The Billionaire regret: Reclaiming his contract Bride

Coffee and Complications

CHAPTER 15

The next day – Café Allegro, 2 PM

Ethan was already there when I arrived. Sitting at a corner table, two coffees waiting.

"I took a guess," he said, standing. "Latte with oat milk?"

"How did you..."

"Damien mentioned it. He talks about you constantly. It's actually kind of adorable."

I sat down. "He does?"

"Oh yeah. 'Sophia likes this.' 'Sophia said that.' 'Sophia is amazing at event planning.'" Ethan smiled. "I've never seen my brother like this. You must be special."

"I don't know about special..."

"Trust me. You are. Damien's never been the relationship type. Hell, I didn't think he was capable of love after Isabella."

The name made me tense. "You knew Isabella?"

"Unfortunately. She was awful. Manipulative. Gold-digger." Ethan sipped his coffee. "But Damien was obsessed with her. When she left him, he shut down completely. Became this cold, work-obsessed robot."

"I know. I married the robot."

Ethan laughed. "Right. The contract marriage. Damien told me about that. Not his finest moment."

"No. It wasn't."

"But you stayed. Even after he was terrible to you. Why?"

I thought about it. "I fell in love with him. Stupid, I know."

"Not stupid. Brave." Ethan leaned forward. "And now you're giving him another chance. That's even braver."

"Or crazy."

"Maybe both." He smiled. "So, tell me about Seattle. What should I see?"

We talked for an hour. About the city. About my business. About Liam.

Ethan was easy to talk to. Funny. Charming. Not intense like Damien.

"You're really good with Liam," I said. "This morning, when you met him."

"Kids are easy. They're honest. No games." He paused. "Unlike adults."

"Is that a dig at your brother?"

"Maybe." Ethan grinned. "Damien and I... we're very different. He's all business and control. I'm more go-with-the-flow."

"That must have been interesting growing up."

"It was complicated. Our dad pitted us against each other. Always comparing. Always making us compete." Ethan's smile faded. "Damien usually won. But he paid for it. All that pressure. All those expectations. It made him... hard."

"He's changing," I said softly. "He's trying to be better."

"I can see that. And I'm glad. He deserves to be happy." Ethan looked at me. "You both do."

My phone buzzed. Text from Damien.

Damien: How's coffee?

Me: Fine. Just talking.

Damien: When will you be done?

Me: Soon. Why?

Damien: No reason. Just wondering.

I put my phone down. "Your brother is checking up on me."

Ethan laughed. "Of course he is. He's probably been staring at his phone for the past hour."

"Is he always this jealous?"

"With you? Apparently yes. With Isabella? Never cared." Ethan studied me. "That's how I know this is different. Real. He's terrified of losing you."

"He's not going to lose me."

"Even if someone better came along?"

The question hung in the air.

"There is no one better," I said firmly. "I love Damien. I'm with Damien."

"Good answer." Ethan smiled. "He's a lucky man."

We finished our coffee. Walked outside.

"Thanks for this," Ethan said. "I know Damien probably freaked out about us getting coffee."

"A little."

"For what it's worth, I'm not trying to cause problems. I genuinely just wanted to get to know you. My nephew's mom. My brother's girlfriend."

"I appreciate that."

"But Sophia?" He turned to face me. "If my brother ever screws this up again, which, knowing him, he might, you have my number. As a friend."

"Ethan..."

"Just as a friend," he repeated. "Someone to talk to. No ulterior motives."

"Okay. Thank you."

He hugged me. Quick. Friendly.

I hugged back.

And didn't see the photographer across the street.

Taking pictures.

That evening – Damien's apartment

"How was coffee?" Damien asked. Too casually.

"Fine. Your brother is nice."

"Nice."

"Yes, nice. We talked about Seattle. About Liam. About you."

"About me?"

"He told me about your childhood. About your dad."

Damien tensed. "What did he say?"

"That your father pitted you against each other. Made you compete."

"He told you that?"

"Should he not have?"

"No, it's just..." Damien sat down. "I don't talk about my father much."

"I know." I sat next to him. "Do you want to talk about it now?"

"Not really."

"Okay."

We sat in silence.

"Sophia?"

"Yeah?"

"Did Ethan... did he say anything else? About me?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Just... anything."

I studied him. "Why are you so worried about what Ethan said?"

"Because he's charming. And I'm not. And he probably made me look bad..."

"He didn't. He said you're changing. That you deserve to be happy. That I make you happy."

Damien relaxed. "He said that?"

"Yes. And he's right." I took his hand. "You do make me happy, Damien. Your brother, as nice as he is, doesn't make me feel the way you do."

"How do I make you feel?"

"Safe. Loved. Like I'm home."

He pulled me close. Kissed my forehead. "You are home. You and Liam. You're my home."

We stayed like that for a while.

Then my phone buzzed.

Text from Ethan.

Ethan: Great talking today! Found a cool art gallery. Want to check it out tomorrow?

I felt Damien tense against me.

"It's Ethan," I said.

"What does he want?"

"He found an art gallery. Wants to know if I want to check it out tomorrow."

Damien pulled back. "Are you going to go?"

"I don't know. Should I?"

"Do you want to?"

"I don't know, Damien. I'm asking you."

"I don't want to be the controlling boyfriend who tells you who you can and can't see."

"But?"

"But I don't like you spending time with my brother."

"Why? You don't trust me?"

"I trust you. I don't trust him."

"He said he just wants to be friends..."

