Contractual Obligation: The Trilogy

by Keller, Lauren

  How do you do business as usual when you don’t have the money to pay the bills? He growled with anger, not even sure what to do or what this would mean. Would his father serve time or just have a massive bill to pay, and what of Michael’s career, his family’s company? They were just breaking into the international market – the growth would have been incredible. Only now he didn’t know if they’d be left with two nickels to rub together, their company burned to the ground out of his father’s greed.

  Dropping to his chair, Michael pressed his forehead to the desk. There were no easy answers. Each scenario was worse than the next. He wanted to throw a temper tantrum like a small child, to shove everything off of his desk, but that wouldn’t solve anything. He hated feeling out of control. There was no worse feeling in the world.

  He’d only just left Natalie’s bed the night before, and in such a short time his entire world shifted on its axis. Up until his father’s news, Natalie was the only thing he could think of, and right now he’d give anything in the world to be able to focus on her in place of this monstrosity.

  He wanted to remember milking her porcelain skin with his lips, running his fingers through her lush hair, and treasure in the memories of their naked bodies tangled together. But all of that was slipping away, and what remained was his father’s error in judgment fogging his brain.

  How would he tell her? It’s not like he could drag her through the mud with them. There would be bad publicity; their name along with the company would be smeared through the media, and the thought of forcing her to stay along for the ride left him cold. He’d need to let her go; he couldn’t afford to pay her anyway if all the accounts were frozen. He’d trusted his father’s guy with his investments, and every account associated to them would be useless. They were tied into the company. His assets, his home, the cars, the company, it would all be locked and he wouldn’t hold the key. Who would pay the bills with the government freezing their accounts?

  His father swore it would only be him touched by it all. It was personal and corporate tax evasion, and as owner of the company, his actions were being questioned and he had to face the fire. The problem was that Michael had all of his personal investments tied to the growth of the company, and his accounts would be frozen as well.

  His anger was mounting again, his frustration bitter, and he was spitting at the bit wanting to yell, shout, or hit something, anything. His father was taking them all down with him, whether he intended to or not.

  Things were going to get ugly, and it was only starting. Just when he thought his life was getting better, just when he’d met an incredible woman, just when he thought he could fall in love and live a fulfilling life, it all came crashing down. He’d be left with nothing but scars and the pain of his father’s truth.

  Michael unbuttoned his collar. He was suffocating, unable to breathe as the news grew in his mind. This was real, not just some make believe shit. He had no idea what it meant for his future, but he’d be damn sure he wouldn’t drown in the process. If his father was going down, he’d brought it on himself and there was no way Michael was taking the fall with him.

  His shoulders tensed. Michael rubbed his neck, his fingers digging into his flesh, trying to hit a pressure point that would loosen the pain of overly tight muscles. The stress was settling into his body and bones already, and he knew it was just the beginning.

  Standing, he kicked his trashcan over, knowing it was a childish thing to do, but without a proper way to vent he wasn’t sure where to put his anger. If he had time to get a workout in, he’d sweat it out, but it would have to wait. There were too many questions that needed answers.

  Michael pressed his hands to the glass of the window, staring out at the city, and tried to calm himself. Closing his eyes, he pictured himself over Natalie, her body naked and beautiful, the way she looked at him as he penetrated her, her soft whispers and moans of pleasure…

  The knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Spinning, he saw his father entering. He had nothing left to say, or maybe he did.

  “What do you want? To tell me more lies? Haven’t ruined my life enough yet?”

  His father stared. “A little compassion maybe,” he started. “Your old man may end up in jail or financially ruined.”

  “And you’ll drag us all down with you,” Michael shot out.

  His father looked away. Kent Davidson’s silver hair was perfectly in place until his hand ran up through it. “Look, kid, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  “What, get caught?”

  Kent looked down. “I just wanted you to know what’s going on,” he said, his normal cocky demeanor sullen.

  “I know what’s going on. You cheated and lied, and now we’ll all suffer. What the hell were you thinking?”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “Obviously.”

  The two men looked at one another. “Anyway, I’m sorry,” Kent offered.

  “Little too late,” Michael spat out. “Our entire world is about to crumble.”

  “We can rebuild.”

  “With you behind bars?”

  “I should go.” His father turned around and walked out.

  Michael couldn’t find sympathy. He was too angry he’d been lied to all these years.

  Chapter 2

  Natalie woke with a smile. She couldn’t stop thinking about Michael over her, his body, the pleasure – oh my goodness, the pleasure. She hadn’t expected to fall for the guy when she signed the stupid paper, but how could she not? He was gorgeous, interesting, and they had a connection. She went from nervously fearing the next five years to looking forward to them. This could turn into love, true love, and maybe even a family.

  Rolling out of bed, she flipped on a news channel and rummaged through the fridge. Pulling out a slice of cold pizza, she heated the oven so she could warm it. Finally settling in front of the television, she daydreamed, barely paying attention. It wasn’t until Kent Davidson’s face splashed across the screen that she snapped out of her fog.

