three days the following week, they had no choice but to fire her. Anna was bitter at the missed opportunity and thankful she had yet to quit her other low-paying jobs.

A&J furniture store sat on the corner beside a convenience store, behind a Mcdonald's. The small crowded furniture store rarely had many customers, but the employees kept the place clean and tidy just in case they did.

Anna cleaned, emailed receipts, and charged cards. When customers paid in cash, she always took a few dollars to compensate for the low salary since the shabby furniture store did not pay much. Anna had started working there in high school and loved the job, her coworkers, and the location, which was right down the street from her apartment, giving her no excuses for being late. Her other job at the tax center was not far away either, and she wanted to start full-time as a CPA next year but needed extra money for the classes.

After Anna finished vacuum-cleaning the rugs, she flipped the switch bringing the loud machine to a halt. She then wiped down the furniture until it gleamed thoroughly and returned to her small desk.

Sorting through papers, Anna flinched at her coworker Marsha's loud voice.

"Mr. Carl is dead!" Marsha gasped, standing to her feet.

Anna glanced at her as she flipped her braids, holding the phone closer to her ear.

"So, he's dead, dead? Damn!" Marsha groaned, looking toward her.

Anna tried not to roll her eyes at the dramatic woman, hoping everything was okay and not another fake excuse for Marsha to leave early. She ignored her conversation to concentrate on her typing, even though she was still talking loudly on the phone, interrupting her focus.

After her phone call, Marsha exhaled and hurriedly walked to Anna's small desk to gossip.

"Girl, we're going to have to find another job. Carl finally kicked the bucket!"

Anna's eyes broadened a bit at the news giving a sympathetic nod. She had never met the store's owner, Carl Anderson, nor his wife, who had passed away before she began working there.

The elderly owners had let a distant family member run their businesses. Their 31-year-old nephew Marty was the only member of the family she knew and whom she considered her boss. Marsha appeared upset by the news and the idea of the store closing.

"I have another job. I could see if I could get you on," Anna offered.

"Bitch, I am not standing outside the damn tax place waving flags." Marsha waved her hands dramatically, rolling her eyes in the process, "Anyway, I already know who the new owner is. It's gonna be that damn Jeff," she sneered.

Marsha cared so much, not only because she was intrusive as hell but because she was also making more money than Anna. Her bogus title as executive manager even gave her vacation, sick leave, and other unnecessary benefits. Anna figured out she was fucking Marty, which had much to do with Marsha's success in such a small store.

Marsha continued, "He's something that Jeff, a real piece of work. I went to school with him. I haven't seen him since high school. His ass doesn't even show up to our reunions. He thinks he's all that since he went off to college. He ain't been doing shit but been managing at the place in Virginia, where they get the furniture before it comes here," she explained.

Anna could care less about who owned the place. She wanted to hurry and finish up her work so she could get to the tax place, which her coworker thought was so beneath her.

Marsha shook her head when she noticed Anna wasn't paying much attention to her.

"You need to be more worried. Shit will change around here, and your ass can't be leaving early and stealing money."

Anna grew wide-eyed and looked back toward the office, wondering if Marty had heard.

Marsha put her hand on her hip, now having Anna's full attention, "I'm just telling you, shit is seriously about to change if he comes around."

"You are the one who gave me the idea. I don't even take as much as you do." Anna responded hushedly, "And I only leave because of my other jobs."

"You need to heed my warning because Jeff will fix the cameras. I've been working here for over a decade, and I will keep my job."

"I won't take anything else," Anna assured her with a sad expression.

Marsha puffed, walking back toward her desk, "Ugh, I'm going to miss that extra cash, though."

Anna didn't say it, but she agreed with her coworker. Those extra few dollars had gotten her out of a lot of jams in the past.

The store operations ran as usual for the next few months. Anna would have forgotten Mr. Carl died had it not been for Marsha's weekly reminder that the new handsome owner was coming like a thief in the night.

