Page 25 of Marcellus: House of Drakos
But Marcellus recognized her right away. He was zooming in on her even as Olivier and Freddy were coming to view the monitors too.
“That’s her,” Olivier said. He was surprised that their father was already zooming in on her. “That’s Savannah.”
Marcellus had to lean back when he saw that face and heard that name again.Savannah Smile. That song returned to his head as if he was listening to it for the very first time.
Marcellus zoomed in for a closer look at her face. And her eyes. She hadn’t changed one bit.
“She doesn’t look like a nutjob to me,” said Freddy.
“She could be a stalker though,” said Olivier. “You know how those women love them some Niko.”
“That serious sister is no stalker,” said Kalayna. “Not her. She doesn’t play games.”
But Marcellus, who was staring unblinkingly at her eyes, said nothing. He didn’t know if she was a nutjob or a stalker or neither. He didn’t know her like that. But what happened to her? Why was she so insistent on something that had no basis in fact?
He knew it couldn’t have anything to do with her trying to get next to him again. There was no way. That was eight years ago. And just the thought of it, and how her ass never even phoned him to explain herself, changed his fascination with seeing her again into that irritation he felt when he realized she was gone.
“Kalayna?”
“Sir?”
“Call your secretary back. Tell her to take Security with her and escort that lady out of my lobby. Tell her to make it clear to that woman that she is to never show her face in this building again.”
Olivier and Freddy glanced at each other. It sounded rather harsh in their view, although they dared not tell their father that.
It was harsh to Kalayna too. Too harsh. Because she knew that look on that woman’s face. A sister like that didn’t play games. She was strictly about the business. “I’ll go down and tell her myself,” she said.
And before Olivier or Freddy or especially her father could object, she left the office and went downstairs.
But Marcellus was too concerned about the reputation hit his corporation was taking to bother himself with some fired secretary. Especially one that played him for a fool. He got back to business himself.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
When Kalayna made it downstairs, Savannah was still standing beside the reception desk watching the receptionist check in various appointments. When Savannah saw the beautiful black woman coming her way, she recognized her, from a photo Niko had in his office, immediately. She stood erect as Kalayna walked up to her. “Hi.”
“Hello.”
Kalayna extended her hand. “I’m Kalayna Drakos. I understand you’re my brother’s secretary?”
“Yes, I’m Savannah Richardson. It’s so nice to mee you, Kalayna. Niko speaks very highly of you. But in full disclosure, I’m no longer his secretary.”
Her honesty was another feather in her cap as far as Kalayna was concerned. She motioned for Savannah to move further over and out of the eager ears of the receptionist. Once they were over near the ATM machines, she spoked again. “How may I help you, Miss Richardson?”
“I haven’t heard from your brother in over two weeks. Which is not like him at all. He calls me about everything and he always takes my calls and text messages. I’m very concerned about him.”
“And we appreciate your concern, we truly do. But Niko’s fine. We’ve literally just spoken with him.”
She seemed eager. “You did? What did he say?”
“He said he’s fine. He said he’s confused by your concern. He said you knew he was out of town taking care of that Saudi merger.”
Now Savannah was confused. “What Saudi merger? I didn’t know anything about any Saudi merger. I mean I knew he was excited about a merger with some major company, and I wasn’t privy to which company he was seeking to merge with, but I absolutely assumed that company was from Europe, not the Middle East.”
“But you didn’t know that for a fact?”
Savannah had to admit that she didn’t. “No. I didn’t.”
“Well we do. He confirmed it.”
