Contractual Obligations: Closing The Deal *B2*

Chapter 2

ೋღ♥ ღೋ Chapter 2. ೋღ♥ ღೋ

Natalie woke with a smile. She couldn't stop thinking about Michael over her, his body, the pleasure - oh my goodness, the pleasure. She hadn't expected to fall for the guy when she signed the stupid paper, but how could she not? He was gorgeous, interesting, and they had a connection. She went from nervously fearing the next five years to looking forward to them. This could turn into love, true love, and maybe even a family.

Rolling out of bed, she flipped on a news channel and rummaged through the fridge. Pulling out a slice of cold pizza, she heated the oven so she could warm it. Finally settling in front of the television, she daydreamed, barely paying attention. It wasn't until Kent Davidson's face splashed across the screen that she snapped out of her fog.

"What the..." Quickly unmuting the sound, she caught the tail end. "And in local news, Kent Davidson of Bowman Industries is being charged with tax evasion, owing both the state and federal government millions of dollars."

She mouthed the words, oh my god.
Does Michael know? Of course, he has to know. Was he involved?

What does this mean, and what does it mean for the company?

Would being seen with them hurt her reputation? Here she was trying to help clean up Michael's reputation, and she might have to worry about her own. Her mind switched between anger at herself for locking in to a five year contract and frustration that she knew damn well she was falling for the guy.

"Breathe," she grunted out, trying to force her mind elsewhere as the panic rose inside. What would this mean for the next five years of her life?

Natalie rocked in place and mindlessly scratched the back of her hand. She knew it was nerves, the anxiety washing through her, but not knowing all of the details made her feel like she was dangling on a string, desperately trying not to fall off.

Okay, so what's the worst case scenario? She knew it came down to money. If their assets were frozen, there wouldn't be any money. Yet if Michael had his own investments...Still, he wouldn't need her anymore, especially now. Maybe they could dissolve the contract, free him from owing her money, and free her from being tied into their mess while it's splashed across the newspapers.

Swallowing, she was conflicted. She wanted out, but she was locked in, and such a fool for signing that stupid paper. And for what? Money that won't even exist after this.

With a heavy sigh, she stood and paced. The timer beeped, letting her know the food was ready, only food was the last thing she wanted right now. She took the slice of pizza from the oven and threw it back in the fridge.

Okay, so maybe she was overreacting. She didn't know anything yet, and maybe it was a fluke. Maybe she misheard and he was just under investigation. Besides, he'll probably just get a hefty fine and have to pay back the money, but they'll stretch it out over twenty years or something, right?

It most likely wouldn't even touch their day to day business, and Michael would be fast at work. This probably wasn't even a blip on the radar. These things happen all the time, right?

There was just one problem. If he was found guilty, it could mar her reputation to be seen around them.

Digging through the stack of papers that held her signature, she searched desperately for a loophole. Getting out would be the smartest thing. So she wasn't a super successful model, but at least her face wouldn't get splashed across the front page of the paper with a cheat, a liar, and a white collar criminal. He had to know, right? Was he involved? It was too much to fathom.