A Thief for the CEO

Chapter 8: Ink and Paper

Riley's POV

“Have you tried this?" Hannah asks. “It's delicious!"

I can't help but smile as I look at her. Her mouth is full of waffles and her lips are smeared with honey. Her eyes sparkle in a way they haven't before for a long time. For a moment, it feels as if all the worries that have plagued us in recent years have vanished.

“She's right. This is delicious," corroborates my best friend.

I look up and see Cleo's curious eyes, which won't leave my side. Last night's call caught them by surprise, but Cleo trusted my word completely when I told her to follow the two men who came to pick them up at their apartment.

I then had to explain to my best friend the reality of the situation as best I could, so she could help me come up with a coherent excuse to protect Hannah.

Cleo isn't buying any of this, of course, but neither am I. Who would? For sure, it all sounds too unrealistic to be true, even if it is.

“Miss Gray, Mr. Maddox will see you now."

Who stands before me is Boris. The man is tall and stocky. He reminds me of the agent in Lilo and Stich, with his shaved head, black suit and black glasses.

I can't help but sigh and stand up. Theo doesn't look like the type to wait patiently for you to get out of the way.

“Do you have to go?" Hannah asks and holds me by the arm.

“I'll be back in a second," I promise, kissing her hair to reassure her.

At the very least, Theo has kept his end of the deal at least in a certain way. As we said our goodbyes the night before, I was guided to an equally luxurious room, one floor down in the hotel.

Twenty minutes later, Hannah and Cleo joined me. It was only half an hour after our meeting that Hugo appeared in front of the door laden with bags.

He handed them over to us to allow us to discover that they were filled with all the supplies we could possibly need: Toothbrushes, new clothes, and even shoes.

The look on Cleo's face when she received all that had been most enigmatic, but I had to convince her that everything would be fine. A little generosity wasn't bad, was it? Or at least, that's what she was trying to tell me, but the truth is that I don't believe my own words.

Hannah is now wearing her new clothes. They look good on her. With a little time, maybe the dark circles of fear and worry marks will fade from her face. No girl her age should have to worry about anything other than her studies or school friendships.

I myself am wearing new clothes. Clothes that fit me mysteriously well, which makes me wonder how Theo and his bodyguards knew our sizes. Dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a gray jacket with sneakers. Of all the clothes he sent me, these are the ones I feel most comfortable in.

Boris leads me to the elevator and then to his boss, who is sitting on an elegant sofa in the middle of the room with breakfast on the table.

“Good morning, Riley, did you have breakfast?"

Theo looks up from his coffee and looks at me with a beaming smile on his lips. The familiarity with which he says my name does nothing but make my skin crawl, but he doesn't seem to notice.

He's sitting very quietly across from me. Today he is wearing a light-colored sweater with gray pants and has damp reddish-blond hair falling over his face. He smells of cologne and soap, which makes me think he probably showered recently.

“I have no appetite. Thank you."

I sit down across from him and the bodyguard leaves us alone. Theo ignores me and pours a cup of tea for him and one for me.

I take a sip out of politeness. I watch him ramble at the table, picking out the odd snack before he speaks.

“I guess you didn't call me just because you needed company for breakfast," I say.

His pace of doing things gets on my nerves. He seems to notice, but I doubt it's something that bothers him.

“Not really, although I must say I don't mind your company."

As Boris enters, the bodyguard hands me a small bundle of papers and a tablet.

I look at them blankly, but immediately, Theo proceeds to explain.

“The non-disclosure agreement, and the contract. As promised, I put all my business in writing," he assures.

“And what's the tablet for?" I ask.

Theo shrugs.

“Technology makes everything so much easier and more sustainable. Our agreement is stored in files that require your signature. But of course, I assumed you'd prefer something old-fashioned. All printed on paper and so on."

“Of course," I say with a grimace and begin to rummage through the papers.

I immediately raise an eyebrow and look at him suspiciously.

