Page 23 of Baby Contract

“Leave or I’ll call hotel security,” I say again, standing up straighter and making my tone firmer. I want him to remain unaware of the extent to which he truly frightens me. I’m alone with him except for Violet, who is sleeping.

“I think you’ll want to hear what I have to say.” He lifts an eyebrow at me, but I don’t bite. I turn to go get the phone. Robert snags me by the arm, jerking me back. “Do you think you’re the first girl Carr has hired?”

“Knock it off.” I try to jerk my arm from his hold, but it doesn’t work.

"Soon, you'll become yesterday's trash, while he moves on to the next. That’s why he has the nondisclosure agreement.” I’m trying not to let his remarks creep into my head, but I know now that I’ve heard them, there’s no possibility of that.

“I didn’t sign one.”

He smirks. "Oh, just you wait.” Robert lets my arm go. “I know how Carr works. And honestly, I’m not too different.” He shrugs. “But I think we can come to a deal.”

"I don't want to make any deals with you." I can’t trust Robert. I know that.

“You’ll be blacklisted then. I’ll let the agency know along with every other one that you sleep with the babies' fathers. I’m guessing a whole lot of wives aren’t going to like that. I’m also sure it goes against company policy.”

“I haven’t slept with him.”

“Right.” He laughs, nodding toward the open bedroom door, where the sheets are still a tangled mess. “But it doesn’t have to be that way.” Robert takes a step closer to me and runs his finger down my arm. "Keep those pretty little ears open and get me the information I need; I can pay you well and keep your secrets."

“I think you should leave.” I step back.

"Yes,” he agrees, checking his watch. “I do have somewhere to be.” Robert walks over to the door. “I’ll see you tonight.”

With that, he’s gone, leaving me standing there. My phone goes off, and I rush over to it, thinking it’s Carr.

Unknown:

Ears open

What a freaking asshole. There is no way what he said about Carr can be true. Then again, I couldn't find anything out about his past love life. That could be because of nondisclosure agreements. I need to stop. That’s what Robert wants—to get into my head.

I hear the lock click and the door open. Carr steps through. When his eyes land on me, he smiles.

“Sorry, I didn’t think I’d be that long.” He glances at the bags. "Oh, everything came. Perfect. We have to go to dinner tonight at Mr. Yamamoto’s home. I thought you might want something more formal to wear.” Carr sets his briefcase down. “We’ll have to leave pretty soon. I was with him this morning, and we went over a few items.” He opens his briefcase. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” I walk over to him. Carr's face softens.

“It will be okay. I promise.” He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. I want to lean into his touch, but I don’t. “But before you go, you do have to sign a few things. It’s not a big deal, but it can be standard.” Carr pulls out a pile of papers from inside his briefcase.

Across the top readsNondisclosure Agreement. Once again, for the second time today, my stomach drops.

Chapter Fifteen

CARR

Addison is strangely quiet before we leave.

“It’s conservative here,” I say, thinking that maybe she doesn’t like the clothes. She picked a dress of pale yellow silk that covers everything but still clings to her curves.

“I hope Violet is okay. Maybe I should have stayed at the hotel with her.”

“The Yamamotos love children.”

“Right. That’s the whole reason we’re here.”

She sounds a little…irritated? It’s probably nerves because she hasn’t shown any signs of unhappiness before tonight. The flight over was smooth. We had a great day playing tourists. Our night was even better. It could be nerves. The setting is unfamiliar, the family are strangers. I decide not to press it.

Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto live in Shinpoincho, a small neighborhood in the Tennoji Ward of Osaka. Slightly southeast of the city central, the high rises and city noise are distant. There’s a community feel to the smaller apartment buildings punctuated by the sloping, clay-tiled roofs of homes that have been here since the early 20s Showa era. The Yamamoto complex takes up an entire block where the different generations of Yamamotos live together, along with a significant number of staff.

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