Chapter 2

Before going to see Ethan, I received a phone call.

"Mr. Hayes, have you thought about what we discussed?"

I refused without hesitation. "Mr. Parker, thank you for thinking so highly of me, but as I've already made very clear, I won't be leaving Starlight Auto Repair."

The person on the other end was the owner of the largest auto repair shop in our area.

What he wanted me to consider was switching jobs.

Three years ago, when I got out of prison, I couldn't find any work because of my criminal record.

That's when my childhood friend Ethan called me, asking if I'd be willing to come work at his repair shop.

I studied aerospace engineering in college and worked at a research institute after graduation. If I hadn't injured someone while defending my parents, I never would have ended up in prison.

Ethan's reasoning for hiring me was simple—he figured if I could fix rockets, fixing cars would be child's play.

He said many mechanics stole parts from the shop to sell, and his small operation couldn't handle those kinds of losses. If I was willing, he'd let me join as a technical partner.

After thinking it over for a few days, I agreed.

After answering Mr. Parker, I was about to hang up when he seemed to sense something and asked me to wait.

"Mr. Hayes, I've looked into it. Ethan pays you ten thousand a month with thirty percent of annual profits. Come work for me, and I'll give you an annual salary of five hundred thousand with fifty percent of the profits. I guarantee..."

Before he could finish, Ethan's call came through, asking if I'd arrived at the shop yet and if I had time to come to his office.

After hanging up, I got excited.

Because yesterday I'd heard that our shop had made eight million in profit this year, and according to our original seventy-thirty agreement, I should get two million four hundred thousand.

Two million four hundred thousand.

Even back when I worked at the research institute, I'd never seen that much money.

But when I entered Ethan's office and received my dividend, I was stunned.

Ethan sat in his oversized executive chair and tossed a bank card onto the desk.

"Mason, you worked hard this year. There's a hundred thousand in this card—your dividend for the year."

For a moment I thought I'd misheard. "A hundred thousand? Did you calculate wrong? The shop made eight million in profit this year. According to our original seventy-thirty agreement, I should get two million four hundred thousand."

Ethan acted like he'd heard the funniest joke and snorted. "Two million four hundred thousand? Mason, do you really think you deserve that?"

Those words hit me like a bucket of ice water. I froze in place.

"Ethan, what do you mean?" My voice rose involuntarily. "We agreed on technical partnership and a seventy-thirty split. It was spelled out clearly in black and white. Now you're telling me you won't honor it?"

"Black and white?" Ethan's smile was meaningful. "That was just talk. It's not in the contract. Your employment contract says a monthly salary of ten thousand, plus I'm giving you a hundred thousand dividend. That's nearly a full year's salary extra. Look at the entire auto repair industry—which boss is as generous as me?"

Anger shot straight to my head. "Ethan, don't go too far. You know damn well what this shop was like when we started. You could barely get ten jobs a month and were about to close down. Who kept it afloat?"

I pointed at the yard outside the window filled with luxury cars. "Every single owner of those cars out there comes here for my technical skills. Even Harrison Parker wanted to poach me, offering five hundred thousand a year plus fifty percent profit share. I didn't even consider it before turning him down, and this is how you treat me!"

Ethan's smile finally faded. He stared straight at me. "You think I don't know about Harrison Parker trying to poach you? Mason, you really think you're hot shit."