The Arrangement Novel – Blair I have no idea what I am doing in this penthouse apartment. Well, that’s not completely true I know exactly why I’m here; I just don’t understand why or how I let Tiffany talk me into this. Okay again that’s not completely true either, the 50K a month ‘allowance’ was definitely the bit that did it for me. But when I really think about what I’m about to get involved in it hits me that I definitely didn’t quite comprehend what my life for the next three months was going to be like. Especially not as I stare down at the contracts laid out in front of me like this is some kind of normal business arrangement instead of me preparing to sign myself over to four men I have never met, purely for their own pleasure.
This is crazy. I’ve actually well and truly lost my mind. There’s no doubt about it. Okay I’m sure anyone that knows me wouldn’t exactly describe me as being someone that has her sh-it together. But this, this right here is a new stretch even by my standards. I take a deep breath, letting the weight of everything settle over me like a heavy blanket. The sun filters through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows across the sleek marble floor. I can see the city sprawled out beneath me, a bustling hive of activity that feels both thrilling and terrifying.
It’s a stark contrast to the chaos swirling around in my mind right now. What have I gotten myself into? I glance at the contracts again, each line filled with legal jargon that feels more suffocating than the last. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m standing at the edge of a cliff, peering into the abyss below. It’s exhilarating, yes, but it’s also terrifying. Especially after having to sign an NDA before being left to read through bullet point after bullet point of ‘limits’ and being given three highlighters to mark through them all. Red, yellow and green. All the assistant told me before she left was to highlight red for definite no, yellow for maybe and green for yes. It feels absurd to be sitting here, toying with the idea of marking my boundaries with vibrant colors, as if this were some sort of game rather than a life-altering decision. Yet I still filled out the whole thing.
Alarmingly surprised with how many green lines there actually are. Some yellow and just a few red, such as anal fisting. That one I didn’t even have to think about and I’ve never reached for a highlighter so fast before. I’m not a prude, I like to experiment when it comes to se-x. But there’s experimenting and boundaries I will not cross. Having someone’s fist shoved up my butt is definitely one of them boundaries. Urination also highlighted in red for that matter. I knew when Tif said she found the perfect way for me to pay off my dad’s medical bills and have money left over to finally get my degree. I knew that it would be a terrible idea. Yet here I am sat waiting in this surprisingly comforting study waiting for these men to show their faces.
In truth I have no idea what I’m expecting. Surely there must be something seriously wrong with them if they have to practically buy a woman to sleep with, to live out what ever depraved sexual fantasies they have. One minute I’m calling the number on the back of a card the next thing I know I’m sending a picture of myself to some assistant. Then everything is moving at warp speed. I’m meeting with doctors, having a full blown medical, my measurements are taken for clothing, then I’m picked up and brought here. And what did I do? I went along with it all without even considering that I could be being led straight to my death. Or well that thought didn’t cross my mind until the assistant left me in here with all these documents.
“Surely they wouldn’t have me sign an NDA if they were going to kill me” I say to myself as I go back to staring out the window. “You’re probably right there” a voice chuckles from behind me causing me to quite literally jump out of my skin and scream. I whip around to see who the voice belongs to, my heart pounding in my chest. Standing in the doorway is a man I seen to recognise, probably in his mid-thirties, with an air of confidence and a slight smirk on his face. He’s dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, his appearance giving off an aura of professionalism and assurance. “Sorry to startle you,” he says, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “I’m Carter” The name Mr C L instantly pops into my head from the contracts. Now I can see his face it all snaps into place. Carter Langford. Forbes 30 under 30’s Carter Langford.
When I allow my eyes to rake over him and take in all 6ft 6 of him I’m instantly put on edge. I’m not short I’m a decent 5ft 9 but I know for definite if I was to stand up he’d still towers over me. Which is a little intimidating to say the least. He’s striking though that’s for sure and is clearly the type of man that commands a room when he enters. His stature alone is enough to make an impression, but it’s his overall presence that truly sets him apart. He’s in his mid-thirties now from what I know, and from looking at him now, it’s clear he’s a man with experience. His dark hair is meticulously styled, each strand in place as though he just stepped out of a high-end salon. As I just stare at him with my mouth hanging open, he steps into the study, the smirk still evident as he makes his way round to sit in the chair opposite me.
“Have you read through everything?” he asks gesturing towards the stack of papers. I’m still so lost for words all I manage to do is make a humming sound and nod. If it wasn’t going to make me look crazy, I’d slap myself right here and now. My response only seems to amuse him even more and from the way he presses his lips together it’s evident he’s trying not to laugh. “Is there anything you’d like to discuss or questions you’d like to ask?” he says in a way that I’m sure is meant to be an offer to open up the conversations but instead of accepting it I stupidly shake my head. Again, he finds that amusing, although this time he does actually laugh. A deep, husky type of laugh that sends a shiver rushing straight down my spine.
“Okay let’s start from the beginning shall we” he laughs and reaches forward to pick up the stack of papers. He takes a moment to organise them after I’d kind of just thrown them all together, clearly a lot more organised than I am. “So, you fully understand the terms of this arrangement? And what it involves?” “Well yeah it seems pretty straightforward” I reply with a shrug, attempting to make myself seem sure about this decision. “I live here for three months and do whatever you guys want me to do, then at the end I leave, and we all move on with our lives” “No” he quickly grumbles, clearly unhappy with my analysis of it. He shakes his head with a sigh and then his eyes pin mine with an intensity that makes me feel about two foot tall.
“You haven’t done anything like this before, have you Blair?” I feel my cheeks flush slightly under his intense gaze, and I can’t help but avert my eyes for a moment, focusing on the polished surface of the desk instead. His question hangs in the air, heavy with implication. “No, I haven’t” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. He raises an eyebrow, clearly assessing my honesty, and I can sense that he’s not going to let this slide easily. “That’s what I thought” he remarks, his tone shifting from amusement to something more serious. “This isn’t just a simple arrangement, Blair. There are nuances, expectations, and boundaries that you need to be aware of” I swallow hard, the confidence I had tried to project slipping away.
“I understand that,” I say, attempting to sound more assertive. “But at the end of the day, it’s just three months, right? How complicated can it really be?” He shakes his head again, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth, but I can still see the seriousness behind his eyes. “You’d be surprised. We all have different needs and desires, and sometimes they don’t align as neatly as we’d like. This is more than just an arrangement. It’s about navigating the relationship, understanding dynamics and sometimes even emotions” “Relationships, desires, dynamics, I think I get it” I say feeling a sudden bout of stubbornness come over me. He clearly has some sort of doubts about my capabilities, and I don’t appreciate that.
Placing the papers down onto his desk he leans back in his chair, his eyes raking over me as a smug kind of smile tugs at his lips. “Stand up and strip,” he says his tone so cold I almost think I’ve completely imagined it. “Sorry what?” I blurt out, heat rising to my cheeks straight away. “You heard me Blair,” he replies and gestures towards me. “You think you can do this, then stand up and strip” His command hangs in the air between us and for a moment I’m genuinely lost for words. “Are you serious?” I manage to reply, my voice trembling slightly as I struggle to maintain my composure.