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The Uber driver sat awaiting his rider's departure from his 2017 Hondai Elantra while the tall man looked out the window.

A few cars dotted the store parking lot that Carl Anderson had left his illegitimate son Jeffrey Anderson to manage. It was right next to a small corner store that had once been a charming gas station when Jeff was younger. He had once walked these streets and had a happy childhood before his birth mother's demise.

The neighborhood was now a part of the slums of this town, but Jeff was determined to still profit from the store his stepmother and father had once conceived.

The nostalgic nudge that the neighborhood gave Jeff also brought his stomach to twist in tangles of discomfort. He hated thinking back on old memories. It was already overwhelming being back in Texas.

The driver had wanted to say something about Jeff loitering in his vehicle, but the look he had given him when he coughed stopped his thought of arguments.

Jeff finally opened the car door, giving the man hope he would soon leave and reward him with five stars of critique.

"Fuck, I don't want to go back in there," Jeff mumbled to himself before stepping out of the car.

As soon as Jeff shut the door, the driver sped off. He didn't blame him. He had been sitting awkwardly in his back seat for almost ten minutes, wondering if he should go through with it.

Jeff sneered when he pulled at the locked door. He didn't have a key and hated that he was closed off from his inheritance. Not that he had wanted this piece of shit. The place was a dump and had seen better days.

Jeff used to be prominent and dominated his family's business. But unlike his younger brother and older sister, Jeff was a bastard. His father's 38-year-old affair now haunted Jeff's once cushy lifestyle, and he gritted his teeth at his misfortune. He had two other stores to 'Manage,' and this one was the worst.

Jeff should be a millionaire, sitting pretty in his old office with his secretary kneeling at his side. Thanks to his sister, Alicia, he was not. She had burnt Carl's Will, handwriting a new one on his father's deathbed on his behalf.

That new document was foul, stripping Jeff of everything he had worked hard to obtain. If it were up to Alicia, his last name would be confiscated and changed into his mother's maiden, West. She knew her half-brother well and placed a wrench into his set fortune with one little word Jeff despised.

Marriage.

With that, she ensured her Hound Dog brother had merely a straightforward way of combating his dilemma, and that was to get married.

Jeff had a line of women out of the door that, had he tossed a ring at their feet, would have been crawling to receive it. It was an ego boost, but Jeff couldn't be with a woman. He didn't like most women and saw them for what they were fuck toys.

Had his father's last document suggested he litter the town with bastards like himself, Jeff would have thrown away his previous flame's birth control. But being tied down was a more complex decision. He couldn't play the husband role to a woman only for her to bitterly nag and expect him to change his ways. He loved being a ruthless dog, and women loved being used by him.

Jeff placed his hand on the window, peeping inside to see who he could see, but no one was inside, and it was almost 8:00 am. He backed up and looked at his polished shoes with a grimace. Tan dust covered the shine, and he kicked the dirt, cursing his new life.

As Jeff strolled toward the little convenience store, he dug into his pocket for his full flask. Back in Virginia, hard liquor had always been his way of washing his sentiments down the drain, and it was no different here in Texas. Inside he purchased a pack of menthols. His smoking habit had subsided years ago, but he needed something to ease his tension. He smoked one in the parking lot, then his shoulders slumped to return to his store.

Noticing his two female employees, he rolled his eyes at their appearance. They were both heavier than he liked. They were also diverse, which Jeff didn't mind. He wondered where his cousin could be, why he wasn't in charge of opening and had instead given keys to the two strangers.

The Hispanic woman had her back turned, struggling to unlock the door, while the other, who he knew from somewhere, he suspected high school, was going on about his new uniform policy.

"I can't wear this ugly shit, girl." Marsha folded her arms, "I ain't built for this. I look respectable at work, not like I'm selling hamburgers."

