“It’s good to take time out for ourselves. Life can get really busy sometimes,” I add.
“How else would we want it to be?”
“Not a fast-track ride to burnout?” I smile weakly as he pins me with an unimpressed look.
Sterling didn’t need to tell me that Sullivan’s a workaholic, it’s obvious. He’d benefit from some breathing and visualization techniques. but it might take a while before I persuade him to try some.
“Would you like a drink? Matcha latte?”
“No, I’m not staying. I only came to give you this.” He holds a brown envelope out.
“What is it?”
“Open it.”
I take it hesitantly, my eyes dropping over him. He’s dressed in one of his usual suits—dark and impeccable. Just like him. I’ve never seen him flustered. Never actually seen him smile, unless it’s for his daughter, Molly.
His gaze shifts from the envelope to my face as I pull the paperwork out and he waits for my reaction. The cool blue of his irises penetrate me like a shot of icy water as I glance at him. No wonder he’s a formidable force in business. I’ve heard grown men have left his boardroom in tears. Now I understand how.
“Read it, Halliday.”
“Umm, sure…” My heart rate picks up with each new sentence I scan over. “Are you serious?” I scoff, unable to stop myself.
Sullivan’s eyes pinch a fraction at the corners. “Deadly.”
Ouch.
I straighten, pulling my shoulders back as I read the document more thoroughly.
“Let’s make this quick, I don’t have all day.”
“You want me to sign a non-disclosure agreement?” The words swim in and out of focus as the finality of them slams into me like a lead weight.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he pulls a pen from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and presses the lid with an ominous click.
Miss Burton agrees not to talk to the press about her relationship with Mr. Beaufort. Miss Burton will decline, if asked, to acknowledge, confirm, or deny, that a relationship occurred between herself and Mr. Beaufort.
It’s not just an NDA. It’s a gagging order. One that prevents me from talking to anyone about Sterling, not even my family. It erases our relationship if we were to ever break up. All traces. Gone.
“This is… very specific.”
“The same courtesy has been extended to you. My father will sign it as well.” Sullivan sounds bored as if he wishes I’d hurry up and stop taking up his time.
“Does he know I’m signing this?”
“Areyou signing it? Or are you going to drag this out far longer than necessary?” He holds my gaze. “Beauforts stick together, Halliday. You know that from thelittletime you’ve spent with my father so far. Or were you not paying attention? Too busy thinking about your husband.”
“Ex-husband! Not even that,” I bite, irritation bursting up my spine that he’s bringing up Rory. I glare at him before snatching the pen from his hand.
“That might be so. But I don’t know you. And I don’t like not knowing a person’s…motivations. Besides, if you love my father, then why wouldn’t you sign? This is only in the event you… part ways.”
I get it. I do. I’m twenty years younger than his father. And Sterling is eye wateringly rich. But it’s the way he says it, insinuating that there’s something underhand to this. When our love is one of the purest, most magical things I’ve ever been blessed with.
“Okay.” I take a deep breath, centering myself, and turning my attention back to the contract.
Flipping the pages, I find the parts I’m looking for and score through them with determined slashes of black ink.
“What are you doing?” Sullivan snaps.
