Page 22 of Royal Beast
“Rules are rules,” he says, holding up a hand. “But if you want to move forward, I’ll need formal confirmation that the property will comply with our weekly window-washing mandate.”
I blink. “Weekly what?”
“Every external-facing window above the ground floor is to be cleaned weekly, per Ordinance 61C. Failure to submit the paperwork for your appointed window-cleaning staff results in automatic permit rejection.”
Liam looks like he’s going to blow a gasket. “Are you seriously denying a multi-million-dollar project over ice cream and window washing?”
The clerk looks from Liam to me, unbothered. “Gentlemen, I don’t make the laws. I simply ensure they’re followed.” He picks up his pen, scribbling something on a sticky note. “Next time, I suggest hiring a permit specialist. They would have informed you of all applicable codes.”
My fists clench at my sides, but I rein it in. Fighting this guy won’t get us anywhere, but I’m not leaving without getting to the bottom of this.
The clerk smirks, a small, smug smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he glances down at the paperwork, completely unfazed. “You know,” he says slowly, “these laws may seem a bit antiquated to some, but they’re still city ordinances. We all have to play by the rules, don’t we?”
I lean in close, hands flat on the counter. “Don’t play games with us. You know who we are, and you know we can make things difficult for you.”
The clerk looks up, meeting my gaze without a hint of fear. “Oh, I’m well aware, Mr. Brannagan. But see, this isn’t your land anymore.” He tilts his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with something close to satisfaction. “Someone else filed a perfectly legitimate permit for that lot this morning. A proper retail business proposal. Looks like the place is taken.”
I feel my jaw tighten. “Who?” I ask in a low, controlled tone.
The clerk raises an eyebrow. “Sorry, but that information is confidential.”
I look at Liam, a dark expression on his face. Before I can stop myself, my hand closes around the clerk’s collar, hauling him halfway over the counter. I pull him closer, my voice a growl in his ear. “You’re going to tell me right now who it is or you’ll regret it. We clear?”
He doesn’t even blink, just raises his hands in mock surrender, his voice staying maddeningly calm. “Go right ahead. Call whatever enforcers you like. But it won’t change anything. Only the legitimate owner has a right to that lot now.”
Liam’s already circling behind the counter, deftly pulling up the permit system on the clerk’s computer. A few keystrokes later, he mutters a curse under his breath, and I know it’s bad news before he even says it.
“Aleksey,” he growls, glaring at the screen. “That snake’s got his claws in it.”
I let go of the clerk, shoving him back with disgust. My mind races.Aleksey. That fucker. I shouldn’t be surprised that he’d pull a move like this, but it still feels like a punch to the gut.
“See?” The clerk straightens his collar, brushing off the front of his shirt with a smug grin. “Nothing I can do. All perfectly legitimate.”
Liam steps beside me, his face grim. “This isn’t over,” he says in a steely tone.
We take off in Liam’s car, heading across town to one of Aleksey’s usual haunts.
The Russian-owned nightclub is empty, save for a few employees milling about here and there. We find Aleksey seated at a table near the bar, papers spread out before him. He looks up as we approach, a hint of a smirk curling on one side of his mouth. The smirk widens when he sees Liam trailing behind me, his eyes dark with fury.
“Kellan. Liam,” Aleksey greets, casually leaning back in his chair as though he hadn’t just stolen a prime piece of land right out from under us. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I step forward, keeping my voice steady though my blood’s already simmering. “We need to talk about your little power play, Aleksey. Cutting in on our territory? Filing a permit for land we were already working on?”
Aleksey’s grin doesn’t falter. “Ah, business is business, Kellan. You of all people should understand that.” He dismissively flicks a hand toward the papers in front of him. “You weren’t fast enough. That’s all.”
Liam is having none of it. He stalks over to the table, hands clenched into fists. “We lost that warehouse because of you and your people. And now you’ve gone and made it personal by snatching up land that was already ours. You don’t get to waltz in on our territory and change the rules.”
Aleksey’s eyes flash but he stays relaxed, almost too relaxed. “You lost the warehouse,” he says coolly, “because of your own slip-ups. We just took advantage of an opportunity. And as for changing the rules…” He shrugs, an infuriatingly casual gesture. “Consider it more of an adjustment. Some of those rules have been modified in our favor.”
Liam’s face darkens. “Meaning what?”
Aleksey’s smile turns cold. “Meaning that we’ve made some new friends in government. Enough to ensure a few of the low-level jobs have been, shall we say, reassigned? We’ve swapped a few pieces on the board, just as your people are used to doing. Only now, those pieces are ours.”
Liam curses under his breath, his hand twitching as if he’s ready to reach over and grab Aleksey right then and there. “You think we’re just going to sit back and let you push us around like this?”
“I don’t expect you to do anything, Liam,” Aleksey says calmly, leaning forward, his gaze hardening. “Except for one thing—learn your place. This land, this government? They’re no longer as friendly to the Irish as they once were. If you step out of line, you’ll find that out the hard way.”
Liam takes a step forward, rage blazing in his eyes. “You have no idea what you’ve started, Aleksey. You and your Russian cronies are going to pay for every single move you make.”
