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“My name is Billie Waters. I’m the building manager for the Garden Palace Condominiums, Roman Romanov’s property. We’ve had an issue with a glass door and need the glass replaced. As soon as possible.” I put the sheet of paper back on my desk.
“Roman’s fiancée.” His voice immediately straightens up like a good little soldier would when his general enters the room. It seems news travels at lightning speed in the underworld.
“What door?”
“The front door, to the lobby. It shattered.”
“No problem, I’ll send my boy over. He’ll be there in an hour. We’ll have it fixed by lunch.”
“Oh.” I’m not used to such quick service. Even with our best contracted companies I usually have to wait half a day to have someone out to even look at the job. “That would be great.”
“No problem. Anything else?”
“Uh, no, I don’t think so.”
“All right. You need something, you call me back.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Good.” And after that, he hangs up. No goodbye or thank you, just good and click.
I lean back in my chair and finish the rest of my coffee in two big swallows. I haven’t even opened my emails for the day and already I’m ready for a nap.
I’ll have to wait until I know the cost of the repairs before I approach Mr. Carrington about the damage, but I need to get photos taken. Grabbing my phone, I head back to the lobby.
“Derek, any chance you got any photographs of the door after it was broken?” I ask him as I approach his desk.
“No, sorry. But we have security cameras, we can take some stills from there if you need.”
“That would be great. Would you mind doing that and emailing them to me?” I take several photographs with my phone of the door with the plywood just in case.
“I’ll take care of it right away,” Derek promises and swivels his chair back toward his computer.
The door swings open as I take the last photograph, and I catch Roman stepping inside.
“Billie. What are you doing? Why is there wood on this door?” His expression darkens as he takes in the damage. It’s just a door, but his expression tightens as though he’s been personally insulted. I supposed to a man like him he has been; someone’s damaged something that belongs to him.
“One of the tenants broke the door this morning. Don’t worry, Aleksei is sending someone over. He should be here soon to fix it,” I explain. “I’ll have it repaired and the tenant will pay for the damage.”
“He sure as hell will.” He looks the door over. “They should be able to just replace the glass.”
“Right,” I say tensely. “I know. That’s why I have the glass guy coming over.” I fist my phone. “Are you here for any specific reason or did you just want to check up on me to be sure I was doing my job right?”
He lets the door close and turns toward me, his eyebrow already arched.
“I’m not sure I like this tone,malyshka. Should I go out and come back in?” He jerks his thumb at the door.
Out of the side of my eye I see Derek is still fiddling with his computer.
“Did you need something?” I raise my chin.
He drinks me in. The inspection heats my face.
“I do, but here in the lobby would be unprofessional.” He glances at the security desk.
“I’m serious, Roman. What do you want?”
His eyebrow arches even higher. “First, I want your attitude to change.”
