Chapter 7: Sylas

“You know, no one could believe it when you showed up at the party this weekend, cousin,” Charles said as he followed me into Dimitri’s office Monday morning. “I believed it even less when Meech called and said you’d be coming in for a few days.”

“And I’m assuming Dimitri also told you that I had free reign while I’m here, as well?” I asked as I opened one of the files left on the desk.

“Oh, um, yes, he did,” Charles confirmed hesitantly.

I raised an eyebrow and looked over at him sternly. “Is there a problem?”

He cleared his throat and clasped his hands in front of him. “Well, you see, you’ve been away for a long time, cousin,” he began. “I was under the impression that didn’t want anything to do with the company. A lot has changed. I’ve put in…”

“By law, I still have the same claim to this company as Dimitri,” I told him flatly. “I’m here now. I would like to know just how much the company has changed.”

“With all due respect, Sylas, I’m not sure you’d under…”

“Honestly, Charlie, I don’t give a shit about your respect,” I interrupted. “And you may want to think twice before tell me I’m too stupid to understand how to run a business.”

“That’s not…”

“I think I can find my way around here,” I said dismissively. “Unless you would like to start with going over how you spend your day?”

Charlie grumbled as he checked his watch. “No, that won’t be necessary,” he replied. “However, I am scheduled to use the adjoining conference room for briefing with our new project manager within the hour. I didn’t have a chance to chan…”

“That will be fine,” I stated. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind sitting in on that myself.”

Charles opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. “Of course,” he conceded. “I’ll be back just before ten.”

I didn’t bother with a response as he walked out stiffly, while I took a seat at my brother’s desk. I had to say, I was more than surprised at the rather warm welcome I’d received from my brother. I was prepared for an attempt to run me out of the city. After being forced into a reunion with the rest of the family at the ball, Dimitri and I ended up in his study reminiscing into the wee hours of the morning. It was quite nice actually. Until he asked me what I was doing back.

He was less impressed when I told him I was interested in catching up with what the company. He was rather confused that I wanted anything do with it after all these years and got a little suspicious of my reasoning. I had come prepared though. I told him that my own business has been doing very well for years now and that I may possibly be interested in a merger. That seemed to reignite his excitement. Enough so that he insisted on giving me free reign over his office for as long as I needed. Obviously, Charles wasn’t so eager about the arrangement.

Charles Drakos was a second cousin and life-long little shit. At nearly ten years younger, he was a bit of a hanger-on growing up. Always half as smart as he thought he was, but good at kissing asses. So, I was only half surprised to find him practically running this place as the COO and acting CEO when Dimitri couldn’t be bothered. Which if rumor was true—was most of the time.

I typed in the password Dimitri had given me to get into his main computer. It would be a mundane day just to get started. I wouldn’t find anything on the surface level records, but I needed to familiarize myself with everything the company was working on to know where to start digging.

I was knee deep in quarterly reports when the office door opened. Charles came in, nodding his head to me as he straightened his suit. He had several associates behind him.

“I’ll be in the conference room when you’re ready,” he told me.

Pushing away from the desk, I grabbed a notepad and pen before following the group in. Tugging at my tie, I went to the conference room. There was another door leading in from the hallway where others were starting to join from as well.

“So, who is this new project manager?” I asked, taking a seat at the head of the table.

“Her predecessor took early retirement,” Charlie said, clearing his voice as he took the seat next to me. “She’s young but came highly recommended.”

“Her name?”

“Mmm… Hopkins,” he replied absently. “S. Hopkins. I forget her first name.”

“Sawyer,” his assistant said. “Sawyer Hopkins. Here she is.”

My body stiffened. My head snapped up. My eyes going straight for the door. She had already caught sight of me as she stood in the doorway. She looked different. Her hair was pinned up in a professional style. She wore dark-rimmed glasses and her makeup was more subtle. But there was no hiding those ice blue eyes and full lips. It was definitely her.

And she was just as stunning.

But something wasn’t right. I swear Dimitri said her surname was Campair, like her mother. And why hadn’t he mentioned he had gotten her a job when I asked about her? Why hadn’t Charlie mentioned she was Cassandra’s daughter?

Sawyer seemed to give me an almost undiscernible shake of her head before continuing into the room.

“Ah, Ms. Hopkins, it’s good to see you again,” Charlie greeted. “Are you ready to make your presentation?”

Sawyer gave him a confident, professional smile. The grip on my pen tightened. If I wasn’t so intrigued with how the presentation would go, I would have worried how I would make it through it.

“Of course, Mr. Drakos,” she said smoothly. “Ready when you are.”