Page 4 of Born in Fire (Dragonblood Dynasty #2)
Chapter 4
D orian
I stand outside the Grind the CEO’s head had looked set to explode. “It’s not like it’s the kind of thing anyone would deliberately look for. Activities are focused on cultural preservation or something equally boring.”
“Boring?” Lydia arches an eyebrow. “I find it rather fascinating that a tech company maintains a division dedicated to acquiring historical properties.”
She slides her tablet across to me, highlighting a spreadsheet of acquisitions.
“Look at these purchases,” she continues. “This one—” she points to a line item, “is a small private museum in Prague. I remember when it changed hands last year. And this—an archaeological research facility near Gobekli Tepe in Turkey.”
I straighten in my chair, interest piqued. “That’s… unusual.”
“Indeed.” Lydia scrolls down. “But what truly caught my attention is this acquisition from eight months ago—a defunct monastery in the Carpathian Mountains.”
Caleb leans forward. “What’s significant about a monastery?”
“The price,” Lydia says. “They paid nearly triple its market value.”
“Triple?” I ask, unable to keep the surprise from my voice. “What’s in the Carpathians that would warrant a price like that?”
“I’m not sure.” She taps a fingertip against her bottom lip in thought. “Aside from a bunch of dormant volcanoes, there’s not much there. Unless you consider Vlad Tepes.”
“Who?” Caleb frowns.
“You know… Dracula,” Lydia says.
Cartwright gives a snort. “Ridiculous!”
I find myself fighting down a grin. “You think they bought Dracula’s castle?” I’m teasing her, which is inappropriate, but that’s how I roll.
“No.” Lydia gives me a scathing look. “They bought a monastery near where he used to live. Perhaps there are historical items of great value that they’re aware of.”
The room falls silent as we all consider this. Tech companies don’t typically overpay for obscure historical sites unless they’re looking for something specific.
“Could be a tax write-off,” suggests one of the lawyers.
I shake my head. “Not at triple the market value.”
Caleb’s eyes meet mine, a silent question passing between us. What exactly are we buying?
“I told you there was something fishy about this deal,” he mutters.
“You wanna pull out?” I ask.
His expression darkens. “We’re too far down the line to back out now. The investors are fully committed. The fallout of pulling the plug would cost us millions.”
“So?” I shrug. “It’s not like you can’t afford it.”
“Nice of you to be so cavalier with my money,” he says drily.
“The shareholders’ money,” I correct him… because sometimes my brother needs to be taken down a peg or two.
“Of course,” he concedes. “In any event, it’s not enough of an issue to derail the deal. We just need to keep a closer eye on things. Can I rely on you to do this, Dorian?”
All eyes turn to me, and for a moment, I feel like a scolded kid. “Of course you can, Dorian. I’m on top of it. One hundred percent.” But even as I speak, part of my awareness remains downstairs with the captivating stranger who knows about stars.