The Billionaire’s Bargain Bride

First NightConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

SADIE

I was beyond grateful to him for the way he treated me. I was thinking of not seeing the light again, literally. That was how my brother wanted me to keep in my head, that marrying someone like Cenric was a horror movie come to life.

I was hoping that this was not just his way to earn my trust, to keep me on his leash so that I would not be a pain in his ass. Or he was just kind without any hidden agenda at all, and he was getting bored with his life as a billionaire bachelor. But he made it clear that he didn’t want to get married. It didn’t make any sense right now, but I would find it out.

Honestly, though, I had nothing left to offer to him. I had nothing.

After our dinner, I took the glass of the finest wine with me to the terrace, facing the beach. As much as I wanted to soak my feet in the sand again, I was beyond exhausted, but I still wanted to relish the luxury and fresh air I could have gotten for tonight.

“I brought the bottle. I thought you might need a refill.”

“Thank you.” I delightfully accepted the bottle from him. “I just don’t want you to think that I’m trying to get myself drunk.”

Cenric sat down beside me with his whiskey. He was still perfect with his dirty white shirt and pants. His hair looked messy, but it added to his perfection. He completely fascinated me.

“I have to go to another island early morning. I won’t take you with me. I don’t want to get you bored to death—”

“You don’t have to explain. I might just sleep the whole morning anyway.” I sipped my wine. My neck started to warm up to my face.

“Don’t sleep the whole morning. I arranged a spa for you.”

“I wouldn’t say no that.” I smiled at him. “I wish Zhuri is here that I can chat with while we’re on a spa together.”

“Why don’t you call her? I’ll take care of her ticket.”

“Nah. She won’t accept it anyway. You know, she thinks I’m banging a hot crypto magnet right now.” My face flushed.

“Is that what she calls me?” His eyes narrowed in amusement.

“Kinda.”

“What do you mean kinda?”

I waved my hand off to ignore him from prying. I rose from my seat and emptied my glass. “I think I’m getting drunk, and I might say something that I would regret in the morning.” I walked away from him while he was asking what that would be.

“Not saying anymore, hotshot.”

After I cleaned up in the bathroom, my nerves started to warm up, and so as my body, even if I drank a lot of water and washed my face.

I was a light drinker. He was hot, and I really wanted him—even if this wasn’t the effect of the alcohol I consumed.

After wearing something nice but not too revealing and slutty, I went right to the bed and made sure I gave a distance between us. If my husband initiated sex, I couldn’t say no. I wouldn’t decline it.

I laid down on my side, hoping my nerves would calm down before he joined me, but it never happened.

***

I woke in the middle of the night with a heavy log—a warm log draped around my waist. As much as I wanted to enjoy his warmth against my back, I had to empty my bladder, not so thankful for the water I drank before I went to bed after all.

I slowly raised his arm around my waist and slipped out of bed. Thankfully, he didn’t even stir.

After peeing, I checked my phone for a message. So far, I have only used this number to send messages to Zhuri.

I received a text from her.

ZHURI: Go, girl. Enjoy your honeymoon, and stop texting me already.

You can fill me in once you’re back.

I typed my reply.

SADIE: I wish you were here for my spa tomorrow.

She replied.

ZHURI: Spoiled already by a hot husband.

SADIE: Don’t call him that. Gtg. See you soon.

I put my phone back on top of the dresser.

Slowly, I slipped back to bed. This time, he stirred.

“Where did you go?” His voice was groggy, yet it sounded sexy, coming from him.

“Bathroom. Sorry to wake you up.”

“I’m a light sleeper. Part of being in a military.” He turned to my side, his hair messy on his forehead, making me itch to run my fingers through and push it back.

“You’re honorably discharged.”

He smiled lazily. “Yeah, after my last tour. I was supposed to go back, but my parents got into a car accident.”

“I’m so sorry.” Every time he mentioned his parents, there were pain and sorrow deep in his dark orbs. I wished I could help them ease away. I held and squeezed his arm. “When I lost my mother, I thought my world turned black. It was painful, and I had no one to open up to with the pain inside me. It was a tough time. My father didn’t care, and he hated my mother for leaving him. I, for one, couldn’t stomach how my father treated my mother. I just wished I had spent more time with her before she died, but my father didn’t allow me.”

“I’m sure she loved you more than she had shown.”

“I know.”

“Go back to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Sadie.”

I lay on my back. I felt like I turned into stone for the first time as I stared up the ceiling with a beautiful sculptured wood chandelier.

“Relax. I can feel you’re uncomfortable.”

“I never spent a night with a man.”

“I’m not just a man. You can trust me with your life. And body.”

I turned my head to look at him. He was in the same position as before, with his arm under the pillow. “I know. I just wondered—”

“What?”

“Even a teeny-tiny bit, did you ever expect more from me than how you saw me the first time?”

“Much more than what I ever imagined. I would be in hell and die unhappy if I didn’t show up yesterday.”

A small smile curved up my lips. “Why didn’t you ever come to see me?”

“I don’t wanna make mistakes. I didn’t want to get attracted to you and fall in love. I still have a lot of things to figure out for myself. I didn’t know what to do with my life after losing my parents and my brothers. So I spent my time building up my company. Somehow, it paid off. Then I saw you from afar. If you’ll ask me if I made a mistake not seeing you, maybe. Did I have regrets about staying away from you? No. I would still choose the same way I met you.”

“You surprised me. I only saw your pictures from the internet, Zhuri showed me, and they didn’t do justice.”

He smirked. “So, you’re contented, or you like better what you saw on the internet?”

I hit him playfully. “Are you kidding me?”

He caught my hand, his eyes dancing with humor. “I’m glad I made the right decision of throwing away twenty-five million dollars, Mi Cielo.”

***

The sun shone right into my eyes, forcing me to wake up to an empty bed. After what we shared last night, I started to relax around him. I felt a little bit comfortable even if I still had a lot of things to learn who Cenric Wollf really was. He was still a complicated puzzle to solve—like puzzle pieces of the same color.

I found a note tucked under my phone in a very masculine scribble.

I read and replied to your friend’s text. Check it out. I can’t afford to be late, and I can’t afford to wake you up so beautiful and peaceful. Enjoy your breakfast.

S