  “What the…” Quickly unmuting the sound, she caught the tail end. “And in local news, Kent Davidson of Bowman Industries is being charged with tax evasion, owing both the state and federal government millions of dollars.”

  She mouthed the words, oh my god.

  Does Michael know? Of course, he has to know. Was he involved? What does this mean, and what does it mean for the company?

  Would being seen with them hurt her reputation? Here she was trying to help clean up Michael’s reputation, and she might have to worry about her own. Her mind switched between anger at herself for locking in to a five year contract and frustration that she knew damn well she was falling for the guy.

  “Breathe,” she grunted out, trying to force her mind elsewhere as the panic rose inside. What would this mean for the next five years of her life?

  Natalie rocked in place and mindlessly scratched the back of her hand. She knew it was nerves, the anxiety washing through her, but not knowing all of the details made her feel like she was dangling on a string, desperately trying not to fall off.

  Okay, so what's the worst case scenario? She knew it came down to money. If their assets were frozen, there wouldn’t be any money. Yet if Michael had his own investments...Still, he wouldn’t need her anymore, especially now. Maybe they could dissolve the contract, free him from owing her money, and free her from being tied into their mess while it’s splashed across the newspapers.

  Swallowing, she was conflicted. She wanted out, but she was locked in, and such a fool for signing that stupid paper. And for what? Money that won't even exist after this.

  With a heavy sigh, she stood and paced. The timer beeped, letting her know the food was ready, only food was the last thing she wanted right now. She took the slice of pizza from the oven and threw it back in the fridge.

  Okay, so maybe she was overreacting. She didn’t know anything yet, and maybe it was a fluke. Maybe she misheard and he was just under investigation. Besides, he�
�ll probably just get a hefty fine and have to pay back the money, but they’ll stretch it out over twenty years or something, right?

  It most likely wouldn’t even touch their day to day business, and Michael would be fast at work. This probably wasn’t even a blip on the radar. These things happen all the time, right?

  There was just one problem. If he was found guilty, it could mar her reputation to be seen around them. Digging through the stack of papers that held her signature, she searched desperately for a loophole. Getting out would be the smartest thing. So she wasn’t a super successful model, but at least her face wouldn’t get splashed across the front page of the paper with a cheat, a liar, and a white collar criminal. He had to know, right? Was he involved? It was too much to fathom.

  Michael was just in her bed, making love to her, making her feel so incredible. Their bodies tangled together, the steamy encounter leaving her breathless – and now this.

  Is this the real reason he tied her into the contract? Was this the truth he didn’t want to admit?

  There was only one way to find out. Grabbing her phone, she dialed his number. Voicemail. Shit. She didn’t leave a message. What would she do, demand answers? What if he just lied? Not a single damn loophole showed itself in the contract.

  Groaning, she shoved the papers across the counter. Why did she have to sleep with him? It was a stupid mistake, foolish, absolutely foolish. She knew better than to mix business and pleasure, and now all she was left with were lies and a great big mess.

  When she finally reached him, Natalie had one question. “Did you know?”

  “Not a single bit of it,” he sighed. “Listen, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t think I should be discussing the details with you.”

  “So it’s okay to marry me, but not tell me what the future will be?”

  “Natalie, I don’t even know at this point.”

  “I’m sorry,” she huffed. “I wasn’t expecting to see your father on the local news.”

  “It was on the news?” He muttered under his breath, “Shit.”

  “Will you call me later?”

  “Yeah.” He sounded defeated, worn, and weary.

  She wanted this call to be different. She wanted to be warm and playful, reminding him of their passionate night, but that barely existed in her mind at this point. Her future was up in the air, being juggled, and she had no idea when she would fall.

  “Natalie, I’m sorry.”

  She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing. “Call me later,” she finally whispered before hanging up.

  Slipping her finger through her hair, she twisted a piece around it, before letting it go. What now?

  The guilt slithered into her like a shadow after hearing his voice. She was so fast to want to cut and run, and he was obviously hurting. She should be there for him. After all, she’d be his wife. Another deep breath, and blowing through her lips, she thought about what that really meant – his wife.

  Would she still have accepted the job to become Mrs. Davidson if she’d known about this? Wait… her name. She wasn’t changing her name. He’d just have to accept it. Natalie Cooper was her professional name. That wasn’t part of the deal.

  With a big stretch and then pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she padded over to Mrs. Burton’s house to feed Emily. Sitting with the cat, she shared the latest news. This wasn’t something she could tell her family, and the few friends she managed to have weren’t the kind of friends she shared secrets with. Victoria, her agent, was the closest person she had in town, and she wouldn’t trust her with the tiniest secret – she was a gossip.

  Emily rubbed against her leg, a purr ringing through her like a motorboat.

  “What would you do?” She slipped her hand over the cat’s silky fur, and realized she’d miss talking to the cat when Mrs. Burton got home later this week. She was due home any day.

  The frustration settled in her chest, mixing with sadness. It was a heavy feeling, and as she waded through the mess of her life, she stroked the kitty. She finally headed back to her own apartment after making sure Emily’s food and water were refreshed.

