Page 40 of Games We Play

“What do youwant?”

This was too reminiscent of her meeting with Maxine. “In a couple of months, you’re going to pull all of these investments you made into Giles & Sloan and redirect them to my own business I’m about to start. Think of it as a hot feminist move. The media would be on your side.” She tapped her cigarette against her tray. “But the Giles side of the business would blacklist your pretty face in Chicago and Detroit.”

Erica uncrossed her arms. “Give me one good reason to agree to that but doesn’t include you giving me money. I must think long term here.”

“Oh, of course. Aren’t too many people willing to take a chance on you right now, huh?”

Arms recrossed.

“Imagine the upcoming year and beyond, if you insist on thinkingsolong term. So many think pieces will be coming out about you, and how you shook up the gendered notions of our fucking business culture we’re suckered into. Look at you. Such a pioneer. Such a discussion in the flesh! You’ll be doing the university lecture circuit before you know it.”

“Get to the damn point.”

“You want those journalists and bloggers on your side. Social media has changed the whole fucking world. Used to be you could get away with whatever business decisions you made. Now you have to play the PC game, and I don’t mean on your laptop.”

“I have an excellent public relations supervisor. Hell, I have a whole team. Should social media take a turn against me, I’m not worried about my work prospects, at least.”

“Of course not! But don’t you care about thecommunity?”

Erica bristled. Good. “What community?”

“You know, sweetie.” Sloan tapped more ashes off her cigarette. “LGBT. Queer. Lesbian, Dykes-R-Us… we’re such a pesky, sensitive bunch when it comes to how our fellow community members conduct themselves. Do you think all these new friends you’re making wouldstillbe your friends if they found out you sided againstmewhen I leave Giles & Sloan?”

“I wasn’t aware that my gender and sexuality obligated me to always side with the likes of you.”

“It doesn’t! Free country, and all, but you better think long and hard about who you piss off this year. You’re on probation. You’re an unknown entity. You’re one major fuckup away from making the butches and femmes cry,‘I knew there was something shady about her!’”

Erica shifted in her seat. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a deeply unpleasant person?”

“Every day.”

Erica rose from her chair, eyes still on Sloan’s as she slowly rounded the table and fixed her jacket around her shoulders.Going so soon?“Fine. I’ll side with you, but it’s not because I like you or think you’re making a smart move.”

“Wereyoumaking a smart move when you cast off your masculine trappings and informed the world that you’re ripe for sexual harassment and discrimination?”

Sloan brought her cigarette back to her lips. Erica snatched the stick of tobacco and slammed it into the ashtray.

“No smoking.”

Sloan remained in her seat, fighting back to the urge to react, while Erica wrapped her scarf around her throat and joined her bodyguard in the hallway. They exchanged muffled words before leaving the building.

Sloan’s fingers drummed upon the table by the time Sean joined her in the conference room.

“Am I the most unpleasant person you know?” she asked her chauffer.

“No,” he was quick to say. Yet before Sloan could assume he was merely keeping his job, he explained, “That honor would go to my mother. You’re the second most unpleasant person I know.”

She laughed. “So why do you work for me?”

“Because unpleasant isn’t always a bad thing. I prefer my life to stay interesting, and you keep it interesting.”

“Interesting, but without daily risk of bullets flying in our direction?”

“I did that in my former life. I’m over it.”

“You prefer the kind of interesting that makes you laugh while you’re going to sleep at night, huh?”

“Daily life with you provides plenty of opportunities for that, ma’am.”