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Plus,while I didn’t need this organization to achieve my dream, there was something in the way Kincaid had signed her contract, without even reading it, that gave me pause. She was obviously going to put her trust into Saxton Voss, and I suppose that’s all it really came down to.
Could I trustStone Lexington?
The understandable answer was no. The guy threatened me and my family to get me here. I’ve had only one interaction with him, and aside the instant attraction and his good looks and hard body, the guythreatenedmy family to get me here. Plus, there was no way I’d sign a contract without reading it first, even if Kincaid didn’t seem overly concerned with it.
I knew I needed to make a decision,but how could I say yes? This entire thing was beyond bizarre, and I still felt like I was missing something important.
Makingup my mind to be more diligent than the rest, I said, “I need to read the contract first.”
Alexander smirked. “Do you really think we have time for you to take it to your family lawyer, so he can go over the logistics with you?” He leaned in, that condescending look on his face. “That NDA you signed and the contracts both insist on absolute discretion, Ms. Madden. You cannot speak about The Order with anyone outside this room.”
“I realize that,” I snapped, hating how I was allowing him to push my buttons. “However, I am not signing it until I’ve skimmed through the major applications at least.”
Heheld my gaze for a few more tense seconds before finally looked over at Stone. “State your intentions.”
“Hera,” he replied, and surprise shook the room. I wasn’t sure what Hera meant, but Alexander was obviously surprised, and that was enough to make me come onboard. Anything to put the smug asshole in his place. However, tingles didn’t dance down my spine until I looked over and the girls looked confused, the guys looked surprised, and Kincaid looked shocked.
“Hera?” Alexander said, asking for confirmation.
“Hera,”Stone repeated. “Now hand her the damn contract, so she can read it.” It was obvious Alexander George was a man who didn’t like to be questioned or challenged, but he did as Stone demanded after rifling through the files first.
I grabbed thepapers he handed me and started skimming through them. The first page was basically a repeat of the NDA we had signed earlier. It rambled on about confidentiality, loyalty, and the effects thereof. If the guys had their own contracts to sign, I imagined the first page was probably the same.
The second page, however, gave me pause. There was a lot of details about spousal relationships between sponsors and supporters, but since none of it pertained to me, I skipped through it to the third page.
The third page was just a summary of the first two, and I realized that there was nothing in here that had me signing away my life. Since Kincaid was part of the elite, maybe she’d had prior knowledge of what was in the contract, so that’s why she had signed it without looking at it, not worried.
I felt a littlemore secure in signing it, if only to be able to give Alexander George a proverbial screw you, but I couldn’t help feeling like I was still missing something. Never mind that I haven’t forgotten what a dick Stone had been about getting me here.
Could I dothis?
ShouldI do this?
My instincts were telling me to bow out, and everyone knew you should always listen to your instincts, but my pride and the devil on my shoulder were telling me to prove Alexander’s assumptions about me wrong.
Decision made.
I heldmy hand out for the pen Alexander held in his hand, and when his brows shot upward in disbelief, I couldn’t help but feel smug. He didn’t think I’d do this after that horrible display with Arlene, Jacob, and Donovan, and I liked proving him wrong. My decision was probably a little reckless, but that contract wasn’t as bad as I had originally thought. Besides, as upset as I still was at Stone, he said he wouldn’t share me. That had to mean he’d never ask me to do what had been asked of Arlene, right?
I signed the contract and handed it back to Alexander. I watched as he turned around and handed them to Jacob, and anxiousness settled in the pit of my stomach as I watched Jacob file them away in our dossier folders.
I’d just placed my future inStone Lexington’s hands, and I just hoped I didn’t come to regret it.
Alexander took the stage again, and he looked over at Kincaid. “Would you be so kind as to regale us with your further knowledge of Greek Mythology, Ms. Black?”
“What do you want to know?” she bit out, her dislike of Alexander obvious.
“Mr. Harrington, please take your rightful place, sir,” he instructed, and Fox went to stand next to Alexis’ chair instead of behind it. Then Alexander said, “Sphinx.”
“Sphinx had the head of a human and the body of a lion. It’s a sign of royal power. It’s also portrayed as a very dangerous and cunning creature. The Sphinx was fond of riddles and ate anyone who answered them incorrectly,” Kincaid said.
Alexander gave her a nodin approval. “Mr. Carmichael, please take your rightful place, sir,” he instructed again, and Ross went to stand next to Jennifer. “Cerberus.”
“Cerberus was a three-headed beast that guarded the entrance to the Underworld. He also had the tail of a serpent, lion claws, and a mane of snakes. The three heads are supposed to symbolize the past, present, and future, along with birth, youth, and aging.”
Again, satisfied with Kincaid’s answer, Alexander addressed August. “Mr. Remington, please take your rightful place, sir,” he repeated, and August went to stand next to Laney. “Hydra.”
“Hydra wasknown as The Lerneaen Hydra,” Kincaid said, continuing to recite her knowledge of Greek Mythology. “He’s a water monster with many heads. It is said if you chopped one of the heads off, two more will grow in its place. He also had poisonous breath and blood in his body as well.”
