Contractual Obligation: The Trilogy (9 page)

Closing the door behind them, Michael pulled Natalie closer. “Together, we can have it all,” he whispered.

A deep sigh slipped from Natalie’s lips. Looking into his eyes, she believed every word he said. She wanted to, needed to take him at his word. It was all she had.

Drawing his hand down the side of her face, Michael stared at Natalie’s lips. They were a soft pink, and with barely a moment passing, he pressed his mouth to hers. He wanted to drink her in, taste her essence, and get lost in her beauty. He wanted to forget everything going on around them and lie naked in bed, feeling her warm skin pressed to his own. He knew in those moments the entire world would stop spinning, and everyone but them would cease to exist.

The bed was only a few steps away, but it seemed so far. Michael pressed her to the door, his hands up over her, wanting to swallow her up. Pulling back only long enough to move from her lips to her jawline, his soft kisses trailed down along her neck. His fingers brushed her hair aside, and with tender nibbles, he milked her skin.

Natalie’s breathing grew unsteady, and with every kiss and suckle she felt herself falling deeper and deeper. There was no going back. She knew the moment their bodies came together again, she’d be his, tied to him emotionally and wanting more. She wasn’t good with the casual sex thing. She always got attached too fast, and this would be no exception.

Condoms, they needed to remember condoms. The thought drifted through her mind and was gone as fast as it had made itself known. His lips on her skin sent tingles of electricity through her. Natalie closed her eyes and sank into the pleasure. She wanted more, her body responded with a slow arch of her back. Her nipples were pert and pressed tight to the fabric of her bra, wanting to escape, wanting to feel his warm mouth. Her panties were damp from her arousal. She wanted Michael more than she’d wanted anybody in a long time.

His fingers were nimble, quickly releasing the material covering her body. His mouth never left her skin, and as he undressed her, his hunger became more apparent. There was desperation, a hunger that was driving him. This was no longer just about desire, it was salvation. She didn’t know – she couldn’t know that he had nothing else holding him together anymore. He needed her more than ever. She was going to be the key to his sanity through the craziness of the current situation that was unraveling around him.

He was scared for his future, for his world collapsing, for his father’s future, but with Natalie he felt alive and like he could start over. He could take on the challenges if she was by his side. He could build a new dream, pick up the pieces and build a life, and more than anything he could feel like he was in control of his life again.

Control was something that eluded him lately. He always thought he held the reins so tightly, making his own choices, guiding his path. Only all of it spiraled, leaving him grasping for straws, and the only thing left to hold onto was the woman before him. He drew life from her, and would put everything into her. He’d make love to her with a passion and hunger he’d never known before. He’d show her she could trust him with her heart, and with her life.

Michael led Natalie to the bed, and laying her down, he stripped off the remainder of his clothing. He needed nothing more than to be inside of her, penetrating her, filling her, letting her body’s warmth welcome him.

As their bodies tangled in heated lust, the couple grew together knowing there was something more than either expected. A fire burned deep within them, and as they connected, the longing to hold on became desperation. Outside of the bedroom it wasn’t the same, while sharing their bodies there was so much more.

Being within her, Michael wasn’t alone. His hands moved over her body with precision, learning every inch and curve, listening to her coos and sighs as he touched her, and then bringing her to clenching peak when she couldn’t take anymore. She cried out with pleasure. Michael smoldered with affection, wanting to hold her forever.

Natalie curled into him, his fingers tenderly dancing across her skin. Every bit of her tingled, and the tiniest hairs on her skin stood on edge. He made her feel amazing, and when she was in his arms, everything felt right. There was something special between them. They both felt it. Everything stopped. They were the only people that existed in those moments, and she wanted to stay in his arms forever.

They finally pulled apart, their passionate encounter still swirling about them. Following him down the stairs and outside, they said their good-byes once again before Michael turned away. That was when the flash went off, and another. Michael and Natalie covered their faces and ran back into the security of the building. What was going on? He hadn’t had cameras following him for a while now.

Running back upstairs, he thumbed through his phone to his father’s name and sent him a message. There was no answer. Something changed; Michael could feel it in his gut. Why would they have followed him or found him here?

Flipping on the news, Natalie scanned the stations, looking for a hint of an update. Nothing was obvious.

Finally on a local news station, there was a quick mention. “Bowman Industries may be forced into bankruptcy after a tax issue and records showing that they were knowingly selling faulty products that should have been recalled. The more they investigate, the worse it looks,” the newsperson said.

