AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ican’t concentrate. This is one fucked up situation and I think my head’s about to explode. Cody looks at me and raises his eyes.
“Is everything ok, Sam. You look like shit.”
I growl. “This fucking situation is destroying me. This shit’s gonna take all night to unravel and I’m meant to be somewhere that won’t wait.”
Cody looks worried. “Look, I know it’s not ideal, but if we don’t sort this contract, the shit will hit the fan. It’s not just us it affects, it’s also the workers you employ around the globe. Sometimes we have to understand the company’s bigger than us both.”
I slam my fist on the desk and shout. “Do you think I don’t fucking know that? This is my company, built up from nothing. You think I don’t know what it takes to suck things up and put the company first. I’ve done it ever since I started and I don’t need reminding.”
He holds up his hands. “Sorry, man. Just spelling it out. Your head’s not in the game and that’s not good for anyone. What do you wanna do?”
I slouch back in my seat and shake my head. “I’m sorry, bro.You’reright, business comes first. The trouble is, I’m fast realizing that it doesn’t matter to me as much as a certain lady who could be in big trouble right now.”
He looks concerned. “What do you mean?”
Shaking my head, I stand up. “Give me five minutes to sort things out. Take another look at the contracts and look for anything that can help us. I’ll sort out what I need to do to clear my head. I may need to step out for a while at some point, but I won’t leave this shit until it’s sorted. Sometimes you have to split yourself in two to achieve your goals. I’m about to learn what that involves.”
Cody smiles, but I don’t miss the worry in his eyes as I leave the room.
As I step outside, I take a deep breath. This is going to take some managing, but I think I know how. Pulling my cell from my pocket, I dial the number I need. He answers immediately.
“What can I do for you, Sam?”
I growl. “I need your help with some surveillance. If I text you the codes, I want you to re-direct the footage to my laptop. Only the two of us need to know about this, and if anyone asks, you don’t know a thing about it.”
I hear a sharp intake of breath and then a curt, “Consider it done.”
As he hangs up, I text him the code to my laptop and the one I set up last night. Hopefully, everything’s in place after my earlier call and I’ll be able to watch from here and coordinate the operation while still at my office.
I know the backups in place and waiting for my signal. All I need is to watch and listen and wait for the right moment. The trouble is, I know it’s gonna be the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
I head back to my office with determination. Those bastards think they’ve got me. I know this is Todd’s doing. It’s got his smell all over it. That invitation was designed with only one guest in mind. They want Katherine and I’m surplus to requirements. I knew she was good, but even they caved sooner than I thought. Someone is obviously feeding them some dynamite Intel and I know just who’s responsible.
I take a moment to think about my competition. The one man I owe everything to who is fast becoming my biggest fear. Katherine loved him, that’s obvious. Everything she’s doing is out of loyalty to him and yet he has no worry about putting her through hell just to avenge his new wife. It’s a crazy, sick situation and I should tear his heart out. But when someone saves your life, they own you forever. I have a huge debt to pay back myself, and I honor my debts to the letter. I’m not gonna lie, the feelings she has for Ryder worry me. Am I second best? I know I am. If he called - she’d run. My heart wrenches and twists inside me like a physical pain. Despite everything, she matters more than anything else. If she wants him at the end of this, even in the crazy, sick, way as a biker’s whore, then I’ll have to walk away and deal with the loss. I won’t let her down though. He did, and I never want to be the one to put the pain in her eyes that I see every time she mentions him. Ryder fucking King is the devil as far as I’m concerned, and he owns my soul.
Cody looks up as I enter the room and exhales sharply. “I’m not sure what happened, but the customers spooked. There’s some clause in the original contract that’s worrying them, but I’m sure I’ve never seen it before. Who drew these contracts up and why are we only seeing this now?”
He pushes the paper across the desk toward me and I read it carefully. Disguised around some technical wording is a clause that the guarantee becomes void if the government contract expires.
I look at Cody and shake my head. “Find me the government contract.”
He rifles through some papers and hands them over. I scan the paragraphs until I find the one I’m looking for. Then I check again and look at Cody and bark. “Since when was the contract only for six months?”
He looks alarmed. “What are you talking about? I negotiated it myself. The contracts for five years with an opt-out clause after two. Where does six months come into it?”
I push the paper across the desk.
“Then why does it say six months? When did these arrive?”
He looks worried. “Earlier today by courier. The solicitors drew them up this morning, but this wasn’t in the original.”
I growl. “When did the Saudis receive the contract?”
Cody groans. “Two hours ago.”
I slam my fist on the table. “Here’s your problem. Who would commit to some contract worth billions for six fucking months of supply? Get me the Senator’s office responsible on the phone.”
Cody shakes his head. “You’ll be lucky. They’ve long since gone home. I’m guessing they’ll blame it on a typo and by the time it’s sorted the deadline will have passed. Ronsteel is about to benefit from our misfortune.”
