Page 129 of Unwritten Rules

“Yes,” he smiled, gesturing to the staircase. “Augustus and his grandson, the heir to the empire. Now, allow me to escort you to the sitting room.”

Fuck.

Trying not to trip up the stairs, I gripped the railing to steady my entire body as I followed him up to my doom. I should have known Brent would be involved, but I let my naïveté get the better of me.

Everyone else was always a step ahead of me, leaving me to flounder and drown in the deep end.

“Hello, Miss Montgomery,” he said. “I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while. Please, sit.”

I bowed my head in a small greeting, giving the hint that I was cooperative and willing to listen.Just as I was told. Why none of my men were here with me was frustrating. I only had my one lone security guard on standby a hallway away.

Feeling disadvantaged, I took the chair he gestured to. It was terribly close to Brent. His gaze flickered over my entire body, and I tried to cool myself down as the heat rose to my neck. The last I’d seen him I was semi-drunk and ready to strip my clothes off for him again.

And again.

“It’s my pleasure to meet with you, Mr. Vaughn.”

“Oh please,” he scoffed. “Call me Augustus. I remember when you were just a mere babe clinging to your mother. You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman and let me extend my condolences for the passing of your mother.”

Grief crept into my chest again. So many times I’ve heard condolences for my mother who’d gone five years ago. “Thank you, Augustus.” I mustered a small smile, hand going to my chest to grip my heart.

He shuffled some papers around. “Let’s cut to the chase. Your mother and I had a... particular agreement regarding the usage of some higher-end overseas properties. I would have loved to have coordinated this earlier with you, say, when you were eighteen. But here we are, and I’d like to not waste anymore time.”

Was I supposed to mention the reach outs he made being usurped by Sylvia? Did he know about that? How would I even broach that subject? Maybe it’s best left for another day, or a private conversation with my team. “I am aware and have been filled in on the details of this working relationship. I am here as a formality to discuss that this relationship will continue as it had with me as the operating CEO in charge. There will be no hiccups or slow downs with your needs.”

A devilish smile appeared on his face, reminding me of Brent. They were related, surely. “So glad to hear you’ve been raised the Montgomery and Vaughn way. Your mother and I had close discourse as partners of sorts. I would like to start bringing you into joint meetings to reinforce our ventures.”

With the prep I’d done, I would have assumed this meeting would have been trickier. Given what I’d been told about the relationship between him and my mother however... they seemed more informal. It was as if he saw me as her reincarnate.

“I’m happy to assist where needed. I do need to preemptively let you know that I am still a novice in my current standing. Things may be a learning curve for me.”

I glanced over to see Brent looking completely uninterested and uninspired by our current conversation. His eyes were focused on... my legs? Whatever he was thinking, I didn’t need to know about it. Just looking at him gave me unnecessary heat in regions of my body that shouldn’t be hot in front of his grandfather.

“Anything to say, boy?” Augustus challenged him. His tone shift from me to Brent was apparent. Grace to distaste.

“My current job title doesn’t allow me to speak on these matters,” he said. Brent’s tone was also different, making me wonder the dynamic between the two.

Where my mom treated me kindly, it seemed Brent received the opposite entirely. Was he not in the same boat as I was—learning the CEO ways of his large conglomerate? The way he spoke was as if he’d been banished.

We almost had something in common.

I swore I saw Augustus roll his eyes. “You will soon be head of this company, as you are my sole heir. Consider yourself in the same shoes as Miss Montgomery, effective immediately. Your current position is still in effect as you work well there. However,” he stood, lighting a cigar and dismissing his man in wait from behind him, “you two must get to know each other. As you are both the future of this entire enterprise. Both companies are intertwined, you see.”

My hands faltered a bit with confusion. Was he saying that we were to work together? “I’m a little lost.”

Also, no way!I just told myself that I wanted nothing to do with this playboy!

The smoke filled the air, a scent of vanilla and tobacco filling my senses. It was a calming sensation—which is why I assumed he lit it up in the first place.

He found his words after a few puffs and vague hand gestures. “You two are assigned together as business associates of sorts. Brent will be in a similar position as you—learning how to be a proper CEO. I will be the guide based on the experience your mother and I bring.”

Brent tapped his foot in frustration. “Sounds like a merger is in order, then, sir.”

Taking small strides around the room in thought, a smile on his face, I could tell he’d been brewing a plan of his own. “Not out of the question entirely, boy. We’ll talk when she’s taken rightful place at the head of the table.”

A merger? Was that the long game here?

Brent’s eyes met mine and I held my breath for a showdown between them. “Tentative position accepted. What’s the next step?”

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