CHAPTER 4: The Predator's Smile

Sybil

It is incredible how fast a single interruption can completely shift the power dynamic inside a room. The heavy tension that Casimir brought with him vanished the very second the office doors swung open. It was instantly replaced by a completely different energy.

I took a slow breath and finally stepped out of Casimir's shadow to look at the newcomer.

The man who walked into the office bore a stark resemblance to the two billionaires already in the room.

He had the same dark, neatly styled hair. He possessed the exact sharp, aristocratic jawline. He was just as tall as Elias and Casimir, carrying himself with a relaxed, predatory grace that made the expensive suit he wore look dangerous.

And that was where the similarities ended.

If Elias was a wall of impenetrable stone and Casimir was a violent winter storm, this new arrival was pure, lethal sunlight.

He did not scowl or carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. He strolled into the executive suite with a bright, charming smile that could easily disarm a hostage situation.

In his hands were two cardboard cups of coffee. He took exactly three steps into the room before he finally noticed me standing there.

He stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes immediately lit up with interest. They were not dark and calculating like Elias's, and they were not icy and cruel like Casimir's. They were a warm, striking hazel, and they were currently scanning me from head to toe.

"Well," the man said. His voice was smooth, melodic, and practically dripping with charm. "This is certainly not the usual Tuesday morning budget meeting."

Casimir groaned out loud and turned away from me, dragging his hand over his face. "Do not start with your nonsense today. I am absolutely not in the mood for it."

"You are never in the mood for anything, brother," he retorted dismissively. He walked further into the room, completely ignoring Casimir. He walked right up to me, bringing the rich scent of roasted coffee and a very subtle, expensive cologne.

He offered me a bright smile that made my stomach flutter entirely on its own accord.

"I am Emrys Stavros," he said smoothly. He did not ask for permission. He simply reached out, took my right hand in his free hand, and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my knuckles. "And you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen inside this dreary building. Who exactly are you, and how fast can I hire you away from whatever department you currently work for?"

I stood completely frozen. I was entirely out of my depth and my hand tingled where his lips had just brushed against my skin.

The three brothers were a devastating combination. Elias commanded my fear, Casimir challenged my pride, and Emrys was currently melting my defenses with a single look.

I gently pulled my hand back and cleared my throat. "My name is Sybil Adams."

"Sybil," Emrys repeated softly. He tested the sound of my name like he was tasting an expensive wine. He nodded his head in approval. "It fits you perfectly. What are you doing up here, Sybil? Are you lost? Because if you are, I would be more than happy to show you the way to my office. It has a much better view than this one."

"She is not lost," Elias stated from his desk. His voice was flat and carried a quiet, absolute warning. "Leave her alone, Emrys."

Emrys finally looked over at his elder brother. He did not look intimidated by the CEO in the slightest. He just chuckled and walked over to the desk, setting one of the coffee cups down next to the scattered files.

"I brought you a flat white," Emrys told him. He picked up the second cup and looked back at me. "I was going to drink this one myself. But since we have a lovely guest who looks like she desperately needs caffeine to survive standing in the same room as Casimir, I think I will offer it to her instead."

He turned around and walked back to me, holding the warm cup out.

"Vanilla latte," Emrys said with a wink. "Take it. It is the least we can do to make up for Casimir's terrible manners."

I hesitated. I looked at the coffee cup, then up at Emrys's warm hazel eyes. I was not sure if taking gifts from one of the billionaires violated the strict, clinical rules Elias had just laid out in the contract

I signed. I did not want to make a mistake on my first day, especially not regarding a contract that was holding my sister's life in the balance.

I looked past Emrys and caught Elias's gaze. The CEO was watching the interaction with narrowed eyes. For a long, tense moment, the room was quiet. Then, Elias gave a very tight, brief nod.

It was permission.

I reached out and took the cup from Emrys. Our fingers brushed lightly against each other. It was not the burning electric shock I felt with Elias, but it was a warm spark that made my breath hitch anyway.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"You are very welcome," Emrys replied. His smile grew even wider, showing a flash of perfectly straight teeth.

He leaned casually against the edge of the glass coffee table, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, Sybil Adams. Since my brothers are being entirely unhelpful, are you going to tell me what you are doing on the executive floor?"

Before I could open my mouth to explain my sudden promotion, Casimir scoffed loudly. It was a harsh sound that completely shattered the playful atmosphere Emrys had just created. I suddenly remembered we had audience

"She is not a guest, Emrys," he muttered. He leaned against the windowpane, glaring at the two of us. "And you can drop your usual pathetic charm act right now. You are absolutely not getting into her pants."

Heat flared up on my cheeks. I gripped the coffee cup so tightly the cardboard almost buckled under my fingers. I could not believe Casimir had just said that out loud in a professional setting.

Emrys looked momentarily shocked. He blinked twice, completely taken aback by the sheer bluntness of the statement. He looked at Casimir, then looked at me, and finally looked over at Elias for an explanation.

"She is our new Executive Assistant," Elias finally supplied. He picked up a pen and started signing a document, acting as if the conversation was entirely normal. "She will be managing the desk outside this door starting today."

Emrys stared at his oldest brother for a long second. He processed the information in total silence.

I watched the surprise fade from his face, only to be replaced by something far more dangerous. The bright, charming smile vanished, and a brilliant, predatory smirk took its place.

When he turned his head back to look back at me, his hazel eyes were practically glowing with mischief.

"Oh, really?" Emrys asked smoothly. His voice dropped an entire octave, becoming low and terribly intimate. "An Executive Assistant. That means she is going to be working directly with all of us, around the clock."

"She will be working strictly during business hours," Casimir snapped back. "And you will keep your distance from her."

Emrys completely ignored him. He took a step closer to me, his smirk widening into a grin that promised absolute chaos.

"I am sure we will be working very closely together, Sybil," Emrys purred. He tilted his head down, leaning in just enough to make my heart race all over again. "Tell me. Did Elias explain the full details of the security protocols for the top floor assistants?"

I frowned, taking a tiny step backward. "He mentioned a few strict rules."

"But did he mention the living arrangements?" Emrys asked, his voice filled with pure, dangerous delight. "Did she know she will be staying in the mansion with us?"

I froze completely.

My lungs stopped working. My mind reeled in pure shock as I stared blindly at the smiling man standing in front of me.

The coffee cup hovered in mid-air, trembling in my suddenly weak grip. I slowly turned my head to look at Elias, praying that this was just another one of Emrys's terrible jokes.

But Elias was not laughing. He simply set his pen down and looked right back at me, his face an unreadable mask of stone.