“He has some freelance work. I told him you’d love to help.”
“I would?”
“He has an article that needs more work, and I, of course, offered up the services of my best journalist.” He waves to me.
Soren finally stands, his presence taking up the whole room. “I hear you’re the best,” Soren says.
“So it would seem,” I reply. “But I’m sure you can find someone else, conflict of interest and all.”
“With what?” It’s Soren who replies.
“My story, on you,” I throw at him, and the room goes silent at my words. He shows no sign of emotion. “So, I suggest you use someone else.”
“No, it will be you,” Soren answers.
“Is that?—”
He cuts me off before I can say anything further. “Good. If you’ll meet me at my office tomorrow morning at nine sharp, that would be great.” He doesn’t say another word as he brushes past me on his way out, his hand touching my side, which I know was on purpose.
Michael and I are silent until the door shuts behind him. Turning, I see everyone in the office watching him go, and he doesn’t pay them a lick of attention.
“You should stop whatever you’re about to say,” Michael says as he sits back down, shaking his head.
“Why?”
He huffs out a breath. “Because he just bought this place.”
“Hewhat?” I screech, clearly not having heard him right.
“Yes, he’s the new owner and our new boss.”
“So, what does that mean?” I sit in the same chair Soren did.
“For you, it means he’s requested that all stories go through him for approval first.”
“Just from me?” I ask, appalled by that one simple act. How dare he, just another egotistical male with more money than sense, trying to silence a woman. He needs control in every aspect of his life, except the one thing he can’t control, but he’s trying to: me.
“Yes, just you.”
“I wasn’t even aware we were up for sale.”
“Everything has a price,” he says tiredly. “Especially if you have as much money as that man does.”
How was he able to swoop in and buy the company so quickly and without much of a fight? And why did he do it? Is he that worried about what I might find out about him? I’m sure he’s good at covering his tracks, so he probably doesn’t even have anything to worry about. Or maybe this is all just a game of manipulation and him proving a point that he’s always right and will win in every situation.
It makes me wonder what he does to people who prove him wrong. The thought of that sends a shiver down my spine. He probably kills them. Or more likely, has someone else do the job. While I know he likes to get his hands dirty in the ring, I can’t imagine him personally killing someone.
But I’ve been wrong about men before.
For example, my ex-husband. I thought Noah and I were still close, still friends. I didn’t think he would start seriously dating someone without telling me. So, finding out he got engaged and kept it from me was a shock.
I don’t care that he’s getting married again. Honestly, I hope they’re very happy together. But the fact that he hid the womanwho will be my son’s stepmother sits uneasily in my stomach. And it seems that Soren knows more about her than I do, and that sits even worse.
Later that night, I call to check in on Oliver. He tells me about all the fun he’s having, that he misses me, and how he can’t wait to see me. Oliver has been such a blessing, and I thank God for him every single day. He is literally the most perfect human. He is kind and caring, but he can be a little cutthroat when he wants to be, which I encourage because not everyone should be nice all the time. The world needs people who say it how it is. Noah isn’t like that, though. I think Oliver takes after him a little bit, as well, but I know he gets his spice from me.
As requested,I arrive at Soren’s office at nine o’clock on the dot. His assistant gives me a smile and tells me to go on in. When I push the door open, I find him sitting behind his desk, his sister seated across from him. I’m not sure if she knows who I am, but I know exactly who she is.
His gaze flicks to me before moving back to her.
