Isabella: Our Adopted Baby

Chapter 6

The elevator doors closed and I felt my chest tightened. I signed the contract. I signed over my rights to Giovanni. It felt like such a stupid decision. I couldn't believe I went through with it.

But I needed the money. I couldn't stay in my apartment if I couldn't pay for the rent or utilities. My landlord surely wouldn't want me around if I wasn't working. I had no other choice.

"My wife is very excited to meet you. She has a very nurturing personality. We've been through several applicants but no one that has lasted more than the contracted days. We're hoping things will be different this time."

"I wonder why," I mumbled.

"Care to repeat that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I crossed my arms over my chest and stared straight ahead. It was going to be a long thirty days.

The elevator stopped on the third floor. It dinged before the doors opened. Two people, a man and a woman, stood in front of us, waiting to enter the elevator.

Before I could even take a step, Giovanni grabbed me by my shoulders and moved me out of the way. He backed up against the wall and pulled me so I was pressed against his body. I tried to squirm out of his grip but he wasn't letting go.

The people who entered the elevator didn't bat an eye at us. They looked to see what floor we were going to and didn't press any buttons. I guess they were leaving, too.

I gritted my teeth as the elevator slowly made its descent to the bottom floor. I wanted out of his grip and away from him. Trying to get free wasn't working and I didn't want to try anything that would risk me getting smacked again.

When the doors opened on the first floor, Giovanni waved at the doors. "Go ahead."

The man nodded at him and the two exited the elevator.

Giovanni kept hold of my arm as we exited the elevator. He pulled me aside so we weren't in anyone's way. "Stay by my side when we go outside. If you run off, you'll be punished."

I sighed. "I know."

"Isabella, I won't take your disrespect. It's my job to take care of you. I'm going to do so how I see fit."

"I already told you that you don't need to take care of me."

"You signed the contract so now you don't get to make that decision."

I rolled my eyes.

"That's enough." He kept hold of my arm as he started walking. He ignored the receptionists as we walked out of the building. He pulled me toward the right and around the side of the building.

I swallowed down the ball of fear that was slowly growing in me. We had entered an alleyway and I didn't feel too safe. When I was in the city, I avoided alleyways because I didn't know if there were people inside or not. I wanted to avoid being mugged at all costs.

"There's a parking garage at the end of the block. It's mostly used for employee parking but Jennifer was able to give me access whenever I come in."

"What about my car? It's gonna get towed if I don't move it."

"I'll have someone move it to a garage for you during the time you're under contract."

"It won't be ticketed, will it?"

He shook his head. "No, you won't have to worry about that."

"I take it you won't let me use my car until the contract is up."

"No. If there's anywhere you have to go, we will take you there."

I frowned. Every liberty I had as an adult was being taken from me. I wasn't sure how it was a good thing. Maybe Giovanni and his wife were just crazy enough to think it was normal.

We walked up to the parking garage. The attendant waved us over.

"May I see identification, please?"

Giovanni nodded and pulled out his wallet. He held it out to the woman sitting inside the small booth.

She looked at it fairly quickly before she nodded. "Go ahead."

Giovanni thanked her and led the way inside the garage. We rounded the corner and walked up the incline. Giovanni clicked a key fob and the headlights of a Land Rover turned on.

My eyes widened. He really did have money.

He opened the back door on the passenger side and an actual car seat sat inside. One that looked like it was for babies.

I took a step back. He'd let go of me since I was in between two cars and a wall. There was nowhere for me to go. "I'm not using that."

"Contract, Isabella."

"Stop throwing the contract in my face."

"I'm not throwing it in your face. I'm simply reminding you of the rules."

"What if I don't get in? I don't like being forced to do things."

"You know the rules, Isabella. If you don't listen and do as I say, you'll be punished."

I groaned. "This isn't fair."

"You don't think making $100,000 for very minimal work is fair?"

"You suck." I walked toward the open door and stared in at the seat. It didn't look uncomfortable just... childish.

"Watch it, Isabella. Talking back will get you spanked."

I rolled my eyes, knowing he couldn't see, and climbed up into the car. I awkwardly tried to sit down in the seat but all the buckles kept sliding down under me.

Giovanni got uncomfortably close to me and reached his hand between my legs. "Let me help you."

"Don't touch me."

Instead of getting mad at me, he actually lowered his voice so it was softer when he spoke. "I won't touch you, Isabella. I'm just trying to help you." He pulled out part of the buckle and stuck two halves of a buckle into the open slits. "Sit back."

Curious, I did as he said. He pulled the straps from behind my shoulders around to the front of my body and instructed me to put my arms through. I did as he said and he closed the clasp over my chest. He wiggled the clasp for a few seconds before he took a step back.

Surveying what he had just done, I saw I was in a three-point car seat. I wasn't sure how I was small enough to fit in it comfortably. Maybe they made car seats big enough for adults.

It would be weird if they did.

Giovanni stepped back and shut the car door without another word.

My head fell back against the seat and I groaned into my hands. What the hell did I get myself into?