THE CONTRACT
969 Words
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*CHAPTER 5: THE CONTRACT*
I woke up to paper on my nightstand.
Thick, white, expensive paper.
At the top in black letters: `CONFIDENTIAL AGREEMENT`
My stomach dropped.
A knock.
“Miss Kira? Breakfast is ready. Mr. Blackwood would like to review this with you.”
Ms. Reed.
I pulled on the robe they left me and went to the dining room.
Kade was already there. Black suit. Coffee. Tablet.
He didn’t look up.
“Sit.”
I sat.
He slid the contract across the marble table to me.
“Read it.”
10 pages.
*CLAUSE 1:* _Party A agrees to act as Party B’s public romantic partner for 90 days._
*CLAUSE 2:* _Party A will attend all required events, dinners, and photo opportunities._
*CLAUSE 3:* _Party A will have zero contact with Alpha Damian or the Black Ridge Pack._
*CLAUSE 4:* _Party B will provide penthouse housing, security, and a monthly allowance of $50,000._
*CLAUSE 5:* _After 90 days, either party may terminate with 7 days notice._
$50,000. A month.
For pretending.
My hands started shaking.
“This is... legal?”
“It’s binding,” Kade said. Finally looking at me. Ice-blue eyes. No warmth. “Sign it, and Ms. Reed wires the first payment today.”
“Why paper? Why not just... trust?”
Kade leaned back. “Because I don’t do trust, Kira. I do contracts. People break promises. They don’t break signatures.”
The memory of last night hit me. The kiss. The gala. Damian’s face.
“Is this because of what happened? Because I kissed you back?”
Kade’s jaw ticked. “That has nothing to do with this.”
“Liar.” The word came out before I could stop it.
His eyes flashed. “Sign the paper, Kira.”
I picked up the pen.
If I signed, I was selling 3 months of my life.
If I didn’t, I was back to nothing.
Damian’s texts were still on my phone. Blocked, but I remembered them.
`I made a mistake.`
I signed. Kira.
Kade exhaled. I didn’t know he was holding his breath.
“Good.” He took the papers. “Ms. Reed will set up your card. You have access to the building credit, the car, and anything else you need.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t.” He stood. “Board meeting at 2pm. You’re coming. Wear black. No red today.”
He left.
---
At 2pm I was sitting next to him in a room of 20 men in suits.
They all stared.
`Who is she?`
`Is that the girl from the gala?`
`She looks like—`
Kade cut them off. “This is Kira. She’s with me. Now, about the Q3 acquisitions—”
No one asked questions after that.
After the meeting, in the elevator, it was quiet.
“Was it too much?” Kade asked suddenly.
“The meeting? No.”
“Them looking at you.”
“I’m used to people looking,” I said. “I’m used to them laughing too.”
Kade looked at me. Really looked.
“You don’t have to be strong with me.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
Back at the penthouse, my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
*Damian:* `I saw the contract. He’s paying you? Kira, please talk to me.`
I blocked the number. Again.
That night I had the nightmare again.
Damian on stage. Everyone laughing. `Rejected.`
I woke up screaming.
The door opened in 2 seconds.
Kade. Barefoot. Sweatpants. Hair a mess.
“Nightmare?”
I nodded, crying.
He hesitated. Then he sat on the edge of my bed. Awkward.
“It’s okay,” he said. His voice was rough. “You’re safe here.”
He put a hand on my back. Warm. Steady.
“Was it him?” he asked quietly.
“No. It’s just... being alone.”
Kade was quiet.
“Me too,” he said finally. “10 years alone.”
And then he did something I didn’t expect.
He pulled me into his arms.
No claiming. No kissing.
Just held me.
Until I stopped shaking.
Until I fell asleep.
---
In the morning there was a sticky note on the contract on my table.
In messy handwriting:
`_Addendum 11: Party B will not allow Party A to cry alone._`
I stared at it for a long time.
Ms. Reed came in. “Mr. Blackwood added that last night. He said it’s non-negotiable.”
My chest felt weird. Tight.
The contract was supposed to be cold. Business.
But this? This felt like something else.
That evening we had dinner again. Same table. 20 chairs. Just us.
Kade ate in silence, then pushed a black card across the table.
“Your allowance. Use it.”
“I don’t need—”
“You do.” He cut me off. “Buy clothes. Buy things. Make it look real, Kira. That’s in the contract.”
I took the card. “What if I spend it all?”
“Then I’ll give you more.” A small smirk. “Try me.”
For the first time, I smiled back.
After dinner, he walked me to my room. Stopped at the door.
“Kira.”
“Yes?”
“About last night. The kiss. At the gala.”
My heart stopped.
“It was for show,” he said. But he wouldn’t look at me. “Nothing more.”
“Right,” I said. “For show.”
He nodded once and walked away.
I closed the door and leaned against it.
The contract said 90 days.
But addendum 11 said he wouldn’t let me cry alone.
I don’t know which one scared me more.
Because I was starting to think I didn’t want the 90 days to end.
---
*END OF CHAPTER 5*
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