“You do understand that I'm going to read everything before I sign, right?"

Theo smiles calmly.

“You have all the time in the world," he promises me.

Sighing, I take it for granted that he won't let me leave here until I sign it, so I start reading.

The contract is simple. It basically says that Mr. Maddox, i.e. Theo, will hire me for specific asset recovery services. He plans to provide me with all the tools I need, as well as the training to successfully achieve my goal.

In return, he talks about a sum of money, but does not say the amount. He only clarifies that the first part of the amount will be paid to me before starting the work as an advance, and that the second half will be given to me at the end of the project.

An interesting fact: The contract specifies that the amount of money to be paid for the job will be entirely up to me. Mr. Maddox will pay, no matter how much I ask for.

What surprises me, however, is that there are a lot of clauses regarding Hannah. At least, many more than I could have imagined.

“Are you planning to take Hannah to a private boarding school?" I ask. “Are you crazy?"

The words leave my mouth. In the contract, Theo makes it clear that Hannah will be moved to a high-end boarding school for her training and education.

But my tone of voice doesn't affect him. He is quite at ease, it seems. He's buttering a bagel and doesn't even look at me when he speaks.

“You said yourself that your father was a problem," he speculates.

“He is!" I rant. “But that doesn't give you the right to believe you can disappear with my sister."

“I don't plan to disappear with her," he replies, with an arched eyebrow and a look of intrigue in his eyes. “But I do plan to take her away from your father. A top-notch boarding school is the perfect way to do it. We'll send her away while the whole situation calms down, to a place where she'll be completely safe."

“No way. I refuse."

My arms cross and he sighs as he watches my posture.

“I need you to be consistent on this," he replies keeping calm and taking a more serious tone in his voice. “If your father is everything I think he is, then your sister is at risk by being in his vicinity. Sending her to a place where she can be safe is our priority now," he states.

He interlaces his fingers and looks at me with interest and seriousness.

“I can keep her safe, and I intend to do so. But I won't take her away from you. You will know about her at all times. You'll be able to talk to her all the time and visit her, if you prefer. Sending her away to a boarding school is just one way to keep her safe."

He waits and I slump, trying to gauge the situation. His proposal displeases me greatly, but the more I think about it, the more I think it makes sense. And I hate him for it.

I hate him for a lot of things, really. This one just adds to the list.

I silently pick up the contract again, where Theo's words are clearly captured. He plans to take over Hannah's guardianship acting as a benefactor. He specifies that I can keep in touch with her, but that in terms of decisions, he has temporary guardianship.

“I don't understand, how do you plan to take her guardianship away from my father?" I ask. Legally, he has the parental rights.

Theo smiles, but there is something dangerous in his smile.

“Money can do everything. And what it can't, it buys. My lawyers have already taken care of it."

His seriousness leaves me speechless. I can't believe the reach of this man. It terrifies me, but at the same time leaves me in awe.

“I don't intend to steal your sister from you," he then states, and his forest green eyes remain fixed on mine. “But I take your words seriously. I want to protect her and for now, this is the only way to do it."

Looking at him, I can tell he's not lying. Somehow, I know he is trying to fulfill what I have asked of him.

Unable to help myself, I swallow slowly. My eyes wander and follow the letters. For a while, silence is the only thing that stands between us in the middle of the room.

Finally, almost half an hour later, I finish reading the contract.

On the one hand, I am terrified to think that, if I sign it, I will have no way out. But on second thought, I have no other options to save my sister but this one.

It takes me only an inspiration, but in the end, my pulse doesn't tremble when I sign the contract.

Theo smiles when he looks at me, takes the papers and holds out his hand.

“It's done," I tell him, feeling a shiver as his skin touches mine.

“It's a pleasure doing business with you, Miss Gray," he jokes after a light squeeze on my fingers.

“I wish I could say the same," I reply with a grimace.

I just hope I don't regret this.