All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Bargain: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

NATALIE'S POV.It made a lot of difference, his being cool-headed at that moment when we went into the airport to see off Brandon. My thoughts were furtively going back to his face, all wrinkled in worry while he was leaving, and thought clung to how long he thought this time would last. It was heart-wrenching, soul-crushing hollow agony at the pit of the stomach. But deep down, I knew it had to be done for our sake.I walked into the living room to meet Rebecca. Sprawled out, like it was an everyday thing for her to be doing so, she seemed to sit in some other way that which was upright and classy at the same time. Her eyes rose from the book they had trailed into, then she let fly her warm smile in my direction."Natalie honey," she said, standing and coming over to me. "Glad to see you.""Rebecca, I had not anticipated your coming," embracing her back, and though this was quite a formal relationship, there was something about her that made one feel comfortable.She said to me, pull

Mostly left to his own devices, I turned back to his drink. Now, the amber liquor swirled. It hadn't been until now, the alcohol actually hitting him, that thoughts traveled at light speed to becoming sowed. Freshly turned earth. Planted. Placed for and meant to be harvested, I was getting that weird excitement and dread mix. Finally allowing himself to think of Natalie. But at least he was relieved; at least his feelings toward her were not so terribly horrible, not what they could be.Once more, he sipped from the glass and felt the warmth draining into his gut. Although it did little to assuage the rising lightheaded feel, it was already starting to go to his head; he realized he might have overdone it. I should go, he managed to mumble to himself, fumbling to find his way upright.But in the effort to rise, the world would pretty nearly go mad—tilting fiendishly—one way and another…eddy back to the bar on the sudden jerk to find support. The vision would blur, and there would be a

Brandon's PovThe taxi stopped in front of my hotel and I was barely able to catch my breath. Still shaking, I paid the fare, all but spilling out of the car, reeling like a man about to collapse. Events of the morning weighed upon me like a heavy burden. My head still reeled from both hangover and shock at finding myself in bed with Arlys.How in hell had things spiraled so far out of control? How could I have let myself make such a huge mistake?As I stepped into the hotel lobby my phone buzzed once more. It was Anthony."I'm outside," he said, now wide awake. "What the hell's going on?"I watched him pace by the front door, quite clearly worried. It was weirdly comforting to think Anthony was there but still managed to drop me further into anxiety. How could I explain any of this?I walked through the door, and Anthony stopped dead in his tracks as he saw me. His brow arched as laid-back gave way to confusion and concern."Brandon, dude, you look like death warmed over," he said, c

Brandon's POVThe moment I came back from London, the guilt had been harbored inside my heart. It allowed no room to breathe and it was such an adamant thing that would not let go. Like a dark cloud always in my mind, reminding me just how grave a mistake I committed and what a secret I kept from Natalie. The rare times when I could look into her eyes without feeling the lowest scum on earth, at each of her smiles-now a sweet, innocent smile thrown at me-struck sharp pangs of shame in my chest.How did I let things get that far? I should have made sure I cut every tie with Arlys to avoid what happened.Teaching I had hoped in due course of time would bury deeper and move along, wasn't quite that simple. That picture of Arlys in my bed played a thousand times over in my head and taunted me. That smirking look of hers that morning curled my lips, it all got documented in the cells of my brain. The night was so drunk, lost in fumes of alcohol and bad decisions, now I had to live with it.

Natalie's POVThe morning in the restaurant had been busy, but finally, some afternoon lull appeared, which gave me the chance to catch my breath and think about something other than work. It was ages since I saw Brandon's mother Rebecca, and all of a sudden I started feeling how much her presence was missed.She was always nice to me because of this ever-pressing turbulence between Brandon and his family. And so I went over to them, hoping to have a nice afternoon.I had done everything that needed doing, passed it on to my assistant, and left. The backseat was comfortable, and my mind began to stray. Something tugged in my brain concerning Brandon, but I'd just blown that off. We will sort that out later. Now, all that I wanted was to be with Rebecca.Finally, as I was approaching her estate, my driver slowed down since some other car seemed to materialize from the opposite direction. I went forward and peered into an immensely familiar sleek black car driving out. My heart barely m