Chapter 15 - Before the Trip

Gossip travels faster on that floor than even official information in Ravenscroft Holdings, and by the time I got back from lunch on Monday, it was clear the whole department already knew I was flying to Meridian with Raiden before I’d even told Talia.

Catherine found me by the printers. “I heard you’re going to Meridian.” She said it lightly and conversationally, as if she was talking about the weather, but her eyes were doing that slow, assessing sweep they always did like trying to figure something out. “Two days. Overnight.”

“It’s a work trip.” I said, focused on picking my printed sheets fro the tray and not meeting her gaze. I refused to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. “There's a staffing review before the renovation sign-off.”

“Of course there is.” Her smile didn’t move past her mouth, same as always. “You know, it’s funny. Raiden’s only ever taken one assistant on a property trip in the four years I’ve worked here. Her name was Priya. She lasted about six months after that trip before she transferred to the Chicago office.” She paused, giving me a suspicious look. “People wondered about her too, for a while.”

“I don’t know what you’re implying.”

“I’m not implying anything, sweetheart.” The word landed the way it always did in her mouth, like a slap wearing perfume. “I’m just telling you what happens to women who let Raiden Ravenscroft decide what they’re worth to him. You think you’re special. You’re not. You’re convenient, and convenient has an expiration date.” She stepped closer, voice dropping, all the pretend warmth burning off at once. “I built my position in this company with strategy, with family, with years of making myself impossible to remove. You built yours by getting into a car drunk. Enjoy your two nights. I promise you, they’ll cost you more than you think.”

She walked off before I could answer, leaving the threat hanging in the air as I stood, watching her walk out of the hallway.

I called Talia that night, sitting with my legs crossed on my bed and my suitcase half packed beside me, and told her everything; from the moment Raiden informed me about the trip, to the way he had to echo twice that this was strictly a business trip, to how I felt about the entire situation, and even what Catherine had said to me about the trip and about the previous assistant Priya, who'd lasted six months and then transferred to Chicago.

Talia was quiet for a second longer than usual. “Freya....”

“I know what you’re going to say.”

“Do you? Because I don’t think you’re hearing yourself right now. You’re describing a man who personally interviewed you the morning after sleeping with you, who’s been finding excuses to keep you late for weeks, who just probably invented a business trip that requires you specifically instead of anyone from a pool of people who have been trained for these exact roles and you’re calling me to ask whether I think it’s really about hotel logistics.”

“It could be.”

“It’s not, and you know it’s not, which is why you’re calling me the night before instead of just going to sleep.” Her voice softened, “I’m not telling you not to go. I know you need this job and I know what’s at stake here. I’m only telling you that whatever’s happening between you two stopped being something you’re steering a while ago. You went into this thinking you’d use him and get out clean. That’s not the situation anymore. You’re flying across the state with a man who rearranges his own company’s protocols to be alone with you, and having to deal with a woman who just told you to your face she’s going to make you regret it.”

I didn’t have an answer for that.

I'd been telling myself for weeks that I'm in control and I know what I'm doing. That this was still about the money and I was only using Raiden as a means to an end. I'm not sure I believed that anymore. 

“Just be careful,” Talia said, when I didn’t respond. “Whatever this is with Raiden....I do believe you that it started as a plan, but I don’t think you're still in control. And about Catherine, she sounds like the kind of person who doesn’t threaten unless she’s already decided how she’s going to follow through.”

"I will be careful, Talia," I said, unsure of my response because I didn't know what to expect. 

After we hung up I sat there for a long time with my suitcase open in front of me, folding the same blouse three times. My mind was wandering. I was thinking about Priya and wondering what exactly had happened and what six months with Raiden Ravenscroft had cost her for her to need to move to an entire different city to get away from it.

I wasn't sure what was going to happen on this trip, but whatever it was, I wasn't going to sit around and let it get in the way of my only plan...and solution to my mother's condition.