Chapter 4 - Rafael
Rafael
What the fuck was Harrison doing?
He shouldn’t have been dealing with journalists at all. They were sharks circling, waiting for a drop of blood to hit the water. He should have been keeping his distance, letting them say whatever nonsense they wanted without getting directly involved.
A puff piece was bad enough. But an entire biography? The access we would need to give her…
I saw her eyes light up. It was the way Harrison’s Doberman looked when I pulled a steak out of the fridge. That alone told me this was a terrible idea.
But it wasn’t my place to interject. Not publicly.
“I accept,” she said immediately. “On the condition that I get the final say on what is written and what is excluded. You’ll be informed, of course, but it’s ultimately my call. I won’t censor myself.”
“I would never expect you to,” Harrison replied.
“You’re serious?” Caroline asked. “You’re not just screwing with me?”
“Why would you think I’m screwing with you?”
“Because I’m basically your worst enemy, and you’re offering me your biography.”
“First of all, you’re far from my worst enemy,” Harrison said with a laugh. “And second, you’re precisely the person I want writing my biography. Everyone will know it’s the truth, which wouldn’t be the case if I got a sycophant to write it.”
She stared at him. For a few long moments, I wondered if she was too suspicious to accept. That’s how I would feel in her position.
“If you’re serious… then yes, I accept.”
Harrison nodded as if that was the only response he expected. “I have the paperwork all ready to go.” He gestured to me, and I brought his attaché case over to the table. Caroline flinched like she’d forgotten I was there.
“You had the paperwork all ready to go?” she asked him.
“I’ve been looking for a biographer for some time,” he explained. “Just fill in your name at the top, initial each page, and then sign at the end.”
“I…” She stared at the documents like they were a basket full of snakes. “We haven’t even discussed payment.”
“It’s in there,” Harrison replied confidently. “I’m certain you will be content with your compensation.”
She began reading the paperwork. Her eyes widened. If I knew Harrison—and I did know Harrison—then I was certain he had taken whatever was the standard rate for a biography and doubled it.
She couldn’t hide her enthusiasm as she said, “I need my agent to review this before I sign.”
“Of course.”
Caroline made a phone call, then snapped photos of each page of the contract with her phone. Salads were served to the table, but she didn’t touch hers. She sat stiffly, like a prisoner in line for execution. Or someone waiting to see if their lottery ticket would be cashed.
Her phone rang, and she walked to the corner of the room to speak quietly. When she returned, she announced, “Everything looks good.” She sounded surprised.
Once again, Harrison nodded like that was the only expected response. It didn’t surprise me. Harrison was the kind of man who almost always got what he wanted.
“We can forget that business with the Journal piece,” Harrison said. “The book will suffice. Congratulations, Caroline. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
He extended his hand, but Caroline pushed back her chair and stood. “I wasn’t prepared for a full biography. We can start fresh at our next meeting.”
Harrison rose with her. “Of course. A project of this length will require quite a few meetings, I would expect. I want it to cover my entire life, from childhood to the present. Or to the future, even.”
“We can discuss it next time.”
“Let me show you out,” I said, gesturing.
“I know the way,” she replied curtly, then practically fled from the room.
I closed the door behind her, then took her seat at the table across from Harrison, who had begun digging into his salad. A server arrived and replaced Caroline’s salad with a new one, which had slices of steak on top. My usual.
We ate in silence for a few minutes before Harrison said, “You aren’t going to tell me your thoughts?”
“Do you want to hear what I think?”
“Always.”
I chewed the steak, swallowed, and gestured with my knife.
“It’s a bad idea. This woman hates you, Harrison.
She’s not going to pull any punches when it comes to your biography.
You’ll be giving her more access than any other journalist has ever had.
More than any person has ever had, excluding me.
There’s no upside, and a lot of downside. ”
Harrison slowly shook his head. “I already know your thoughts about the biography. It’s written all over your face. I meant I want to know what you think about Caroline herself.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I should have known this was personal.
“I liked her immediately. She’s blunt. You never have to guess what she’s thinking, unlike some people I know.”
Harrison nodded. “I thought you’d like her. You two are very similar.”
“However,” I said, “I think you’re doing this for the wrong reason.”
He cocked his head to the side. “And what reason would that be?”
“You want a new toy to play with.”
Harrison laughed, but I wasn’t making a joke. My boss was arguably the most powerful man in New York City, but sometimes he acted like a bored housecat playing with a mouse.
“Elaborate,” he said.
“You become infatuated with women. You decide that you have to have them. And the more they dislike you, the harder you try. Because you like a challenge. It’s one of your strongest qualities, which got you into the position you’re in now.
But liking a challenge is also one of your biggest weaknesses.
You’re making a mistake with Caroline. She’s not some underling who will bend to whatever whim you have on any given day.
She’s smart. She’s competent. And that competence might destroy you if you aren’t careful. ”
Harrison stared at his salad, frowning while cutting a slice of filet. I was one of the few people on the planet who could be that blunt with the young billionaire. But as the silence stretched, I was worried that I had crossed a line. Which, of course, meant I had hit the nail on the head.
“Perhaps,” he eventually admitted. “We’ll see.”
I didn’t push any further. I knew the limits of our relationship, regardless of how far back we went.
But I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that this was one venture that would blow up in Harrison Blackstone’s face.