Sacrifice of the Pawn: Spin-Off of the Surrender Trilogy (Surrender Games Book 1)

by Lydia Michaels

  She nodded and dazedly followed Lucian to the front door. Sawyer. She would be seeing Sawyer.

  The next night, she hardly slept despite being exhausted from moving Toni into her new dorm. Her mind was a rioting mess of worries ranging from what shade stockings to wear to whether or not she would be able to make eye contact with her new colleagues. When she drove to the address Lucian gave her she was such a mess she had to circle the block six times.

  The lobby was still under construction in the new high rise and the elevators weren’t yet inspected, so she had several flights of stairs to climb. It didn’t help that her heart was already beating with the force of a jackhammer.

  When she reached the reception area, a young man in glasses looked up from a computer. “Isadora Patras?”

  She offered an unsteady smile, trying to hide the fact that she was sweating and winded. “You must be Seth.”

  The man smiled and came around the desk to shake her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Patras said you’d be in early and instructed me to show you around.”

  She nodded. “I appreciate … you coming in early to welcome me.” Her hand pressed above her hip where a cramp pinched.

  Showing off a natural gift to neutralize situations, he casually handed her a glass of cool water, which she desperately needed.

  “I’m always here before seven. Mr. Patras starts his day before dawn, so I’m usually swamped by sun-up with emails and instructions.”

  She smiled. It was interesting getting a glimpse of her brother’s life from this side of the glass. She recalled a time when Lucian didn’t get out of bed until noon. “Thank you for the water. When do the elevators get inspected?”

  “We expect them to pass inspection by the end of the day.”

  Seth showed her around and she was impressed by how luxurious the space was.

  “This office is yours.” He held open a glistening door. “We’ll get someone out today to etch your name on the glass.”

  Etching seemed so permanent. She stepped inside and did a three-sixty, not expecting her office to be so, well, big . It was enormous with a panoramic view of Folsom and a beautiful Parisian settee on the back wall.

  “The furniture arrived last night, but your brother said you can exchange it for something else if you don’t like it. If you approve, we’ll order a few chairs to match.”

  Unsure if Lucian was showing her special treatment or if this was how he welcomed all his employees, she simply nodded. “It’s lovely.”

  “The conference room is across the hall and you have a meeting there at noon. Did Mr. Patras go over the details with you?”

  “He said we’d be reviewing job candidates with Jamie Callahan and Slade and Sawyer Bishop, is that correct?” She privately hoped certain people had a scheduling conflict and couldn’t attend.

  Seth grinned. “That’s the plan. I’ll be in and out, too.”

  Hiding her trepidation that everyone would be in attendance, she gave a shaky smile, “I’ll be there.”

  “Wonderful. I have to get back to my desk, but you go ahead and settle in. I supplied your drawers and left a briefing by your phone about the company—just Mr. Patras’s mission statement and some other information to help you familiarize yourself with his vision. If there’s anything else you need, let me know. I’m extension two.”

  “Thank you, Seth.”

  When he left, she slowly strolled past the window, glancing down at the bustling sidewalks and out at the horizon. In the distance she could see the peak of the Patras Hotel.

  She moved to her desk and carefully lowered herself into the leather seat. Lifting the phone from its cradle, she dialed her brother’s cell.

  “Patras,” he answered.

  “It’s me.”

  “Do you like the furniture?”

  It took her a second to organize her words. She was so grateful for the job and all he’d done to make her feel welcome, she didn’t know how or where to start. Overwhelmed seemed a good way to put it.

  This was an executive office and, although she was semi-qualified, she had zero experience. Big offices came with big expectations.

  “I’m a little worried about nepotism,” she said and laughed, not expecting those to be her first words.

  Lucian’s deep voice chuckled into the phone. “Fuck nepotism, Isa. We don’t explain ourselves to anyone. It’s our name on the building.”

  Her fingers glided over the leather blotter on her desk. “This office is gorgeous, Lucian. Not just mine, but the entire building.”

  “Wait until it’s finished.”

  “You do realize most HR directors are put in glorified storage closets.”

  He laughed. “That’s not how we do things here. You’ll see. Did Seth show you around?”

  “Yes. He’s very helpful.”

  “Until we get you an assistant, feel free to use him for whatever you need. He’ll help you get acclimated.”

  “I’m getting an assistant?”

  “Of course. What kind of shit show do you think we’re running here?”

  It was surreal. For the first time in her thirty years of life, she actually felt like an adult. “Thank you, Lucian—for everything.”

  He was quiet for a beat. “This will be good for you, Isa. I like the idea of us working together.”

  “Me too.”

  “Okay, I gotta run. I’ll see you in a few hours. Congratulations on your new job.”

  “My first job,” she corrected with a smile as she hung up.

  She passed the morning reading over the information Seth left on her desk, her perception of her brother growing to immeasurable heights with every page. Not only was Lucian’s vision for the company solid, his passion for starting something that created opportunities for others was evident in every word of his mission statement.

  When she finished familiarizing herself with his vision, her intercom buzzed. “Ms. Patras.”

  Her finger clicked on the call button. “Yes, Seth.”