"Well, I heard Mcdonalds is hiring," His deep voice interrupted her rant, "Go over and apply, sweetheart."

Marsha gasped, "Uh."

"You are free to go," Jeff waved.

Rubbing his jaw in irritation, Jeff closely scanned the building and its flaws. He fantasized about lighting a match and burning this place to the ground.

Regardless of getting caught, Marsha bit her lip at his sensual presence. His shaggy hair fell in perfectly slick waves, and his olive skin matched well with his chocolate eyes and rich, full beard. She had yet to see his smile, but his stern jaw was strong and flexed as he eyed her coworker contemptuously.

Jeff groaned, "I see it's a good thing she doesn't work at McDonald's since she can't seem to open a simple door," he stated, pointing at the store's glass doors.

Anna eyed the tall man with a scowl for his rudeness. Her mouth dropped slightly upon realizing her new boss was actually stunning

She quickly turned back, wiggling the knob, a sure way to unhinge the faulty lock. That tiny glimpse made her nervous, and her hands shook.

Jeff glanced at his watch, then at the two women, his lips curled into a handsome sneer.

His tone held a hint of amusement to shadow his frustration, "It's 8:17, and you two are just now opening up?"

Marsha remembered his dominant demeanor. She knew he would be a hard ass and was ready to put her bid in as his favorite.

"Oh, we don't open till 9, Mr. Anderson, " she replied with a broad smile.

Jeff didn't return the smile but nodded, maintaining his stoic expression and tapping his foot impatiently as Anna struggled to unlock the door.

"Does this one seriously not know how to unlock doors?"

"It's tricky," Marsha explained, looking up at his built frame, "It usually takes me a couple of tries, too."

Giving a frustrated sigh, Jeff moved toward Anna, taking the key from her shaking hands.

"What's wrong with you, woman?"

When Jeff glimpsed her delicate features, he halted for a moment. She was younger than expected, with two large doe eyes looking toward him. A pair of long lashes fluttered innocently, but her arched brows furrowed with irritation that matched his. He couldn't miss the adorable pout on her fresh face.

Jeff realized she was upset with him and changed his tone to a scold, "What's your problem, girl?"

Keeping her same expression, Anna shrugged. Jeff snickered at her incompetence and attempted to open the door, which was a difficult task.

"Why won't it turn...." Jeff pushed left and then quickly hauled the key to the right.

Anna smirked with an 'I told you so' on the tip of her tongue, but she caught a whiff of spicy cologne that peeled away a bit of bitterness. He smelled amazing, and she focused on the patch of gray that peppered his dark beard. He was handsome but seemed to be an asshole from the way he spoke.

"Janky, shit," Jeff mumbled, rolling his shoulders before trying again to place the key inside the lock.

Keeping her head down, Anna hid a smile as he twirled the key around. As long as she had worked there, that door had been tricky. She didn't dare chuckle but cleared her throat to keep from doing so.

"Dammit!" Jeff yelled, popping his large hand against the glass door.

Anna recoiled at his loud voice. Keeping quiet, she moved back toward Marsha, realizing this man had anger issues. However attractive he appeared, there was something dangerous about him, and she didn't want herself to be the next thing his palm smacked against.

Marsha cleared the tension with a sultry voice, "This is Mr. Jeffrey Anderson, Mr. Carl's son."

Had the man let on a smile and hadn't been so furious, Anna would have spoken, but instead, she nodded as he twisted his wrist around the locked knob.

"I don't know if you remember me, but this is Anna," Marsha sweetly introduced as he aggressively jammed the key into the lock again, "We are truly sorry to hear about your daddy, Mr. Anderson."

He turned his head to smirk at Marsha's fake formality, "I remember you, M&M."

Flattered, Marsha giggled, "Really, well, I won't sure. I've changed, and I know you have changed quite a bit."

"Fucking shithole," Jeff muttered, ignoring Marsha as he struggled with the door.

"Where the fuck is Marty?"

