Chapter 3-2
1478 Words
It was very rare that Tamara ever felt taken aback by the sight of a man, but the person standing in the doorway was like staring at a volcano erupting in the foreground of the most magnificent sunset she had ever witnessed. His eyes were as bright as stars, capturing the light and reflecting it back at her from his bright, green eyes that looked like they had been etched out of pure jade.
His skin was pale and clung to a perfect bone structure that made her believe that God truly was a sculptor. After all, there was no way that random chaos and coincidence could create someone so stunningly handsome. His chin looked like it had been chiseled from the finest bone in the world and his blond hair was perfectly trimmed, the kind of trim that only came with lots of money and time in a salon.
He stood there nonchalantly and effortlessly mysterious with his hands in the pockets of his custom tailored suit. He smelled of money and it was a smell that Tamara could really get used to. She wondered who he was and why he was there, but the answer really wasn’t all that important to her. He was welcome to stay as long as he wanted. There was no rush for him to move on. Dressed in a suit that was dark jet with pale blue lines as thin as needles running down it, he looked like he was ready to own the world.
“I just had Ms. Olivia and Ms. Jonlin escorted from the building,” he informed her in a voice that spoke to her from across space and time, like he was sending out a signal form some distant home world, beckoning her to return and take her place next to him.
“Ms. Ralphson, this is Denton Matterhorn,” Mr. Garrett said dismissively.
“Bullshit,” Tamara said in the most unladylike exclamation of her life.
“In the flesh,” Denton said with a grin and a shrug. He stepped into the room and took a seat across from her and she could actually smell his soft, subtle cologne that reminded her of the forest and tranquility.
“Mr. Garrett here is a snob and a boorish fellow to explain what is happening and since you’ll be my surrogate, I wanted to be here to help you through the process.” He looked at her and all Tamara could do was stare at him. She was certain that deep in the back of her mind, she probably felt like a fool and a moron all rolled into one, but nothing was computing and nothing was making sense to her. “All of this is true and I’m sorry to throw you into the deep end like this, however, we are on a schedule.”
“Why is that?” Tamara found her voice and tried to compose herself.
“Infertility,” he shrugged as if it were the most common explanation in the world. “You see there are fail safes in nature to ensure that Shifters don’t take over the world and extinguish humanity and the most effective fail safe is infertility. Shifters cannot reproduce with their own kind. This is particularly difficult for the women of our kind, unless you’re into lots of free s*x without having to worry about getting pregnant. Usually that wears off.
"So, it’s left to the men to reproduce, but most men are only fertile for a limited number of weeks until their biological clock shuts down for a while. Until modern medicine, it was very difficult to track this. I am reaching the zenith of my fertility and in order for me to reproduce I need to have a compatible woman who is fit to carry on the legacy of the Matterhorn Group’s heritage. That person is you.”
“What?” Tamara furrowed her brow and was officially not following along with any of this. “No, I was hired to be a surrogate and I am supposed to carry the child of two people, I didn’t sign up to have my own child inside of me.”
“Actually, you did,” Mr. Garrett informed her. “Ms. Ralphson, you are in the unfortunate position being revealed the truth of a contract you did not read before signing. Now, there are several routes we might take, but as you can see, Denton is a wonderful individual of high moral standing. You don’t have to be worried about him. The child you conceive will be taken care of by the Matterhorn Group and will be given the best of this world. I assure you that.”
“But I won’t have access to him?” Tamara felt something very close to a momma bear rising up inside of her. “Or her, what if it’s a her?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Denton said with a charming smile on his lips. “I will love my child no matter what. Mr. Garrett will tell you that you can have no part and that you have already signed over any legal rights you have to the child, but I’m not as cold and stoic as our head lawyer is. I’m more than willing to arrange it so that you can have an active role in our child’s life, should you wish it. Most surrogates do not. They find the whole process unsavory and violating, which I agree and understand. But, we are a desperate people.”
“You said that there were routes I could take?” Tamara shook her head, not understanding this.
“Natural conception or medically,” Denton said to her. “The choice is entirely yours.”
Normally, the proposition to have s*x with Denton would be the most glorious thing that she could ever be given and she was more than willing to have s*x with him, but this was so strange and this was so weird. They were going to pay her five million dollars to give up her hybrid monster of a child. Did they seriously see no problem in that and have no moral issue with the fact that they were essentially taking her child from her? She wanted to scream and vomit all at the same time, but she couldn’t find it in her to do it. She felt like she was going to pass out.
“I’m guessing this won’t be a normal pregnancy,” Tamara looked at Denton, her eyes full of fire and confusion.
“No, not for the child,” Denton said soothingly, his voice was like melted chocolate. “You won’t be able to tell the difference, but the child is very fragile and needs a strong mother. We know what we’re doing here, however, and we’re going to make sure that our child survives. That’s why you’re not allowed to leave the penthouse suite that you’ll be given. Should you wish it, I will be here the entire process with you.”
“Please, let’s keep this professional,” Mr. Garrett urged. “You can get mushy and sentimental after the briefing.”
Was that all this was to him? Was it just an official meeting where he discussed the terms of what was being done to her? She was probably nothing more than an incubator to Mr. Garrett. She wanted to claw his eyes out. She thought about her father calling her a w***e and it turned out that this was exactly what she had been turned into. Sure, her client was fabulously handsome and wealthy beyond all measure, but she was a glorified w***e who would be selling her baby at the end of the meeting. She felt like she could feel the fires of hell lapping at her feet as she sat in the office.
“When do I need to have my mind made up?” Tamara asked nervously.
“You already have,” Mr. Garrett said again. “You’ve already signed the contracts. This contract is simply the removal of your rights as a parent and you’re compelled to sign it based on the previous contracts you have signed up to this point.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Tamara growled at him. “Whether I’m going to f**k him or have you stick a needle in me.”
“You have two days,” Denton said calmly.
She could see the anger and the fire inside of Mr. Garrett’s eyes as she stewed across the desk from her, clearly callous to this whole situation. How many times had he forced women to sell their babies to Matterhorn before? It disgusted her.
“I’m here to speak to if you need to talk to someone and I assure you that everything will work out for the best. I don’t want this to be a harsh or difficult process for you. Whatever we need to do to ensure that you’re comfortable and that you’re happy, I’m more than willing to do.”
“Then take me to the penthouse,” she said, grabbing the tome of a contract and refusing to sign it right then. She refused to do anything more that would give Mr. Garrett satisfaction. She looked at him scowling at her, tapping his pen on the top of his desk.
“You will need to sign that,” he informed her. “You have approximately nine months to settle your qualms and internal issues.”
“Terry,” Denton hissed, rising from his chair, clearly angry by the entire exchange. Mr. Garrett turned his attention to his client and shrugged dismissively. “This way, Ms. Ralphson.” Denton said, holding out his arm for her.
Strangely enough, Tamara found herself taking it and feeling the warmth of his body against her. It felt right to her.
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