Rita's Pov
I had no idea accepting Ezra's offer would come with paperwork.
A lot of paperwork.
I sat across from Zhi in his office, staring at the stack of documents on his desk.
I picked up the first page.
Then the second.
Then put them both back down.
"Tell me again why this requires an entire forest."
Zhi didn't even look up.
"Because you're being dramatic."
"I've been here for ten minutes, and I've already signed my name six times."
"Seven."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're enjoying this."
"A little."
I leaned back in the chair.
"So explain it to me."
Zhi finally looked up.
"Patronage is different from a normal VIP reservation."
"I figured that out when you put a contract in front of me."
He smiled.
"A patron reserves your time through the Circle. In Ezra's case, he's requesting exclusive priority."
I blinked.
"Exclusive?"
"For the duration of the arrangement."
I looked down at the paperwork again.
"So nobody else can book me?"
"Not without Ezra's approval."
My eyebrows rose.
"That sounds a lot like ownership."
"It isn't."
Zhi's voice became more serious.
"You still control your time. You can refuse anything. You can end an encounter. You can leave the arrangement whenever you choose, provided you follow the terms you've agreed to."
I relaxed slightly.
"Then what's the point?"
"The point," he said, "is that Ezra pays considerably more to guarantee access to you."
"Access?"
"To your company."
I gave him a look.
"You could have just said that."
"You wouldn't have listened."
"Fair."
Zhi pushed another document toward me.
"This is the financial agreement."
I glanced at the number.
Then looked again.
My mouth fell open.
"That's not right."
"It is."
"Zhi."
"Rita."
"That has too many zeros."
He laughed.
"That's what happens when someone from one of the Great Families decides they want a patron arrangement."
I stared at the page.
"That's just for me?"
"That's your base allocation. Ezra also has the option to provide additional gifts and allowances."
I looked up.
"Like what?"
"Whatever the two of you agree upon."
"That's vague."
"It's supposed to be."
He leaned back.
"Some patrons provide clothing allowances. Jewelry. Transportation. Apartments. Travel. Private events. Personal attendants."
I almost choked.
"Personal attendants?"
"Some patrons like their favorites taken care of."
I stared at him.
"I'm not a pet."
"I never said you were."
"Good."
"But Ezra didn't request any of that."
I paused.
"He didn't?"
"No."
Something about that made my chest feel strangely warm.
Zhi noticed.
Of course he noticed.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You like him."
I immediately looked away.
"I barely know him."
"That wasn't an answer."
"I didn't say I disliked him."
"That wasn't an answer either."
I crossed my arms.
"Can we go back to the part where you were explaining my contract?"
Zhi smiled.
"Sure."
I knew that smile.
He was going to torture me with this.
"For the first thirty days, Ezra has priority over your schedule. The Circle won't assign you to another patron unless he releases the reservation."
"So basically, I'm his."
Zhi shook his head.
"No."
His tone was firm.
"You're the person he chose."
I looked at him.
There was a difference.
A big one.
I wasn't sure why hearing it made me feel better.
Zhi continued.
"There's something else you need to understand."
I waited.
"Ezra isn't just wealthy."
"I know."
"No. I don't think you do."
He folded his hands on the desk.
"His family is one of the three Great Families. His name carries weight in this city. When someone like Ezra chooses a patron arrangement, people notice."
My stomach tightened.
"Why?"
"Because it means you're important to him."
I swallowed.
I thought about the kiss.
The way he'd looked at me afterward.
The way he'd said my name.
Not Rita Rain.
Just Rita.
"Or maybe he just likes me."
Zhi's smile returned.
"That too."
I threw a pen at him.
He caught it easily.
"Very mature."
"I'm reconsidering this arrangement."
"No, you're not."
I hated that he was right.
I looked back down at the contract.
My name sat beside Ezra's.
For some reason, seeing them together made my heart beat faster.
I thought about the night we'd spent in the VIP room.
The dancing.
The laughter.
His hand around mine.
The kiss.
I touched my lips without realizing it.
Zhi noticed.
Again.
"Stop doing that."
I dropped my hand.
"Doing what?"
"Thinking about him."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"I wasn't."
"Rita."
I sighed.
"Fine."
A small smile pulled at my mouth.
"Maybe I was."
Zhi shook his head.
"That's what I thought."
I looked down at the contract one last time.
Then I signed.
My hand barely finished the last letter of my name before my phone buzzed.
One message.
Ezra:I hear congratulations are in order.
I stared at the screen.
A smile slowly spread across my face.
I typed back.
Rita:Apparently I'm someone's favorite now.
His response came almost immediately.
Ezra:You always were.
I read the message twice.
Then a third time.
And suddenly, that stupid contract didn't seem nearly as intimidating as it had five minutes ago.