  Even the simplest task like taking a shower felt overwhelming. Curling back onto her bed, Natalie pulled the blanket around her and buried her face in her pillow. Inhaling, she could almost still smell traces of his spicy cinnamon cologne.

  Her mind drifted back to their moments in bed, his hands caressing her body, playing her like a finely tuned instrument. The look on his face as he entered her, the way he felt inside. She wanted to go back in time, share in that moment again and act like this new information had never come out. The child in her wanted to run away, pretend like it wasn’t happening – but it was.

  When her phone rang, she knew who it was. Her stomach clenched up, realizing she’d have to discuss things she didn’t want to. Reaching up, she rubbed the back of her neck before finally answering. With a quick bite of her lip, she clicked the button.

  “Hey,” her voice was soft.

  “Hey.”

  “What’s going on? I saw the news.”

  “I didn’t know. I just found out this morning.”

  “Oh.”

  Michael shook his head and wrinkled his nose. “I’m so disgusted. How could he have lied to me all this time? Not that it matters now,” he trailed off, not sure what else to say. “Anyway, I’m sorry this happened. I don’t know what it means, but I’m learning quickly.” Michael’s stomach knotted, and all he wanted to do was run away and pretend like it wasn’t happening, but it was. His usual take charge mentality was nowhere to be found as he sat stunned by the realization that his entire world had just crashed to the ground.

  Natalie’s hand slipped across her forehead, self soothing. This wasn’t what she signed up for, and was more than she bargained for. An overwhelming sensation sank in her belly. She wasn’t even sure what to say. She wanted to comfort him, but all she could think about was her own predicament. She wanted to retreat inside, now that she had the chance to talk about it. She realized that she’d rather sweep it under the carpet and say good-bye. How could she even get those words out?

  “Michael,” her voice was shaky, “this wasn’t part of our agreement.” She hated herself the second the words were out, and quickly corrected them. “If I just knew what to expect, it might make it easier.”

  Michael slumped in his chair, and closed his eyes. “Can I see you?” Relieved that she wasn’t begging to get away, he breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Sure,” she answered quietly. This was a mistake. You need to get out of this, there has to be a loophole. “Things will work out,” she tried to soothe him, but they were just empty words and they both knew that. It’s what they both needed to hear. Natalie felt trapped. The question was how to bring it up without crushing the man she cared about. This was her life and she wouldn’t throw it away on his father’s stupid mistakes.

  Chapter 3

  When he showed up, he wasn’t the man she recognized. The Michael she knew was strong and confident. He owned his space and was the type of guy that seemed like he could handle anything. This man standing before her was a shell, merely the casing of what looked like Michael Davidson.

  Natalie opened her arms, letting him in.

  “This could be good for the company, me cleaning up my reputation,” he mumbled. “At least it’s one thing I’m doing right.”

  She felt the stone sink in her stomach.

  He rambled, “If we could just clean up the mess, maybe we can salvage things. Assets are frozen, my father’s been officially charged, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  Pulling back, he looked at her. “You’ll stay, right? I mean, I know it’s a gamble, but it’s still worth the risk. This will all blow over and things will go back to normal.”

  She didn’t know what to say. She thought they could make something happen, that it could be real, that they might fall in love, but all he could focus on was reputation.

  “Nata
lie, I don’t know how to say this, but the money…” He caught his breath. “All my investments were involved in company growth. I have very little available to me.” He knew what she was thinking. She couldn’t hide it. “Right,” he nodded.

  “Michael,” she swallowed hard, “I can’t afford to wait.”

  “You could model, keep earning. Nobody said you had to give up your work. I didn’t expect you to.”

  “This isn’t fair. It’s not what I signed up for.”

  “It will be worth the gamble, and when this is over you’ll get your portion of the deal.” He wasn’t sure if he resented her desire to pull out, or if he was hurt she was bailing. Either way, it stung.

  If only she knew he cared about her and not just about his reputation, but he already made that clear. She had her own reputation to worry about. After all, her face was her money.

  A hard edge showed itself. “You signed a contract.”

  The firmness bit at her. When he walked into her home, she saw a broken man, a sad, lonely boy. She wanted to make things better. But that last comment, it was completely uncalled for. Reeling, she couldn’t help but become defensive. “I didn’t sign up for this.”

  “What, you thought it would be smooth sailing for five years and if we hit a snag, you’d be clawing to get out? Wow, way to stand by your signature.”

  “No need to get nasty,” she snipped. “This is different. These are criminal charges, in case you weren’t aware.” Stepping back, her arms snapped up across her chest. This wasn’t going how she thought it would. She didn’t mean to sound so cold, but he was the one to throw the contract in her face.

  He hated how this was going. He wanted to hold her, tell her it would all pass. Where was the girl he made love to the other night? Why wasn’t she standing by him? He needed her more than ever, but all that was left was the shadow of a woman that wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

  Exasperated, she sighed loudly, “What do you want from me?”