THE BILLIONAIRE'S GAMBLE

Six Months

My father's name hadn't been spoken in years.

Not like this.

Not by a billionaire standing in front of me with twelve thousand dollars in an envelope and the kind of confidence that made me want to either slap him or run.

I did neither.

I just stared at him.

"What did you say?"

Adrian didn't move.

"Your father saved my life."

I shook my head.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because my father died eleven years ago."

"I know."

Something about the way he said it made my skin prickle.

"You knew him?"

"Yes."

I swallowed.

"My father never mentioned you."

"People don't always tell their families everything."

"Don't talk about my father like you knew him."

"I did know him."

His voice remained calm, but there was something underneath it.

Something I couldn't understand.

I stepped closer.

"Who was he?"

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"His name was Daniel Carter."

"I know his name."

"He worked for my family."

My eyebrows pulled together.

"My father worked for a construction company."

"He did."

Adrian walked toward the large windows overlooking the city.

"He also worked for Blackwood International."

I stared at his back.

"No."

"Yes."

"My father was an accountant."

"He was."

"Then why would he work for your family?"

Adrian turned around.

"Because Blackwood International wasn't always the company you see today."

There was a pause.

"What happened?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at the clock.

"Sit down, Maya."

I didn't.

"I asked you what happened."

"And I'm telling you that you don't need to know everything tonight."

I almost laughed.

"You drag me into your office, tell me my dead father saved your life, offer to pay my brother's medical bills, and now you're telling me I don't need to know everything?"

"I never said you couldn't know."

"Then tell me."

Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Not yet."

Of course.

There it was.

The billionaire's favorite word.

Not yet.

I crossed my arms.

"You really expect me to agree to this?"

"No."

That surprised me.

"What?"

"I expect you to think about it."

He picked up the envelope and placed it in front of me.

"You need the money."

"I do."

"And I need a girlfriend."

I gave him a look.

"You need a fake girlfriend."

"Correct."

"Why can't you hire an actress?"

"Because actresses know how to pretend."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I don't want someone who knows how to pretend."

I frowned.

"That makes absolutely no sense."

"It will."

He walked toward his desk.

"Tomorrow is my grandfather's birthday."

I waited.

"He'll be announcing the future leadership structure of Blackwood International."

"And?"

"My grandfather believes I'm too focused on the company."

I almost smiled.

"He's not wrong."

Adrian ignored that.

"He wants me married before he gives me complete control."

I blinked.

"You're joking."

"No."

"Your grandfather is forcing you to get married?"

"He's giving me a choice."

"What choice?"

"Get married or lose control of the company."

I stared at him.

"That's insane."

"It's his company."

"And you're a billionaire."

"That doesn't mean I own everything."

I looked down at the envelope.

"So you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend so your grandfather thinks you're serious about settling down."

"Exactly."

"For six months."

"Yes."

"And after six months?"

"We go our separate ways."

I looked back at him.

"And that's it?"

"That's it."

The answer came too quickly.

I didn't like it.

"What do I get besides the hospital bill?"

"You'll receive fifty thousand dollars every month."

My mouth fell open.

"For doing what?"

"Being my girlfriend."

I stared at him.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not."

"That's three hundred thousand dollars."

"Yes."

"For six months?"

"Yes."

I shook my head.

"This is ridiculous."

"You haven't heard the rest."

Of course there was a rest.

Adrian opened a drawer and pulled out a thin black folder.

He placed it on the desk.

"The arrangement has rules."

I picked it up.

"Rule number one," I read aloud. "No falling in love."

I looked at him.

"Seriously?"

"Very."

"Rule number two?"

"No public arguments."

"Rule number three?"

"No discussing the arrangement with anyone."

I turned the page.

"Rule number four. No romantic relationships outside the arrangement."

I raised an eyebrow.

"So I'm not allowed to date anyone?"

"Neither am I."

"Convenient."

"Necessary."

I continued reading.

"Rule number five. You will attend all required family functions, business dinners, and public events."

I looked up.

"And rule number six?"

Adrian was silent.

I flipped the page.

There was nothing.

"That's it?"

"There's one more."

"What?"

