Indebted: Part 2: The Virgin & The Bad-Boy Billionaire (A BWWM Billionaire Romance) (2 page)

There’s no time to sit and wallow about that! I have a job interview to get ready for!
I plop down in front of my laptop to start researching. Not on my paper that’s nearly due; that’s on the back burner for the time being. Bravark is a fantasy career for me. I’m not leaving this chair until I learn everything that I can in order to make that fantasy my reality.

Chapter 2

My gurgling stomach reminds me for the fifth time in the last half hour that I haven’t eaten anything for nearly a day. There hasn’t been enough time to rummage something up from the cornucopia of left-overs and bottles of pickles littering the fridge when I have a career to plan. Satisfaction washes over me, letting me forget my rumbling tummy for a minute as I look at my neatly compiled portfolio sitting on the edge of my flimsy Ikea desk.

Laid out on my bed is a professional but stylish blazer, a conservative pink blouse and a knee length skirt for my interview. After phoning each of my top three references, and being reassured that they are ready to sing my praises if they get a call from Bravark, I’m starting to feel optimistic about my chances. I’ve just spent an hour looking up tough interview questions and practicing my answers in the mirror. It felt kinda silly, but if it helps me land this job I’ll talk to myself in the mirror every day.

My apartment buzzer lets me know the pizza is finally here.
Not a moment too soon,
my stomach reminds me with another growl. I hit the buzzer and wait by the door, holding it open with my foot while I look around the apartment for my purse. When I look back to the open door, Matthew is standing on the other side, looking rather angry.
Like he has a reason to be the angry one?

Of course, he isn’t just happy with ruining what was the best day of my life, after giving myself to him. Now he has to take the wind out of my sails when I just landed the best job opportunity of my life too?
Is there anything that this guy doesn’t want to take from me? Is there any moment that he can’t destroy?

“I’m not interested in what you have to say.”

Every muscle in his clenched jaw is stiff. “Kendra, give me three minutes. If you still don’t want to hear me out, then I’ll gladly leave you alone.”

“I don’t have three minutes for bullshit, Matthew. There are much better things I can do with that time.”

“You know, for such a smart girl, you’re making a
really
stupid mistake. I never thought you’d be the type to create drama and jump to crazy conclusions.”

I feel my jaw square up as I grit my teeth. “Are you going to stand here and tell me that I didn’t see what I saw?
Come on
Matthew, I’m not some naive little girl with stars in my eyes. Your games aren’t going to work with me.”

“My games? Kendra, do you make it a habit to make wild assumptions based on conversations you eavesdrop on? You have no idea what you’re talking about. You couldn’t have this more mixed up.”

“Fine, enlighten me.” Opening the door, I step aside, letting him in my tiny apartment. I wonder if he’s ever been in a place so small? He looks so out of place in here, with his designer shirt and Armani shoes. Self-consciousness washes over me when I realize that I’m still wearing the same clothes he saw me in yesterday. The ones I cried myself to sleep in last night. My puffy eyes betray my tough facade.

He stands in my hallway, looking so large and imposing in my modest space. He looks out of place because he doesn’t fit in here, I realize.
He doesn’t belong in your apartment, and he doesn’t belong in your life.
“Your three minutes are counting down now.”

He finally looks me in the eyes and sighs.

“Look, you don’t have to explain how you got involved with Brianna, I’m happy for you two and hope it all works out.” I know he can hear the bravado in my voice. I can’t even look at him, I don’t want him to see how much he’s crushed me. I won’t give him the satisfaction.

“I already told you that you have it all wrong.”

“Oh do I? What part of you two holding hands and talking about breaking the secret to me am I misunderstanding exactly?” The words drip off my tongue like acid. “You’re right I was eavesdropping and I heard you, Matthew. I heard you tell her that you hope I can forgive you for falling in love with Brianna.”

“Not everything in life is on one side of a hard line or the other,” Matthew growls. “If you heard me say that I’m in love with Brianna then you need to work on your spy skills. I’m not in love with Brianna. I was confiding in her, and she was comforting me.”

“I bet. Well, I hope you’re feeling better. Your three minutes are over. Please leave.”

“Why do you have to be so fucking stubborn!” He searches my ceiling for answers, looking exasperated when he finds none. “The apple doesn’t fall very far, I guess.”

“What are you talking about? What does that even mean?”

My buzzer rings again, “I think you should go, I have things to do.” I walk over and let the pizza guy in.

“Kendra, listen to me. Listen to
someone
for once. I was talking about falling in love with you. Not with Brianna. Not playing games. Just about falling in love with you.”

I stop breathing.

“I went to talk to Brianna about it because she knows you better than anyone. I didn’t know how to tell you or if you’d even accept it. I didn’t want to scare you away.”

He’s in love with me?
I try to remember exactly what I overheard him and Brianna saying yesterday.
Does this make sense? Were they talking about him being in love with me? Why was she holding his hand? Didn’t he say he hoped I could forgive him? For what? Loving me? I don’t think so.

There’s a light knock at the door, and we both stare at it without moving. The next knock is louder, and Matthew opens it. He takes one glance at the young, haggard looking delivery guy and pulls out his wallet.

“Put your damned money away. I don’t need it! Do you think I’m an idiot? You thought I would buy that? I watched you two cuddled together, and I heard you say that you didn’t know if I’d forgive you. You should’ve worked on your story a bit more before driving all the way over here to bother me.”

