Belle Reeves
AMELIA
Landing in Bradley Knight’s world felt like a godsend. Gramps’ medical bills were piling up and I was drowning. Knight was a billionaire, he had money to burn.
“Before you agree, you should hear the terms,” he said, his fingers fussing with the leftover silverware on the table. He was a man who liked things in order. I wondered if I could fit into his world.
“I’ll take it. I’ll work for you, whatever you need.”
“It’s not exactly work. More of a personal arrangement.”
“You want me to manage your house?” I tried to hide my disappointment.
I kept my smile in place, knowing it was important in interviews. House management wasn’t music, but it was a start. Maybe if I did well, it could lead to something more.
“No, I have staff for that.” He sighed, sounding frustrated. “Let me give you some context.”
I tilted my head, showing him I was all ears.
“I went through a rough breakup six months ago.”
“You were engaged,” I blurted out. He winced. “I don’t follow the tabloids, but it was hard to miss,” I added, immediately regretting it when I saw a flicker of pain cross his usually composed face.
“We were deeply in love. I loved her, and she loved my money.”
“Oh,” was all I could manage.
“She wasn’t just cheating on me, she and her lover were plotting to swindle me out of millions.”
“How did you find out?” I asked.
“It’s not important,” he dismissed.
“Right, you don’t have to share more,” I said quickly.
“But I need to.”
He fell silent, and the quiet made me uneasy. “That must have been tough,” I said softly.
“The hardest part was that I didn’t see it coming. In business, I’m always on guard. I let someone in and it blinded me. I trusted and was betrayed.”
His next words were harsh, as if he was slicing his sentence into fragments.
“That. Will. Never. Happen. Again.”
I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t even nod. I had no idea what he wanted from me.
He’d been staring at his clenched hands.
His knuckles were white, but then we both looked up simultaneously. His face was stern and resolute, his gaze unwavering. There was a fire in his dark eyes that wasn’t just anger.
I was captivated, and I’m not sure I fully grasped what he was saying.
“I want to start a relationship with you, one with financial benefits for you that are clearly outlined in a contract, so we always know where we stand.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” I said. And then, it hit me. I knew exactly what he was proposing. “Oh my God, you want me to sleep with you for money.”
BRADLEY
“That’s a crude way to put it. I prefer ‘mutually beneficial arrangement,’” I said.
“I bet you do,” Amelia shot back.
I had misjudged. The spark in her eyes that I found so captivating vanished as if I’d extinguished it. The awe, admiration, and gratitude were replaced by a look of horror.
“You’re so open-minded, I thought…”
“I don’t care what you thought! There’s a big difference between theory and reality. I believe in space travel, but I’m not signing up for a trip to the moon!”
“I understand if you need time to consider it,” I said. I was that unaccustomed to people rejecting my offers.
“I don’t need time because I can feel it. Right here.” She pointed at her stomach. “It’s wrong for me. I can’t do it.”
She stood up and looked down at me. “I don’t want to owe you anything. I’ll pay you back for the lunch when I can.”
I grabbed her hand. “There’s no need, really.” Her face turned a shade paler.
“Maybe you’re right. Because I might just throw it back at you,” she said.
She yanked her hand from mine and clutched her stomach. Then she ran. Literally.
AMELIA
I felt nauseous as I left the restaurant. And disappointed. I had liked Bradley Knight. Past tense. When I got back to my apartment, I felt worse. It was empty. There was a note on the kitchen table. “Hospital.”
By the time I got there, the doctor told me Gramps was stable. But his face told me he didn’t have good news.
“His vitals were all over the place. We’ve given him some infusions and he’s improving a bit, but I don’t want to give you false hope. The usual treatments aren’t working.”
“What about unusual ones?” I asked.
“There’s one we could try, but it’s experimental and not covered by insurance.”
I laughed, a little hysterically. “Well, that’s not a problem because he doesn’t have insurance.”
“It’s costly.”
“I figured. When can you start? Do I need to sign something?”
“I gotta be honest with you. Even if this works, it’s not a cure. It might just give him a bit more time. You still want to do this?”
“He’s all I’ve got. Yes, I want to do this.”
And in that moment, I knew there was something else I had to face. If Bradley Knight’s offer was still on the table.