The Arrangement (unenhanced Edition) by AnnaRCase (books to read now .txt) 📖

Grayson Godwin took another swallow of his liquor, then cleared his throat. But his eyes stayed on the file rather than her, as he spoke.

                “Amberleigh Dubois, your twenty-two years of age. Your father is a low level dealer who works for the Kingpin the Madhatter in the fringe. Your mother died in jail from an overdose ten years ago. You were removed from her custody at the age of six due to allegations of abuse and neglect. You spent the next ten years bouncing around between group and foster homes, am I correct so far?”

Amberleigh crossed her arms. She had never felt as naked as she did right now. With the facts of her life laid bare, clinical even, from a strangers mouth. Even if he was a pretty one.

She nodded, “Yes. But I don’t see the point of all this Mr. Godwin. My backstory.”

                He glanced up from the folder and seemed a bit irritated. “I’m getting to the point Miss Dubois.  At the age of sixteen you became pregnant by your boyfriend Jackson Van Cortlandt. That relationship was short lived as he was from a wealthy aristocrat family, and he denied being the father of your son. You gave birth to a healthy son six years ago. And the child has no health problems to date.”

She shifted in her chair. She wished she had a drink. Few people knew about her son. She had only held him for an hour after she’d given birth to him. Then her caseworker from the private adoption agency took him. She knew she had nothing to offer a baby, as she was homeless, under-educated, and with no prospects. Not to mention her son’s father was a dick who refused to take any responsibility for his child.

                “Do you know where my son is?” she couldn’t help but ask.

He gave her a sharp look. Yes, he knew. Of course he did. But he wasn’t going to tell her. It was probably better this way in the end. She had gone for a closed adoption and had been assured by the agency her precious son had gone to a good and wealthy home.

She wondered what he looked like now. He’d been such a beautiful baby with a head full of dark hair, and big blue eyes. He’d gotten Jackson’s eyes, she just hoped that was all he’d inherited from his piece of shit father. She hoped he hadn’t inherited her impulsiveness and affinity for making bad decisions.

                “That information is confidential Miss Dubois. After the birth of your son, you became addicted to pills. To support your habit you got into stealing and prostitution. Even got into a brush with the law for shoplifting. The Cobra Club later payed those fines and got the charges dropped after you became employed here five years ago. Did I miss anything Miss Dubois?”

The way this man spoke about her life, was if he was talking about a grocery list or something. No emotion, detached. And that really pissed her off. Who the fuck was he to say these things, to bring up her awful past, and worse still her son? Fuck him.  But of course she didn’t say any of that out loud.

                “That’s just words written on a paper Mr. Godwin. But I don’t understand why this is all relevant.”

He took a deep breath and closed the file in his lap. Then he made himself comfortable by crossing his legs in the classic man way, right ankle atop his left knee. Damn, it wasn’t fair how the firelight reflected off him giving a warm -fuck me on the rug in the front of the fire vibe- even while he was being as ass she wanted to throat punch at the moment. Her own thoughts betrayed her, as visions of fucking him in front of the fire filled her head. She crossed her own legs and squirmed a bit in her seat.

“Godwin Railroad must stay in the family. I’m in need of an heir Miss Dubois, preferably a son. I’m willing to pay you two million dollars upon the birth of my healthy heir which you will produce.”

Amberleigh burst out laughing. She couldn’t help herself. But by the pissed off holier than thou expression on the billionaire’s face, she soon realized it hadn’t been a joke.

                “You’re fuckin serious?” she asked in disbelief.

                He sighed, “Deadly serious Miss Dubois. As per the contract you will have one year’s time to either have produced me a healthy heir, or have a viable pregnancy. If you have fallen pregnant in one year, the contract will be extended until the time you give birth to the child.  If you do not successfulyl become pregnant by one years’ time, the contract will expire and you will be paid one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for you time.”

She processed this. There had to be a fucking catch. Why would Grayson Godwin need to impregnate a high class hooker and pay to do it? He could have half the woman in this city drop their panties and lay on their backs with just one smile and a wink.  Why the fuck wouldn’t he go through a reputable surrogate agency if he really insisted on this type of route? This didn’t make sense.

                She forced a tight- lipped smile, “With all due respect Mr. Godwin, why wouldn’t you go through a legitimate surrogacy agency or something? Why me?”