Dirty Sexy Alphas (Twenty Book Box Set) - Hannah Ford Page 0,206

I couldn’t disclose any information, at all, zero. I basically couldn’t talk about him to anyone, because if I did that person who didn’t sign the agreement could sell the stories. The financial penalties were upwards of five million dollars for speaking or writing about him in any form whatsoever--or I would be sued. I wanted to ask if I’d be sued for even thinking about him, but decided that regardless, I was in way over my head, and I needed help.

“Do you mind if I use the restroom?” I asked, setting the documents back down on the table.

“Yeah, sure,” Leo said. “On the other side of the staircase.”

I took my purse and headed into the bathroom, which was just as sleek and beautiful as everything else I’d seen (including Leo). It was white with mirrored vanities and in the corner was a plush white chaise lounge chair, perfect for faintly ladies.

I took a seat on the chair and fired off a text to Kait. Job impossible, I wrote. Wants me to sign NDA. Means I can’t say anything to anyone about him or us. If I don’t sign, he shows me the door.

I took a deep breath after I sent it off. I walked to the sink and looked at my reflection. I dropped the shoulder of my dress to see what Leo had seen before he pulled the strap back up for me.

I thought for a moment, wondering if I was perhaps relieved that this wasn’t going to work out after all. And then I realized that no—I wasn’t relieved. I was disappointed.

My phone pinged. You’re with him? Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing him again? Great job!

I rolled my eyes, frustrated. What about the NDA? See above.

No worries, she wrote, and I waited for more guidance. When nothing came back, I texted, But I can’t sign it, right? What should I do?

An excruciating moment later she wrote, Sophie Adams doesn’t exist. Doc won’t be valid anyway so u might as well sign. Sophie Scott is in the clear. Go get him.

She was so sure, so quickly that it still made me pause. All kinds of thoughts and emotions flashed through my mind.

Before, this entire plan had been theoretical. I’d never truly believed that I could snag the interest of a man like Leo Armstrong, and I’d never thought through what it would truly mean to give a fake name and deceive another human being this way. But now that the decision was in front of me, I felt hesitant and deeply unsure. Afraid.

This is wrong. You can’t sign a fake name, you can’t just lie to him, knowing that everything he’s saying and doing is going to be used against him in an article that millions of people might see.

On the other hand, if I backed out now, my journalism career would come to a swift and untimely end. Besides, everyone said that Leo Armstrong was a womanizing bastard who treated females like disposal products he could toss away whenever he so chose. A man like that didn’t deserve honesty.

He’s the one lying, I reminded myself.

But is this really going to end up okay? Does Kait know what she’s talking about? I wondered. My stomach twisted uncertainly and my mind warned me that I was crossing a line that couldn’t be uncrossed.

In the moment, though, I had no alternative but to trust Kait.

Okay, I wrote back. Will sign Sophie Adams.

Kait texted back in milliseconds. Want full details tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.…even if you’re up all night.

Chapter 6

“Good,” Leo said when I handed over the signed document. “I’ll put this away and we won’t have to think about it again.”

What’s this we, I thought. I was nervous about putting a fake signature on a legal document, but I was also bothered by the fact that he had all the power. He could throw my name around all he wanted, but if I even breathed his name, I’d be sued, wiped out clean.

Maybe Kait was right about him. What kind of man started a relationship with a legal document? It was creepy.

“I bet you like having women sign those contracts,” I said, feeling bold thinking about Kait and her words of justice for women. “Makes you feel powerful.”

He set down his glass of prosecco and fixed his eyes on me. He moved closer to me, flicking his eyes down on my lips for a moment. “Sophie, I’m the head of Epix Studios. The youngest in their history.