Michael looked at Natalie. His entire world was crumbling. His entire life felt like a lie. How was it even possible? They didn’t have defective parts, and he was certain if they were aware of it, they would have fixed it. They were insulators – what could possibly be faulty?

It was found that one of the chemicals used in making the product let off a toxic fume at a certain temperature, and investigators found that his father, Kent Davidson, was aware and signed off on it. It would have cost too much money to alter it, so he doctored records and had signed them, stating that they’d made the changes, though they never did.

The more details that came out, the sicker Michael became.

The company was crumbling, and Michael would end up going down with it if he didn’t bail now. He was torn between wanting to get out and knowing that he’d put his entire life into this company and trust in his father. The betrayal was heartbreaking.

Natalie knew she might never see the money that was promised to her. She had an out
- and a big one. And yet when she and Michael were in bed, there was nowhere else she wanted to be. Could she keep him if she told him she wanted out? Would he still want her - a small child, running away scared?

As more and more details leaked out, Michael learned that not only was his father in on this, but James was as well. The lawyer that had been by his father’s side for years, the one that handled so many of their files and details, the one Michael trusted with too much. Everything he knew was a lie.

There were fake accounts. There were bits and pieces of a puzzle that was unfolding. James was not only his father’s lawyer, but his lover. Michael’s entire world crashed to the ground. Nothing he knew anymore was the truth. He’d been lied to, he’d been deceived, and he’d never once been trusted with the truth of how much the man meant to his father. He felt like an outsider looking in. How long had this been going on? As each piece of news came to him, it pushed Michael deeper into a rabbit’s hole he didn’t want to look down.

The smear campaign started, and their pictures were splashed through the headlines with scandal and money at the base.

When the final bits of news came out, Michael knew what he had to do. It was time for him to let go, let his father clean up his own mess, and say good-bye to the company he thought would be his future. He’d have to start over. He’d lost everything, money was frozen, and his father’s lies shattered him. He never trusted him with the truth, never gave him the option to know who he truly was. Looking at his father, he saw a stranger. He would have been happy that his father found someone to care about.
He would have tried to talk his father out of some of the choices he was making financially – but Michael was just a causality in his father’s life.

It all came to a head when Kent asked to see him on getting the news that Michael was cutting ties with not only him, but the company too.

His father was holed up with an ankle bracelet waiting for his trial, but as a flight risk, he was being monitored. Michael finally confronted him, not even sure he wanted to face him anymore.

“I was going to hand the company off to you and retire. We were going to travel the world.”

“We, as in James.”

His father looked down. He wasn’t ashamed of James, but he’d never had this discussion with his son. “Yes, with James,” he said delicately.

“Why didn’t you tell me? All those wives, all the lies…” Michael trailed off, hardly able to look at his dad. “I wouldn’t have cared. I just wanted to know you had an actual beating heart in your chest, not just some empty chamber. You used all of those women.”

“And they used me, just like your Natalie uses you. It’s a job, Michael.
Never let it be anything more.”

“You’re wrong, Dad. It’s become more.”

“We’ll see. When the money fades away, we’ll see if she’s still standing by your side.”

“Why didn’t you trust me?”

“I didn’t want you involved. This way your hands are clean. I was trying to set up our future.”

“We had enough. W
hy did you need more?”

“You always need more, Michael. You set a goal, and then you keep pushing the bar higher. It’s a way of life. It’s what we as Americans do.”

Michael’s fist was clenched and his jaw tight. His shoulders hunched up, stress seeping from them freely. There was no hiding his anger, his pain, his infuriation at the way his father threw all of their lives away, just like that.

The words came out quietly, softly, and the pain they caused was immense. Shards of glass shattered from around the man, striking out at the one who had broken him down. “I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you for the lies. Good luck with your trial.” And with that Michael walked out the door, not looking back, not wanting to see his father’s face one last time.

Standing on the other side of the door, Michael’s heart raced and his throat burned. He was crushed, but knew he had to move on, like a phoenix rising out of the ashes. He’d start over. This wasn’t the life he wanted anymore, one filled with lies and people he no longer trusted.

He didn’t want to go home, yet didn’t have a clue where he wanted to be. Even the comfort of Natalie’s arms wouldn’t make the difference he needed in his life. The scar was etched on his heart permanently – his mother was gone and his father no longer a part of his life. Michael stood alone looking up to the sky, seeking an answer that wouldn’t come.

