More Than Hate You (More Than Words)

“Yes, along with Brady and Rogan. The last referred me to you.”

She’s quiet for a long time. Is she wondering if I know they’re her brothers?

“What do you need?” she finally asks.

“I’ve been hired to do a job, but so far I’ve been unable to lay my hands on even basic information. I need the last five years of financial statements. Do you have them?”

“I have the previous four. I’ll shoot them over now. Email address?”

Thankfully, Jeremy and I thought of this eventuality, and he lent me one of his company’s little-used addresses, which I’ve already set up in my mail program. I rattle it off to Sloan. Seconds later, the email pops into my inbox with a neat row of four attachments.

“Just got them. Thank you. Do you have any idea when you’ll be able to share the statement for last year?”

Another hesitation. “I’ve been working with the proper internal groups to get that finished. I’ll make some phone calls and update you shortly.”

“Great. So, Ms. O’Neill—”

“Just Sloan. Can I call you Jeremy?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks. Let me know if you need anything else.”

I should let Reservoir rot. But it sounds like Shane will see to its demise sooner rather than later, which will make my job for Evan easy as hell. But in five minutes, this woman has already given me the reports I’ve spent too long trying to get my hands on and offered me more help. It feels wrong not to…I don’t know, throw her a bone? Besides, I admire her crisp intelligence. “I also haven’t received anything resembling an org chart yet. Can you shed any light on the firm’s hierarchy and structure?”

In my ear, she lets out a quiet sigh, then stifles it, as if she knows it’s either unprofessional or pointless to show her displeasure with senior management. “While Mr. Rawson—Bruce, not Shane—is out temporarily for a project so super-secret even I don’t know about it…”

Bullshit. She knows her father’s health isn’t good. I’d bet money on that. And in her shoes, I’d also make up something amazing he’s supposedly doing if I didn’t want anyone to know that my fearless leader has a weakness. But it’s notable that she didn’t call him Dad…

“So I’ve heard. No idea when he’ll be back?”

“Oh, I don’t talk to the senior Rawson much. He’s a lot of levels above my pay grade.” Sloan affects a polite chuckle.

I doubt she’s laughing on the inside. I feel somewhat bad for her, pretending—for whatever reason—that the two of them aren’t related. I probably shouldn’t. It’s not my problem. I’m simply here for information about Reservoir, not to dig into their father-daughter dynamic. “So while Bruce is out…”

“Shane has assumed the CEO’s role. He’s in charge of everything related to Reservoir.”

What a fucking shame—and a nightmare for Sloan. Why was she passed over in favor of Rawson’s oldest son? Because he’s male? Because he’s the heir apparent? Because she’s illegitimate? “I’ve spoken to him a bit. He seems very…busy. And Karly sounds like a truly enthusiastic assistant.”

“I’m sorry. Was he getting fucked or blown?”

Her straightforward question takes me aback. “Blown.”

“Of course. Less effort required on his part.” She sighs. “Please excuse that. It’s not typical of executive behavior at Reservoir.”

I’m sure, or nothing would ever get done. And right now, Rawson’s organization is our most serious, on-the-rise competitor. “Your org structure?”

Suddenly, my temporary inbox pings with a new delivery. She’s already sent me an org chart—a temporary one with Shane’s name in the CEO spot. Below that, I see five unfamiliar names, one each in the boxes for VP of Finance, Tech, HR, Marketing, and Management. Below that is a collection of directors in smaller but similar capacities. Under those, I finally spot Sloan’s name. She’s the manager of a technical team that shepherds new products and services to market while liaising with both Finance and Marketing. In other words, she has a ton of responsibility but none of the glory or pay.

“I just received your email. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Things are…shifting frequently, so I can’t promise the organization will look like this tomorrow.”

And that frustrates her. I hear it in her voice. “When did you join Reservoir?”

“Three years ago.”

“Have you been in the same position all that time?”