"He doesn't come every day, so...."

Marsha paused and backed up as Jeff glared at her.

"He should be here every day!"

Marsha was getting a bit turned on by how aggressive the man was. His toxic masculine demeanor matched his profile.

Jeff was a tall, large man, and Marsha had no doubts he could pick her up and fuck her against the wall. He had been tall and slim in school, but 20 years had been good on his body, and those muscles bursting from his dress coat looked delicious.

Marsha could tell he was stressed out, and indeed she could help in any way he wanted, "Anna is usually good at getting it open. She opens most mornings."

Giving up with the lock, Jeff frowned at Anna, "Since you got the magic touch, how bout opening it up."

Tossing the set of keys, he awaited Anna to catch it, but it was a quick motion, and they jingled, falling to the pavement. Anna picked them up and rolled her eyes as he focused his attention on Marsha.

"How's Roy?" Jeff asked, adjusting his tie in an attempt to calm himself.

Marsha clicked her tongue, "He got locked up five years ago. He gets out 2031."

"Damn, that's crazy," Jeff shook his head with pity, "You're still with Terry? You were pregnant when we graduated, right?"

"Yeah, we had three more, and we are supposed to be getting married next year."

"After 20 years and three kids, I would hope so."

"You married? Got any kids?" Marsha inquired.

"Fuck, no," Jeff murmured as the door opened.

Marsha smiled, having already searched his hand for a ring and his crotch for a bulge, trying to remember if his cock was as big as his long polished shoes.

Jeff barged in without appreciation for Anna's skill and scanned the area. The place, save for the furniture, was ragged.

"Fuck my life," he muttered under his breath.

Jeff tried to control his resentment as he took in the dust-covered lamps, tables, and dresser drawers. The miniature bed sets were so wrinkled; he wondered if someone had been sleeping on them. Jeff shook his shoulders and laughed to keep from destroying everything in this store.

"God, this place is a dump," he loudly declared.

"It's an old building." Marsha smiled, "I remember when y'all first opened. My mama got a whole house full of furniture on credit."

"It's not the building. It looks like someone trashed this place. What the hell do you two do all day? Eat," Jeff asked sarcastically, taking in Marsha's heavy frame.

Two fat titties protruded from the tight brown shirt, and those pants hugged her plump thighs and clung tightly to her wide hips. She was a brick house, and Jeff planned to take her brick by brick, but right now, he was furious.

Marsha gave a phony chuckle before answering, "No, we take payments and make sure the place is spotless. We keep this place going," she countered.

Jeff snorted loudly. He wasn't blind and could undoubtedly see the woman was fabricating.

"So, It's just you two?"

"And Pete. Your daddy never came by much. Usually, your cousin Marty comes around to move in the new pieces. I know I ain't lifting nothing heavy," she informed.

"That boy doesn't know how to run shit," Jeff mumbled, glimpsing his other employee.

Anna was a short Hispanic girl with frizzy curls wrapped in a messy bun. She had an innocent demeanor with precious sculpted facial features, full lips, and the most enormous brown eyes he had ever seen. She could have been a Disney Princess had she been taller and leaner. He imagined her voice was light and high-pitched, yet she had not uttered a word.

"Does that one speak English?" Jeff asked, pointing at Anna.

"Yes, I can speak English," Anna spoke with his believed voice, a cute high-pitched quack fitting her stature.

"Good."

Folding her arms across her chest in bitterness, she added, "It's sort of rude to assume that."

Anna was a cutie but had an attitude problem. Jeff figured the eight inches in his boxers could quickly adjust it. But again, he was edgy, and business came before pleasure.

"Excuse me?" His voice deepened, and he stepped toward her, bending his waist to show her who was in control.

"You should know to add a sir to that, yes," Jeff challenged with a smirk, "Manners will be a policy in my store. Do you understand? That goes for male customers as well, be sweet, smile, and the money will roll in."