He had nowhere else to go. Walking up the stairs, he finally reached Natalie’s floor. He stood before her doorway, just needing a friend. A light knock on the door brought her to him. On seeing him there, she opened her arms and took him in. He looked broken, like a lost child.

Natalie ran her hand over his back, rubbing it gently, keeping her voice soft. “It’s going to be okay.” She was certain it had to do with his father; he didn’t have to say anything. She stroked his arm, looking at the fallen man. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. He had nothing left to say.

Natalie pulled him closer, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. “Why don’t we go sit down?” She felt the weight of the moment, seeing it in his face. He looked emotionally drained.

Michael’s hand rubbed at the back of his neck. His voice was softer, almost mumbling. “I can’t do it anymore. I told him I was finished.”

The anguish in his voice, his body... she wanted to take away his pain, but knew she couldn’t. Feeling helpless, all she could do was lean against him and be there to listen. She hoped it was enough.

Michael’s stomach was sick, knotted with nausea, but he knew the cause of it. It wasn’t some stomach virus; it was simply the truth of his life. The lies, the pain, the heartache…at least Natalie was here for him.

“There is no money,” he finally said, spitting out the words he didn’t want to admit. “I have to start over. I’ll be scraping to get by. I can’t offer you what I once could, but I think we have more than some paper holding us together.” He needed to know she’d stay by his side, and that what his father said was wrong. She wouldn’t slink away when the money was gone. They meant more to each other than that. They’d grown as a couple, fallen for one another, and she’d stand beside him. He was sure of it.

“I don’t care about the money,” she whispered.

Looking into her eyes, he saw the truth. His fingers moved tenderly over her cheek. Brushing her hair behind her shoulder, he smiled a sad smile. “I never thought this was how life would turn out, but you ended up being the best gift my father gave me.”

Her heart was breaking. If she could take away his pain, she would.

She wanted to say it would all be over soon, but she knew this would scar him for years. There was just too much, and it seemed like every week that passed, a new revelation came out.

“I’ve never felt this way,” he started, almost embarrassed to say it. Was it too soon? She knew. He’d mentioned he was falling for her, but this – this was different. She was facing a storm with him, willing to stay. She had a right to know he was committed. “I know I said in the past that I wouldn’t be monogamous.” He took a long breath. “I was wrong. There’s nobody else that I want besides you. I’ve fallen in love with you. There’s something special here.”

“I feel it too,” she started, “but I need to be honest. I’m scared of where this will go. What if you get bored? What if there are more problems? What will we do when it’s all over? Will I just be the girl that got you through the rough spot?”

“You’ll be so much more. We have a binding contract, but I’d like a different one someday soon.”

“Are you saying?”

“I want to follow through? Yes.”

Natalie took a deep breath. “That’s big.”

“You were going to marry me anyway. Now there will just be real feelings, not empty ones.”

“I’m scared. What if it’s a mistake? What if you’re rushing in because you’re trying to comfort yourself and not face reality?”

“You, me… this feels amazing. Don’t you feel it?”

Natalie looked into Michael’s eyes. Any other time this kind of conversation would be taking place after spending more time together – but this, this felt like rushing. And yet, she was going to marry him anyway when it was a contract with money involved. So why was she holding off now? What was stopping her from following through? It was all like some weird dream, surreal, watching her life go by, and she wasn’t sure what to do next.

“It’s just, well, it’s fast.”

“What do you say, will you marry me?”

Natalie studied Michael’s face. “You’ve already asked me on paper.”

“This is different and you know it.”

She looked down. “I need time to think about things. My head is spinning. Don’t get me wrong, I adore you, but it’s so much bigger than that.”

Michael stood and paced. “It was an immature thing to do, dive in without thinking first.” The rejection stung, but she was right. It was too fast, too soon. Only now he was agitated.

“I don’t know what the future holds.”

“Me,” he answered firmly. He was tired of being jerked around. First his father was lying to him, and now this? She’d already signed on, chosen to take the job, but now that he has real feelings, she’s second guessing things? Michael shook his head. “You chose this, chose me, you took the job. Now you have me and you don’t want me?”

“I didn’t say that.” She tried to soothe him, but could see the storm brewing in his eyes.

“Just forget the whole damn thing.” Michael pulled his clothes back on and slammed the door
.

Natalie sighed and dropped her head into her hands. How did it turn into this? What was she doing?