You like her taking over.
She’s still the annoying daughter of Joel though.
Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.
Pushing those thoughts from my head, I knew that if didn’t follow my father’s instructions, I wouldn’t have the ability to enjoy my Goddess.
Getting dressed quickly, I headed over to her desk and on the notepad wrote:
Check the cameras. Followed instructions. Business called.
Will accept any punishment my Goddess deems appropriate.
Chapter 17
Theofficewasquieterthan usual this morning, the soft hum of the air conditioning the only sound filling the space. As I sat at my desk, paperwork scattered across the surface, my mind raced through a dozen different tasks that had to be tackled before the end of the week. I barely noticed the knock on my office door before it opened.
Robert stood in the doorway, his uniform neat and his face as stern as usual. The fire marshal had always been a nononsense type of guy, but today, there was a tension in his posture that caught me off guard. He held a clipboard in one hand, and the other was tucked into his jacket pocket.
"Morning, Elin," Robert greeted me, stepping into the room without waiting for an invitation. The man looked defeated and uncomfortable.
"Morning, Robert. What brings you by?" I tried to keep my tone light, though I had a feeling something was off. I’d met Robert on a few different occasions over at the Lounge and had even had a session or two with him.
Today, he didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. "I need to talk to you about the fire inspection we did last week."
"Sure, what did you find?" I asked, already dreading the answer.
Robert didn’t immediately speak. Instead, he placed the clipboard on my desk and flipped it open, pointing to a section of the report. "You’re missing a back exit. In the event of an emergency, if people can’t get out through the front, there’s no alternative route from the main room. That’s a serious violation of fire safety codes." He looked over his shoulder. “I know Gavriel has paid our office off a time or two, but this one we can’t waive. The smaller shit wasn’t even noted.”
“There’s the storage room.”
Shaking his head, he held my gaze. “Doesn’t comply. You need double doors for mass evacuation. I’m sorry, Elin.”
A groan spilled from my throat. I scanned the page in front of me, trying to make sense of the words. They weren’t counting the delivery door in the storage room.Fuck
"How long do I have to fix it?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Robert met my gaze, his expression serious. "You have sixty days. After that, we’ll have to issue a citation, and you could face fines or more severe penalties."
Sixty days. I let out a slow breath, the stress of that timeline settling heavy on me. I had to act quickly. Contractors were booked out for months right now. Where was I going to find someone to come in and fix this? What if it required more structural work on the building? What if—
Stop.
"I understand. I’ll get on it right away."
Robert nodded, his expression softening just a fraction. "I’m sure you will. Just make sure it’s done properly. It’s not just about the fine; it’s about the safety of everyone in this building."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Robert."
He gave me a quick nod before turning to leave. As the door clicked shut behind him, I exhaled a shaky breath. I could ask Gavriel if he had guys who could come out and get it done.
Ugh. Gavriel.
Turning my head to the notepad at the end of the desk, I sighed as I leaned back in my chair. I had come upstairs around midnight, to give him his punishment, only to find an empty room. When I’d seen the notepad at the edge of the desk, and not where it had been left, the tension had fled my body.
I hadn’t needed to check the cameras. There’d been enough lust and need in his eyes as he’d left me last night to know he had followed directions. Family business was the only thing that I couldn’t control.
About an hour later, a knock startled me. Standing there was Gavriel.
