The Risks we take

Two

Sloane

The news hadn't broken of who had bought Rise yet. It hadn't been for sale and had been a very private affair with NDAs at every turn. The previous owner liked keeping things under wraps and selling of her business to spite her kids being in the paper didn't exactly call for good reports. This way, we could be the ones to break it in the drop at the end of the month, adjusting the branding a little so it's more in line with The Connection back home. Not the same. But we want them to use the same colour scheme and similar font styles. Making Rise Weekly, The Connections, younger, more casual sister of Dad's paper.

With that said, how Reed had worked out we had a new owner, I don't know.

What I did know, is he told Drew he'd be back at lunch time and it was now coming up to 3pm with no show of his face. The man was laughable.

I'd called Eden after setting myself up for the day and we made a plan for every possible way this might go. It relied heavily on him believing I didn't have a clue who he or his paper was. If there was anything I knew about Reed after my week with him, it was nothing hurt him more than not knowing who he was. He liked leaving imprints on people. Over and over again he'd tell me he'd ruin me for everyone else that should come after him. I'm not saying it's true, but I haven't bothered properly dating since him. Nothing more than a few one night stands and regular hook ups. I didn't have the time anyway.

Not that he'd be needing that information.

My desk phone buzzed, pulling my hand from the paperwork scattering my desk. I pressed the answer button and continued highlighting figures I wasn't too happy with. A reminder to come back to them and look in more detail. Why we were spending $600 a month on coffee creamer I don't know but it can't be right. Unless someone's drinking it by the bottle.

"Mr. Lawson is here." I looked at the clock and smiled.

"Have him take a seat. I'm just in the middle of something. I'll give you a shout when he can come through."

"Should I get him a drink?"

"Of course. He'll ask for a coffee most likely. Don't give him a good one for the love of god. Of you wanted to slip some salt in instead of sugar, I wouldn't go mad."

"Got it." The phone went dead and I finished where I was, running my eyes over the papers to make sure none of it was something he could sneak a peek at and use against me. I'd done this with the full office this morning with Eden and Drew. Time I should have been spending on more important things but I wasn't running the risk of it with Reed.

15 minutes past before I decided to finally give in. That would piss him off enough to start with. That I didn't think he was important enough to see immediately. I buzzed Drew and continued working through the papers, even as she knocked at my door and pushed it open.

"Mr. Lawson for you."

"Thanks Drew." I didn't lift my head.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"Another coffee wouldn't go a miss." A high pitch sound of acknowledgement left her voice, followed swiftly by the soft closing of the door. "Have a seat. I'll be right with you."

"I've waited long enough. I'm a busy man." I stopped my highlighter on the page, lifting my eyes and then my head. "Do you know who I am?" I let out a slow sigh and stood up, rounding the desk and leaning against it, tenting my hands by my thighs and crossing my ankles.

"Mr. Dawson was it?" His jaw clenched. Perfectly trimmed stubble lining across his slender face. Dark dark blond hair styled into place perfectly without a single stray piece out of place. A designer suit pulled at his body, not hiding the pounds of muscle I didn't need to wonder about. 5 years and not a thing had changed other than him looking a little taller, broader and older. It suited him. Age. He looked as perfect as he did before. Shame his personality hadn't changed.

"Lawson. With an L." He narrowed his eyes on me a little.

"Ah. My mistake. Please, sit." I held out my hand towards the sofa and he finally sat down on the edge of his seat and I joined him, keeping my back ruler straight. "Mr Dawson-" He was gritting his teeth and I knew that was the last time I could do that without him blowing his lid. Though that would be fun to see. "You didn't book an appointment. You strode in here this morning expecting to see me and then demanded I spare time for you over lunch. I cleared my appointments for an hour, expecting you to show and you did not. Instead, you show up 3 hours later and expect me to drop my duties for someone who, quite frankly, I do not know who you are or what your business here is."

"You're British." He narrowed his eyes.

"Well done on defining my accent. Would you like a badge?" He continued staring at me.

"No. I would not like a badge. Do I look like a child?"

"No." He shifted in his seat and adjusted his tie.

"Who are you?"

"Ah! A very important question." I smiled at him. "Sloane Elizabeth Windsor. Daughter of-"

"Matthew Windsor." He almost gasped, finishing my sentence for me.

"You know your media moguls Mr. Lawson. I must say I'm impressed. People do not usually know the names behind papers."

"But you don't know me."

"Should I?" He scoffed.

"Reed Lawson. My father owns The Echo. I will be taking over when he retires in a few years." I blinked at him like the name was supposed to mean something to me. "The Echo. Oh, for goodness sake. You call yourself a Windsor and you don't know your biggest competitor."

"Our biggest competitors Mr. Lawson are The Times, The Express, The Guardian. The list goes on. My competitors here are People, Reader's Digest, and Time. The Echo doesn't fall into a category I should be concerned about." I'd done it. I'd officially pissed Reed off so much he rose from his seat, red in the face biting back anger enough for it to gather in a single vein in his forehead.

"You should watch your mouth Miss Windsor. You do not want to make enemies in a field you are inexperienced in. I came here to offer you an out. But on second thoughts, it will be very entertaining to watch you plummet this magazine into the ground by the end of the year." I rose from my seat slowly, standing barely a foot from him. I rarely wore heels. Opting for trainers because they were so much easier for running around the office and I hated being in pain. But I always keep a pair on hand to change for meetings. Men hate when you eliminate more of the things that make them apparently special. Height is a big one. And right now, there was still probably 3 or 4 inches of height between me and him, but the 5 inch heels made it a lot better than if I was at my normal size. It was ticking him off even more. "I know what you're doing Sloane."

"Running a successful business?"

"You're trying to undermine me. The whole not remembering me thing."

"Remembering you Mr Lawson? Have we met before?" I tipped my head slightly. His jaw clenched.

"Have we-" Another adjustment to his tie. "You don't-" I shook my head once at him like I was trying to understand what he meant.

"Do you need a dictionary Mr Lawson? You seem to have lost your words."

"No, I do not need a -" He cleared his throat. "My offer stands should you have enough playing around in the big leagues. I will drop by every once in a while."

"Please make an appointment next time Mr Lawson. I do have things to do. I can't be dropping tasks for you to criticize me on a weekly basis." Drew pushed the door open, coming in with my coffee just as Reed stormed out, leaving me beaming for the rest of the work day.

Men.

So easy to manipulate.