Page 9 of On a Fault Line

“Miss Hoffman, did you sign the nondisclosure agreement?” Leonard asks, his tone direct but kind.

“Yes.”

She hands over the document that contains her signature.

I glance at it and shake my head over the hearts she used for letters anytime she needed to write ano.

Cute.

I reach for a pen, and my eyes catch on the little rubber topper of a fire-breathing dragon. My finger flicks the thin plastic flame coming out of its mouth.

Where the hell did this come from?

I glance across the room to Penny who can’t stop biting her fist, most likely to keep from breaking down in giggles. Her eyes try to avoid me, as mine narrow on hers.

Pressing the tip into the paper, I start to sign my name as the pen lights up in an orange glow.

I refuse to look at Penny. She’s working way too hard at keeping it together. I’m sure one look from me will have her rolling on the floor in stitches.

Leonard clears his throat, oblivious to anything that is transpiring between me and this feisty girl. “I figure it would be best to go through each page. If you don’t have a question about the expectation or clause, then skip it. Understood?”

“Yes.”

I watch as Penny moves through the packet until she stops at a certain page. She appears to have a section highlighted in pink.

At least she is back to taking this all seriously again.

“What page is that?” I ask, wanting to use my own copy for reference.

She flips her contract around for added emphasis. “Page seven.”

Why does her highlighted section look like a penis?

For fuck’s sake…

“There,” Leonard says quietly.

How does he not notice her drawing?

“It states here”—Penny points to the middle of the page—“that tracking devices will be worn at all times.”

“That is correct,” I agree.

“Cross that shit out.”

“No,” I say boldly. “This is one of my three rules.”

“No. Your three rules are: I will not lie. I will be safe. And I will not fuck anyone else.”

Leonard clears his throat, trying to mask a laugh with his hand rubbing over his mouth.

I shake my head at my little princess. She’s got quite the mouth these days. Looking at my lawyer who can’t wipe the fucking smirk off his face, I clarify with, “It says ‘I will be monogamous.’”

“That’s what I said,” Penny defends. “But with less flowery terms. Let’s not sugarcoat things, please.”

And then she lets out a giggle.

I know instantly it won’t be her last.

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