  “I’m ordering lunch for the meeting. Is there anything specific you like to drink?”

  “Water is fine.”

  “Any specific brand?”

  “I’m not picky.”

  “You got it. The others will be arriving in a few minutes. Lunch should arrive shortly.”

  Her heart stuttered in her chest. “Thank you, Seth.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She looked at her door and a chill crept over her skin, causing all the tiny hairs on her arms to rise. Gathering a blank notebook and pen, she set them on the edge of her desk and went to the restroom to freshen up.

  As she ran water over her hands, her fingers trembled. Looking at her reflection, she tried to measure the changes in her appearance over the last few years.

  Her hair was shorter, but other than that she thought she looked the same. Would he?

  Breathing unevenly, she glided her hands down the sides of her pencil skirt, and inspected her blouse. Her eyes held her stare in the mirror. “You’ve earned the right to be here as much as anyone else.”

  Leaving the bathroom she returned to her office to collect her things. Her brother’s voice echoed from the hall followed by male laughter. Determined not to make a fool of herself, she drew in a steadying breath and exited her office, coming face-to-face with her past.

  “ Isadora ,” Sawyer said in a startled voice, his halting steps stilling the progress of the other men.

  “Hello, Sawyer. Slade.” She smiled at her brother and turned her attention to Shamus. “Jamie.”

  “Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” Shamus said leaning in to kiss her cheek.

  “Men, meet our new Human Resources director,” Lucian announced, his evident pride causing her to flush.

  Slade laughed. “Another ingenious choice.”

  She glanced at Sawyer who looked as if he’d seen a ghost. He didn’t appear to share everyone else’s endorsement of the new HR employee.

  “Shall we?�
� she asked, hiding her nerves and waving a hand toward the conference room.

  “After you,” Slade offered and she led the way, her heart kicking like a rabbit foot against her ribs.

  Out of the corner of her eye she marked the notable changes in Sawyer’s appearance. His hair had faded from its recognizable darkness to an overall peppered mix of white and softer browns. It hurt, knowing he’d changed so much, and wondering what took place in his life to bring about such a difference. Perhaps it was simply genetics, but what if stress had caused his hair to lighten? All this time and she still couldn’t curb her innate reflex of concern for him.

  His familiar fragrance reached her lungs and her motions turned jagged as they entered the conference room. She moved to the opposite side of the table, but she couldn’t escape the nostalgic smell.

  Lucian tossed her a sidelong glance and smiled. “You ready?” He gave her elbow an encouraging squeeze.

  The men settled around the table, Lucian at the head, Shamus at the foot, and Sawyer and Slade across from her in the middle. She set her notepad in front of her and folded her hands, wishing she had a larger shield at her disposal.

  Seth entered the room and went over the lunch order with Lucian. Her brother gave his assistant a list of files to fetch for the meeting.

  “You cut your hair.” Sawyer’s voice traveled across the table and her gaze slowly lifted. “It suits you.”

  “Th—thank you.”

  Looking at him was a mistake. Their gazes seemed to literally lock. He seemed as unable to look away from her, as she was unable to peel her focus from him.

  “How have you been?” he asked, knowing perfectly well they had to keep the conversation casual.

  Seth left the conference room and Lucian jumped right into motion, saving her from answering.

  “Okay, let’s start with the Leningrad lists while we wait for Seth to get back.”

  The next hour was spent reviewing resumes while Isadora compiled a detailed spreadsheet of pros and cons for each candidate. Once her eyes were on her work she didn’t look across the table again. She hadn’t expected to see so many applicants in one sitting, but she supposed that was how companies found the best men or women for any job.

  Finishing off another stack, Lucian looked at Seth who was typing notes into a laptop. “Let’s take an intermission and eat. Seth, you want to bring in lunch?”

  He shut the laptop and left the room. Lucian stood and stretched. Slade seemed to watch her brother and follow his lead.

  Shamus twiddled a pen between his fingers and reclined in his chair. “You like it so far, Isa?”

  Her gaze moved to him and she smiled. “I do. It’s been a busy afternoon, but I think it’s great so far.”

  “Switching from Italy to your brother’s domain has to be a jolting change,” he teased.

  “You went to Italy?” Her attention jerked to Sawyer who was watching her carefully.

  “Toni and I went this summer.”

  His mouth was still the same, full lips surrounded by the threat of dark stubble.

  “Did you … enjoy it?”

  Who didn’t like Italy? “Era il posto più bello che avessi mai visitato,” she answered, showing off her grasp of the language and letting him know she found it beautiful.

  He grinned, the simple expression cutting through her clothing and striking a nerve deep in her heart. “ Non bello come te, bella.”

  Not as beautiful as you, bella. Her chest warmed as his words went right to her head and other places.

  What was he doing? She wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or cry.

  “Now you’ve lost me,” Shamus interrupted, reminding them of his presence. “This Irishman’s going to see what’s taking Seth so long with lunch.”

  A panicked throb filled her chest as Shamus left the room and she slowly turned back to Sawyer. He shouldn’t look at her like that in mixed company. But now they were alone.

  She cleared her throat. “How have you been?”

