To say I’m mad would be an understatement.
“What do you mean you still can’t open the building?” I repeat my question for the third time while a pale-looking clerk is getting paler by the minute. He should be, I’m on the verge of throwing my arm forward and dragging him over the desk.
“The in-inspector didn’t sign off on it,” he stutters, looking anywhere but at me.
“Why?”
“The fire d-department.”
“What with the fire department?”
“They didn’t—I mean, they won’t…”
I lean forward, ready to throw this little prick out the window. “I was at the fire department this morning,” I say. “And guess what? They signed thefucking paper.”
His thin neck moves with a swallow. “I don’t know why.” His voice turns into a whisper. “I just work here.”
“You think?” I deadpan, knowing I won’t get anything from this pencil pusher who told me two minutes ago that the building inspector is not here now. But I don’t give a fuck. I’m coming in and waiting for him if need be.
Quickly dismissing the pencil, I move around his desk and start navigating the cubicles in search of the inspector’s office. I have a strong suspicion I know whom I’ll find there.
“You can’t go in there!” The pencil’s voice takes a new level of volume, one he didn’t possess when talking to me.
Disregarding his cries, I walk deeper into the space until I find the office of the senior inspector. I push the door open and find exactly what I expected. The prick in the chair looks familiar. Very familiar. A quick glance at the standing name tag on the table confirms my suspicion. Boris Lebovski. He’s the brother of the board member Leonard Lebovski. The very same one who’s been trying to overrule me every single meeting.
When a female voice giggles through the speaker, the man quickly hangs up without saying goodbye.
“What are you doing here?” he cries out, trying to look around me. “Spencer, why the hell did you let him in?”
The pencil’s voice speaks from behind me. I guess he’s Spencer. “He didn’t listen. He just barged in like an… Like an animal.”
I glance back with a raised brow, making him retreat from the office and toward his desk. I watch him backing out until he hits a watercooler with his back and turns to scatter away. I quickly shut the door behind him and turn toward Lebovski.
“Well, looks like everything they say about you is true,” he says gleefully, crossing his fingers over his stomach.
“Yeah?” I walk and take a seat without an invitation across from him. “What do they say?”
“That you’re not fit to lead a company. Especially as large as this one.”
“You meanmycompany?”
He cackles. “It won’t be yours for long.”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you.” My tone is quiet. When it’s quiet, they should be scared. He probably catches on because he leans forward.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to see what’s the holdup with the building, but now I see.”
“Yeah?” He cocks a brow. “What do you see?”
“I see a dick brother of one of my board members trying to help him take my company by any means they can. Including illegal ones.”
For a second, he looks uncomfortable. But only for a second. Then the worried look on his face is replaced with a smug one.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve got the vote.” By now, he knows. Everyone does. “Why are you still trying?”
