The Risks we take

Thirteen

Reed

She'd jumped out the window.

How she'd jumped out was another question. Not without making a noise or without help. But I had seen the footprints in the dry dirt. She had to have lowered herself down from the balcony.

Disappearing in the middle of the night. I'd have driven her home had she asked. To a friends. To her office. Fucking Canada if that's where she wanted to go.

But no. She stayed. Climbed out the window, ignored my texts and calls. Didn't leave a note. And then replies saying she was at her place and not to message her again. My texts were sending, delivering. My calls were being declined after one ring or they were ringing out and she wasn't answering them.

She was ghosting me.

And I didn't know if I should be chasing her down because she's just working through the bar in her head or if I need to take a step back because she genuinely doesn't want me near her. She wanted me to leave her alone, I would. There was an awards ceremony on Monday night. She can have this week but I am speaking to her on Monday. That's plenty of time for her brain to calm down slightly. Enough for her to be rational.

Two soft knocks at my door and I sighed.

"What Theo?" He pushed it open, meekly poking his head around the corner. I carried on with checking the layouts for the next issue. Making sure it was right.

"Your dad's on the phone. Said your ignoring his calls and he needs to speak to you. Now. And no, he isn't hanging up, or leaving a message." There's a reason I've been ignoring him. I don't want to talk to him about Sloane again. I don't want to buy Rise. I don't want to piss her about to make her sell it. I don't want it. I don't see what use it'd be to us anyway. I picked the phone up, answering the call and hanging up.

"I went through a tunnel."

"You're in the office."

"Then tell him we had a power cut. I do not want to spe-" Theo's phone rung in his hand and I groaned, holding my hand out. "Dad."

"REED THOMAS LAWSON."

"I'm busy. Call back later."

"IF YOU HANG UP THIS PHONE I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE SURE YOU NEVER WORK AT ANOTHER PAPER AGAIN." My forehead hit the desk as the migraine I always had when I spoke to him slapped me around the face. "WHY AM I FINDING OUT MATTHEW AND EMILY WINDSOR ARE IN NEW YORK CITY THROUGH A GOD DAMNED GOSSIP MAGAZINE?!"

"Because you're reading a gossip magazine." He began ranting and I stuck it on loud speaker, giving him the occasional grunt to confirm I was indeed listening.

Sometimes I wish he'd have just left me at the orphanage to be completely honest. He'd never been this angry. Since Sloane came to town and we lost the chance at owning Rise. It was constant. Before it had been these outbursts 3 maybe 4 times a year. It was now almost every single call.

I'd been running my life here without his second looks since I took over this office 5 years ago, just before Sloane got here the first time around. He left me to my own devices as long as I kept it all private. I could see who I wanted, when I wanted. So long as nothing hit a paper. If it did, I was to marry a girl he chose within 14 months. Specifically, for it to look like I'd met her after, and fallen in love.

Today his complaints were that I obviously can't be doing a good job at getting Sloane to go home if her parents were flying out to her at the drop of a hat. I hadn't mentioned her being at the bar. Or me, come to think of it. I didn't want him to think I was trying to spend time with her for him. My interest in Sloane had nothing to do with that damn magazine.

"I'm not pushing her to sell it dad."

"Yes you are."

"No. I'm not. My job is Editor in chief. I pick up the extra jobs as a favour to you because I have nothing better to do with my free time than chasing down the owners of competition and giving them an offer, they can't refuse. It benefits me to do that for you. I don't want the benefits from fucking about with Rise. So, I'm not. You want to get her to sell it, do it yourself. I'm not getting involved. I've given you the option of me tracking down every other competition owner so you'd have more than it's worth anyway."

"I will not tell you again Reed. I got you where you are today."

"I am aware and I will always be grateful for it. For the training and the coaching and the guidance. But I'm not getting you Rise. Pick anything else."

"She got under your skin."

"She has not-"

"Do you love her Reed?"

"Love doesn't exist. You have made that more than clear."

"It doesn't. Not for business. Nice guys finish last Reed. That's the first thing I taught you. Girls, no matter how stunning, are not worth the trouble. Keep the money rolling in and you can have them on tap, at your beckon call."

"I'm not doing it." He sighed. "Sack me if you want to. It's not happening." Theo stared at me, his mouth loose. "Just remember if you do decide to sack me, you're sending me out to the competitors and I won't have any loyalty to keep my mouth shut about things that would benefit me in another job if I know it. I'd just be using my knowledge." He started laughing down the phone. Chuckling more than I've heard him in a while.

"Now, you sound like my son." He seemed to catch his breath. "Are you sure you want to go head to head with me Reed? Do you think it's a smart decision?"

"Do I want to? No. You're my dad. Will I, if you make me? Absolutely."