His eyes held mine.

"No intimacy."

My face warmed.

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes. That's the one rule I actually like."

Something almost like amusement crossed his face.

Almost.

Then it disappeared.

"Six months, Maya."

He pushed the contract toward me.

"Your brother's treatment continues. His hospital bill is cleared tonight. You receive your monthly payment at the beginning of every month."

I stared at the contract.

It was exactly what I needed.

Maybe too exactly.

I picked up the pen.

Then stopped.

"Why me?"

Adrian said nothing.

"I already asked you that."

"You did."

"And you answered that I don't want you."

"That's part of it."

"What's the other part?"

His expression hardened.

"Your father."

I slowly lowered the pen.

"What does my father have to do with this?"

Adrian looked away.

"I told you. He saved my life."

"How?"

"That's not a story for tonight."

I stood.

"Then there's no deal."

His eyes snapped back to me.

"What?"

"I won't sign anything while you're hiding things from me."

For the first time, Adrian looked genuinely irritated.

"You want the truth?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

He leaned against the edge of his desk.

"Eleven years ago, I was twenty years old."

I listened.

"I was working for my father at the time. There was an accident at one of our construction sites."

My heart tightened.

"Your father was there?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"My car crashed."

I waited.

"Your father found me."

Adrian's voice became quieter.

"He pulled me out before the vehicle caught fire."

I stared at him.

"My father saved you?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't I know?"

"Because Daniel Carter didn't want you to."

"Why?"

Adrian's eyes darkened.

"That's the part I don't know."

I frowned.

"You don't know?"

"He disappeared shortly after."

My heart started beating faster.

"Disappeared?"

"Yes."

"My father didn't disappear."

"He did."

"He died."

"That's what you were told."

The room suddenly felt colder.

I took a step backward.

"What are you saying?"

Adrian didn't answer.

He walked toward me.

"I think your father knew something."

"What?"

"Something that could destroy my family."

I stared at him.

"And you think I know where it is?"

"I think you may have it."

"I don't."

"Maybe you don't know that you do."

I shook my head.

"This is crazy."

"I agree."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then my phone rang.

Ethan.

I answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"Maya?"

His voice sounded weak.

I straightened.

"What's wrong?"

"They said the hospital bill has been paid."

I froze.

"What?"

"The doctor just came in. They said someone settled everything."

I looked at Adrian.

He was watching me.

"How much did they pay?"

"Everything."

My eyes burned.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Ethan laughed softly.

"Maya, who did you rob?"

Despite everything, I smiled.

"I'll explain later."

When the call ended, I wiped the corner of my eye.

Adrian noticed.

He didn't say anything.

I picked up the pen again.

"One question."

"Ask."

"If I sign this, you won't hurt my family?"

His expression changed.

"No."

"Promise?"

"I don't make promises."

I stared at him.

"Then give me your word."

He hesitated.

"My word."

I signed.

My hand shook slightly as I wrote my name.

Maya Carter.

Adrian took the contract.

He glanced at my signature.

Then he signed his.

Adrian Blackwood.

The arrangement had begun.

I had no idea that signing that piece of paper would change my entire life.

Adrian closed the folder.

"Pack a bag."

I blinked.

"What?"

"You're moving into my house tonight."

I stared at him.

"You never said that."

"You'll need to."

"Why?"

"Because tomorrow morning, the entire country is going to find out that I'm dating you."

My stomach dropped.

"Tomorrow?"

He nodded.

Then his phone rang.

He answered.

"Yes?"

His expression changed.

The color drained from his face.

"What did you say?"

I watched him carefully.

He ended the call.

"What happened?"

He looked at me.

For the first time since I'd met him, Adrian Blackwood looked genuinely afraid.

"Your father."

My heart stopped.

"What about him?"

Adrian's voice dropped to a whisper.

"They found his car."

He paused.

"Eleven years after his supposed death."

I couldn't breathe.

"Where?"

Adrian stared at me.

"In my family's private garage."

And suddenly, I wasn't sure I'd just agreed to pretend to be a billionaire's girlfriend.

I might have just walked into the biggest secret my family had ever kept from me.