"Men don't want to be 'just friends' with beautiful women, Sophia. Especially not Ethan."

"So what are you saying? I can't be friends with him because he's a man?"

"I'm saying my brother has a track record. And I know how he operates. And I don't want you to be another..." He stopped.

"Another what?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

"No, finish what you were going to say."

Damien stood. Paced. "Ethan is a good guy. But he's also... he likes the chase. He likes women who are unavailable. It's a game to him."

"And you think I'm a game?"

"No! I think he sees you as a challenge. My girlfriend. The woman who tamed me. Of course he's interested."

"That's ridiculous..."

"Is it? He asked you to coffee. Now he's asking you to an art gallery. What's next? Dinner? Drinks?"

"You're being paranoid..."

"Am I?" Damien turned to face me. "Sophia, I know you think I'm being crazy. And maybe I am. But I've already lost you once. I'm not losing you again. Especially not to my brother."

"You're not going to lose me..."

"Then don't go. To the art gallery. Please."

I stared at him. "You're seriously asking me not to go?"

"I'm asking you to set boundaries. To not spend time alone with a man who's clearly interested in you."

"He's your brother!"

"That doesn't mean he's not interested!" Damien's voice rose. "Sophia, please. I'm trying to be reasonable. But this is driving me crazy."

"Being reasonable would be trusting me!"

"I do trust you!"

"Then act like it!"

We stood there. Both breathing hard. Both angry.

"I should go," I said finally.

"Sophia..."

"I need space. To think."

"Don't go. Please. Let's talk about this..."

"We are talking. And we're just going in circles." I grabbed my purse. "I'll see you tomorrow. When you pick up Liam."

"Sophia..."

I left.

Walked to my car.

Hands shaking.

This was our first real fight since getting back together.

And it was about his brother.

My phone buzzed. Ethan.

Ethan: No pressure on tomorrow. Just thought it might be fun.

I stared at the message.

Should I go? To prove a point to Damien?

Or should I decline? To keep the peace?

I didn't know.

I didn't know anything anymore.

That night – My apartment

I was lying in bed when my phone rang.

Damien.

I almost didn't answer.

But I did.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey. I'm sorry. For how I acted. For being jealous and controlling and crazy."

"Okay."

"That's it? Just okay?"

"What do you want me to say, Damien? You accused me of..."

"I didn't accuse you of anything. I just... I don't trust Ethan. And I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of losing you. Of you realizing there are better men out there. Men who didn't spend three years ignoring you. Men who aren't damaged and broken and..."

"Stop." I sat up. "Damien, stop. I'm not looking for someone else. I'm with you. I choose you."

"Even when I'm being an insecure i***t?"

"Yes. Even then."

He was quiet for a moment. "Are you going to the art gallery with him?"

"I don't know."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I can't tell you what to do. You're right. I need to trust you." He paused. "So I'm trying. I'm really trying."

"Thank you."

"But Sophia?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you. And I'm terrified of losing you. So if I'm being crazy, just... just tell me. Okay? Don't leave. Just tell me I'm being crazy."

"You're being a little crazy."

"Okay. I can work with that."

I smiled despite myself. "Go to bed, Damien."

"Will you come over tomorrow? After work? I miss you."

"I saw you three hours ago."

"I know. I still miss you."

"You're ridiculous."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes. I'll come over."

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too."

I hung up.

Stared at my phone.

Then texted Ethan.

Me: Thanks for the invite, but I'm going to pass on the art gallery. Raincheck?

Ethan: Of course. Anytime.

I put my phone down.

I wasn't avoiding the art gallery because Damien told me to.

I was avoiding it because I wanted to.

Because Damien was right, setting boundaries was important.

And because at the end of the day, I didn't want to hurt him.

I loved him.

Even when he was being a jealous i***t.

Even when he drove me crazy.

I loved him.

And that was enough.

The next day

My phone rang. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Martinez? This is Sandra Wells from Celebrity Insider magazine."

My stomach dropped. "How did you get this number?"

"We have photos of you with Ethan Cross. Having coffee. Hugging. We're running a story about Damien Cross's girlfriend seeing his brother behind his back. Would you like to comment?"

"What? No! There's no story..."

"So you deny the affair?"

"There is no affair! We had coffee as friends..."

"That's not what the photos suggest. We'll be running the story tomorrow. Have a good day."

She hung up.

Oh god.

Oh god oh god oh god.

I called Damien immediately.

"Hey, what's..."

"There are photos. Of me and Ethan. Having coffee. And they're calling it an affair. It's going to be in the tabloids tomorrow."

Silence.

"Damien?"

"I'm here. I'm just... processing."

"I swear nothing happened. We just had coffee. That hug was friendly. There's nothing..."

"I believe you."

"You do?"

"Yes. I know you. I know you wouldn't do that." He paused. "But this is going to be bad. For you. For your business."

"I know."

"I'll fix it. I'll call my lawyers. We'll issue a statement..."

"Will that even help?"

"I don't know. But I'll try."

I sat down. Put my head in my hands.

This was a nightmare.

A complete nightmare.

"Sophia?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. My family. My drama. You shouldn't have to deal with this."

"It's not your fault..."

"It is. If I hadn't been so jealous. If I hadn't made such a big deal about Ethan..."

"Then I still would have had coffee with him. And there still would have been photos." I took a breath. "This isn't your fault, Damien. It's just... bad luck."

"Bad luck that's going to hurt you."

"We'll figure it out. Together."

"Together," he repeated. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too."