Page 45 of Spock’s Snare

“I know where you were,” he says. “But you weren’t here.”

“I’m managing more than one construction site. That isn’t unusual, and it isn’t news to you.”

He tosses the pry bar onto the floor. It lands with a loud clang. “Maybe if you’d been here, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Anger burns through the lingering heat beneath my skin. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

“You might’ve noticed the crew installing drywall before the electrical work was complete.” He gestures around the room. “At the very least, you’d know what was happening on your own job site.”

“You knew I was at Inferno Ridge.”

“Yeah, I knew.” His expression twists. “Seems like that project is getting most of your attention lately.”

“That project requires my attention. So does this one. That’s why I have a foreman, you.”

His eyes narrow.

“You’re the foreman here, Steven,” I continue. “It’s your job to oversee the work. That’s why I hired you. I can’t stand over every worker at every site every minute of the day. You’re supposed to ensure the crews follow the plans, complete each phase in the right order, and report problems to me when they happen.”

“I know how to do my damn job.”

“Then why was drywall installed over unfinished wiring?”

The question hangs between us.

Steven’s face darkens. He takes a step toward me.

It isn’t a normal movement. It isn’t a man closing the distance to explain something or point out a problem. His movement is aggressive and threatening.

My body registers the danger before my mind does. My muscles tense, but I refuse to back away. I will not let him intimidate me on my own construction site.

Steven takes another step.

Suddenly, Spock is between us. He moved so quickly and silently that I didn’t know he’d arrived until all I saw was the snarling dog on his kutte.

I sense movement near the door and know that Rush and Hawk are nearby to back up Spock.

Spock doesn’t raise his voice because he doesn’t need to; his presence speaks loudly.

“You need to step away from her.”

Steven looks from Spock to Rush and then to Hawk. Some of the anger drains from his expression, replaced by calculation.

“I wasn’t going to do anything.”

Spock remains perfectly still. “Then stepping back shouldn’t be a problem.”

Steven retreats a pace.

I draw a slow breath, fighting the shock rushing through me. If Spock hadn’t appeared, would Steven have stopped? I want to believe he would have. I’ve worked with him long enough to know he has a temper, but I’ve never believed he might hurt me. Until now.

Steven looks past Spock at me. “I’m frustrated. That’s all. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

“No,” I say. “You shouldn’t have.”

His jaw flexes.

He snatches his hard hat from the floor but leaves the pry bar where it fell. “I’ll write up a report about the wiring tomorrow.”