  Her gaze traveled over every visible inch of him. She couldn’t stop cataloguing differences—improvements. His hair, though more light than dark, looked incredible on him. His eyes wore creases she couldn’t recall being so prominent. He looked like he’d lost a few pounds and that worried her, but all-in-all he was still her Sawyer.

  “I’ve been well. Busy. Taking Slade on as a protégé definitely helps. It’s interesting working with him on a professional level.”

  “Lucian said he bought a house.”

  Sawyer nodded. “Just outside of the city. He prefers the metropolitan pace over the ease of country living, so I’m not sure he’ll keep it.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t stop staring. Your hair…”

  He chuckled. “I know. I’m getting old.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re still handsome.”

  His gaze locked with her, a strange expression frozen on his face. “Are you … dating?”

  “No. I did for a while, but I hardly have the time anymore. I just graduated.”

  His smile was a mixture of surprise and awe. “I heard. That’s wonderful, sweetheart. You should be proud of yourself.”

  She wanted to tell him about everything he missed, and find out what he’d done for the past four years. She needed to know if he’d dated and explain to him that he was wrong about her, that she was cold and incapable of loving anyone else.

  It hadn’t occurred to her how much time had actually passed until she felt this momentary opportunity to catch him up. The probably only had another minute or so before the others returned.

  “Sawyer—”

  “Lunch is served,” Seth announced, entering the room with a large lunch tray and the men at his heels.

  As they gathered around the table, sorting out the containers and locating plates and napkins, Sawyer’s gaze held hers. There wouldn’t be time to tell him all she wanted to say. He might prefer it that way.

  A dish was placed in front of her, breaking her eye contact and when she looked back his focus was elsewhere. Of all the things running through her mind, she was least prepared for the onslaught of emotions. They were supposed to be over, but nothing had ever felt so unfinished.

  Part II

  Sawyer

  Chapter Fifteen

  Incerto

  “Uncertain”

  Sawyer could barely decipher a single word on the resumes in front of him. All afternoon he’d been distracted by her smell. At lunch he’d been consumed with curiosity about what she’d been about to say. He hadn’t tasted a single bite of his food.

  The meeting was expected to be long, but at the moment he didn’t give a damn about the future of Lucian’s company. He only cared about the four years he’d missed.

  Who had she been with? What had she done? Did she think of him as often as he thought about her? He wanted to kick everyone out and fuck her right on the conference table—erase any memory she might have of someone else.

  She looked incredible. Her hair was shorter and her eyes a bit wiser. He’d forgotten how beautiful she actually was.

  The moment he saw her in the hall, his entire system took a hit. Years of telling himself he’d done the right thing flushed down the drain after one glimpse of her. He was a fucking idiot for letting her go.

  And now… Now he would have to see her constantly if their companies merged and Lucian bought out his father’s stake in Leningrad. How would he survive that?

  His gaze again drifted to her hands, still shocked to not see a diamond on her finger. She mentioned dating, but said school kept her busy. What about Italy? Did she take a lover with her? That was supposed to be their trip.

  The pencil in his hand snapped in two and her brown eyes flashed at him. He casually turned and tossed the broken wood into the trash bin. “Give me a pen, Slade.”

  His son slid him a pen and Sawyer refused to look up at her. This meeting had to end soon.

  How many men had come into her life? How many actual
ly appreciated the gift she was in their hands? He sure hoped Lucian was keeping an eye on his sister’s best interests.

  His molars locked at the thought of her with someone else. It was enough to throw him into a rage, but what had he expected? He told her to go find a husband, a future, someone who could give her all the things she wanted. He’d done right by her in the end.

  Or had her plans changed? She was starting a career.

  He quickly did the math, counting the birthdays he’d missed. She just turned thirty. Single and thirty and starting a career. Maybe she wasn’t the same innocent woman he’d sent away.

  She looked older—better. Her body had ripened and her eyes held a sort of confidence that wasn’t there before.

  The longer he stared at her the more his body responded to her nearness. She didn’t spare him another glance. As her hand dragged a pen across the page, taking notes as Lucian rambled, he watched her face. White teeth pulled at her plump lower lip. Her tongue slipped over the impressed divot, smoothing it out, and he inwardly groaned.

  Fuck. He shoved the resumes at his son and stood. “Excuse me.”

  Lucian paused and frowned at him. Everyone else’s attention turned to Sawyer as he stood there like a juvenile fool getting a hard-on in the middle of class.

  His gaze avoided Isadora. “I’m afraid I have to take a rain check on the rest of the meeting. Slade will follow up with me about whatever I miss.”

  “You okay?” Lucian asked.

  He glanced at his watch. “Just a scheduling oversight.” He turned to Slade. “Let me know when you’re wrapped up here and we’ll rendezvous later. My apologies.”

  Grabbing his suit jacket off the back of the chair, he rounded the table and left.

  When he reached the hall, his heart was pounding. Catching his breath, he adjusted his clothing and walked at a steady pace toward the elevators, perfectly aware that he was fleeing, but what choice did he have?

  His finger pressed the button and he waited impatiently for the doors to open.

  “They’re out of commission until the inspections are finished.”