He stiffened, visibly, at my side. "I do not insist or even want to be your father, Olivia."
"Then, stop trying to control me at every turn." I snapped.
He caught my upper arm in his grasp, forcing me to stop walking and meet his blazing gaze. "I'm taking you home, Olivia. You need to eat and we have important matters that must be discussed."
I sighed. "Do these important matters include your ridiculous notions that I need a bodyguard?"
He growled low under his breath. "They include, but are not limited to, your safety."
"I am not discussing any 'alleged' dangers with you, Jace." I tried to pull my arm from his hold, but he wouldn't relent. "Let me go."
"Are you coming with me, Olivia?" He asked seriously. There was nothing humorous in his tone. His jaw was hard and set in a firm, grim line. His eyes were steely. I had a feeling if I walked away from him now, I would lose any hope of ever having him in my life again.
The thought of losing him was too much. I nodded. "I'm coming with you."
Chapter 12
My hands curled into tight fists against the granite countertop of the island in Jace's kitchen. My eyes burned and my knees were weak as I sat numbly staring at the contract laid out in front of me. In all my life, I never once imagined I would be sitting in the kitchen of a man I was borderline obsessed with, staring at a contract that, basically, requested I sign away the rights to my body, and my time...to him. The words on the sheet of paper were not complex. As a matter of fact, they were really quite simple, direct even...but I still couldn't wrap my mind around them. They were absurd. This was absurd! But, the most ludicrous thing of all was, I was seriously considering picking up the black inked pen Jace had set beside me and scribbling my signature over the blank space provided.
All in all, the contract requested I give Jace the right to possess my body sexually and in every other way possible...and in the event the relationship goes sour, I can never take him to court. For anything.
My eyes skimmed over the section that would require me to accept Gabe as my personal driver slash bodyguard. I sighed, feeling severely overwhelmed. It was funny how that was what overwhelmed me on the contract. It was not the countless other shocking points. No, it was the thought of taking a bodyguard that pushed me over the edge. My mother must have dropped me on my head as a baby. There was no other explanation.
I glanced up to see Jace leaning back against the counter. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets and his eyes were serious and probing. Intense. He was waiting patiently for my answer. He appeared to be cool and calm...and collected, while I squirmed at the impropriety of every second word I read. I wanted to make him sweat.
"Do you have a highlighter?" I asked.
He narrowed his eyes. "What do you need a highlighter for?"
"Do you have one or not?" I asked quietly.
Jace didn't say anything as he pushed himself from the counter and disappeared from the kitchen. I looked down at the contract again.
I was requested to provide him with complete sexual authorization over my body. I would try everything he desired, at least, once. My stomach tightened with the delicious discomfort that screamed...I wanted him. Okay, I guess I could deal with that.
One request down...
Jace came back with a yellow highlighter and set it down on the contract. He didn't say a word and I didn't either. I decided to categorize the contract into two sections. Things I could live with...and things I couldn't. I pulled the lid off the highlighter and skimmed the contract.
* Permission to possess my body...yes please!
* Accompany him to all business functions...yes.
* Allow Gabe to be my driver...fine.
* Spend the nights with him upon request...yes please!
* Permission to use objects to induce sexual pleasure...um, yes.
* Both parties must refrain from any sexual encounters apart from one another...definitely!
Okay, those were the things I could agree to, and live with. Now, it was time for me to put the trusted highlighter to work on the things I simply could not live with.
* Permission to assign Gabe as my bodyguard...hell no!
* Allow Jace to purchase and choose what I would wear to accompany him to his business functions...nope.
* Permission to inflict pain to later induce pleasure...not really my thing.
* Permission to choose and pay for a condo when current lease is exhausted...absolutely not!
In a nutshell, that was the contract. When I felt confident I had highlighted everything I simply could not live with, I slid the contract across the counter and smiled sweetly, hoping the smile masked my nervousness.
Jace picked up the contract, and I watched, as a brow rose in amusement. "You realize this contract is non-negotiable."