“Kendra, I wasn’t cuddled up to her. Brianna held my hand for a minute when I was telling her about my parents. When I said that I hoped she could forgive me, I was talking about my mother.” His voice is like cool steel.

“I, uh, I just need $37 for the pizza. It doesn’t matter to me who pays for it.” The young man tugs at his shirt as he waits awkwardly at my door.

“Just wait a sec, I’m gonna grab my purse.” Matthew takes a fifty out of his wallet and stuffs it in the kid’s hand in exchange for the pizza box.

“Thanks, man.” The kid looks over at me and then back to Matthew sympathetically and gives him a nod, “good luck.”

“I told you to put your money away,” my hands are trembling with rage.
Why doesn’t he listen to me?
“You’re such a control freak, Matthew!”

“Well, you’d know, wouldn’t you? You’re a poster child for the cause. How much life do you miss out on because you can’t give up some control? Obviously you don’t want my answers; you want to hang onto your own conclusions. Even if they make you miserable. Maybe because they do. Here, take your pizza, I won’t take up any more of your precious time.” He thrusts the pizza toward me, and I stare at it blankly like I can’t figure out how to use my arms anymore.

“Your mother? Why does your mother need to forgive you?”

“Because I fell in love with you, Kendra!” He snaps at me. “My mother always had her heart set on Marjorie and I working things out in the end. It was supposed to be a big deal for our families, for us to get married one day.” He rubs his hand over the back of his neck and stares at my floor, his voice getting quieter, “it hurt her when I ended the engagement. And I know that when I tell her I’m in a serious relationship with someone else,” he stares into my eyes, “it’ll kill the hope she was clinging to for us to get back together.”

The air hisses from my lungs like a leaky balloon. I’m not even sure what part of that to focus on first. The fact that Marjorie and him were engaged to be married, or that he wants to be in a relationship with me. “You were engaged to her?” If I focus on her, it will buy me some time to think over what he said about us.

“Yes, we were engaged for three years. Before that, we dated for a few years. We were high school sweethearts. I broke it off with her a year and a half ago, but my mother and Marjorie have remained very close… too close. Neither of them has given up on the idea of the marriage.”

“That sounds like a complete mess. A mess I don’t want to step in.” I turn away, but he tosses the pizza box to the floor and grabs me by the wrist tight, pulling me back to face him. I don’t fight it, the truth is, I love being pressed against the heat of his skin.

“It doesn’t matter what they think or what they want, Kendra. This is
my
life, and I’m going to live it the way that I want. And I want you.”

My entire body freezes up in his arms.
He loves me? He wants me?
It’s as if my mind can’t comprehend the concept. It’s rolling around in my head like a lost tumbleweed. Matthew wraps his arms around me, enveloping me, and kisses me tenderly. I feel the last of my nagging thoughts and skepticism melt away as I kiss him back.

I pull back from him in horror.
Oh no! Brianna!
“What’s the matter?” He pulls me back again, but I start to cry. You wouldn’t think I’d have any tears left, but here we are.

“I messed everything up!” Sobbing, I realize how confused and hurt Brianna must be feeling. “She must hate me…”

“She doesn’t hate you, shhh.” He pulls me back in, and runs his hand soothingly over the back of my head. I press my face into him, searching for comfort, as my tears are wicked up by his shirt. “I know you two will work it out, ok? She’s going to be happy to hear from you, I promise you.” His rich baritone calms my fluttering nerves.

This time when he kisses me, I’m lost inside a fog. My concerns about Brianna are evicted by the urgency of my passion, my body aches for him. Pushing myself into him, I grind my hips against him hungrily and he softly pulls my bottom lip out between his teeth, making me moan into his mouth.

He pushes me back against the wall, pinning me easily with his hips, and rips my shirt so hard that the first few buttons go flying in different directions. My pussy clenches as he pulls both my hands above my head and pins them there with only one of his. He opens my shirt with his other hand and tugs down the front of my bra, immediately sucking my hard nipple into his mouth as I writhe with pleasure against my front hall wall.

I want him so badly, I try to gyrate my sex into him, but he has me firmly in place as he tugs down the other half of my bra and starts nibbling and kissing my breast. He gives my nipple a little tug in his teeth, just enough to make me yelp, before he licks away the sharp pain, dissolving it into pleasure.

“You’re right about one thing,” he murmurs as the heat of his mouth blankets my breast, “I do like to be in control, especially in the bedroom.” He drags the edge of his teeth over my skin, making me shiver.

“I guess you’re in luck then,” I whisper, “that’s the one place I don’t mind handing it over.”

As his mouth devours my sensitive nipples, his hand trails down the front of my body until he reaches the button of my pants. He easily undoes them, and I wiggle and squirm to help them drop to the floor in a puddle around my feet. I’m so happy my roommate is at work right now. I’m not sure I would have the willpower to stop, even if she were here.

Matthew lets go of my arms and releases my nipple from the warm assault of his tongue, pushing my panties down to just above my knees. I groan in anticipation but gasp when he surprises me by quickly turning me around and pushing my face and breasts flat against the wall. I instinctively try to open my legs for him, hungry for his thick cock inside me, but my legs are restrained by the fabric of my underwear, limiting my movement.