Billionaire's Perfect Revenge [18+]

FORTY TWO

Two days passed in absolute anxiety. And now the moment I had been dreading since the second Maddox handed me the property papers of mom's shop was finally staring me in the face.

There was so much to unfold this time. So much had changed since the last time I saw mom.

And Brandon.

Hesitation crept on my nerves like hissing snakes as I drew another deep breath and held the strap of my bag tighter.

"I can talk to them if you prefer it that way," Maddox whispered next to me, tapping a finger on the steering wheel, his gaze firm on me. "There's no need to do it alone."

"No. I want to do this on my own," I said for the millionth time perhaps, and as stubborn as the last time. But the thing was, no matter how much stronger I was trying to make myself feel, the more nervous I was growing.

It was mom we were talking about after all. It was Brandon. The two most important people in my life. I knew the moment they would hear about the marriage, they were going to flip. Especially Brandon. Mom at least knew a few minor details about Maddox and our encounters—not the intimate details, but a little bit here and there—but Brandon...I had deliberately kept him in the dark all this time. He knew about the incident when I poured the red wine on Maddox, but that was it. He never asked for details, and I never felt the need to bother him.

According to the contract, no other person except me and Maddox should get even the hint of such an agreement. But the truth was that even if a clause like that hadn't been there, I wouldn't have mentioned it to mom and Brandon either way. Not only was it embarrassing, but also something that could hurt them. Deeply. I didn't want them to judge me, even though I never had a say on the matter.

"Do it your way, then," Maddox said and finally peeled his gaze away from me. I felt the side of my face burn a little less because of that and not because something cold seeped into my flesh.

I frowned before facing him. "What's with the long face?" I asked him instead.

"What long face?" he scoffed, shipping his stern gaze to the other side. "It's my normal face."

Hell, it was! Not that it should trouble me in any way. Him being mad should be a good thing. I should try to have these moments more often. I should annoy him to his bones.

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes and unclasped the seatbelt. "I can take a cab when I'm done here."

Hand on the door, I almost pushed it open when a hand curled around my nape and I was yanked back, lips pressing against him.

"What—" he ate my words and moved his lips over me in utmost urgency. I drew my hands to his face, trying to shove him back, but he grabbed them by the wrists and tucked them behind my back. Pulling me to him and deepening the kiss. Holding me in a way everything inside me revolted. But despite everything, I felt myself growing warm and dizzy and...