The Contract Said Leave After, His Mind Said Please Stay Chapter 08

I decided to put my own cards on the table – and not through mind-reading.

I’d do it the old-fashioned way. That night was another “routine” night.

I pushed open his bedroom door. The lights were off, same as always.

But this time, I didn’t close it. I walked to the bedside and reached for the lamp.

The switch clicked. The light came on.

His eyes flew open and his hand shot up to block the glare.

[What the hell? She turned on the light? Why did she turn on the light? The light hasn’t been on in three years!]

“Harper?” He frowned. “What’s going on?”

I stood at the edge of the bed, looking at him. In the light, he looked even better than he did in the dark.

Strong brows, sharp jaw, every feature exactly where it should be – except for the panic flickering in his eyes.

[She’s looking at me. Why is she looking at me like that? Is something on my face?]

“Julian,” I said.

I didn’t say Mr. Sterling. I said Julian.

His whole body went rigid.

[She used my name. She’s never used my name before. What’s happening – is she leaving? Is she ending this?]

His heartbeat started racing.

[Don’t go. Please don’t go. I can raise the amount – no, it’s not about money. I can… I’ll…]

“Julian,” I said again, and then I leaned down, planting my hands on the mattress on either side of him.

My face was inches from his. His eyes went sharp.

[What is she doing??? This close, at this angle – what is she about to do???]

“I need to ask you something,” I said.

“… What?” His voice came out rough.

[Calm down. You’re Julian. You’ve stared down hostile boardrooms. She’s just close – just… very close. Her

breath is on my skin and I’m going to die.]

“Do you like me?” The question landed in the silence like a brick through a window.

His brain went blank for a full three seconds.

[…] Nothing. Not a single thought. Just static.

Then it hit.

[Is she asking if I actually like her?]

[How did she know? Was I that obvious? There’s no way – I’ve been so careful!]

[Answer her! Just say it, Julian! Tell her you like her! Open your goddamn mouth!]

[But what if she’s testing me? What if I say it and she walks out the door?]

[Fuck it! Just say it! You’ve held this in for three fucking years! If you don’t say it now, you’re a goddamn

coward!]

His throat worked. His lips parted.

His lips closed, then parted again.

“… Why are you asking me that?”

[Coward! You absolute coward, Julian! She asks if you like her and you dodge the question? You deserve to

die alone!]

I nearly cracked watching him tear himself apart inside his own skull, but I held it together.

“Because I want to know,” I said. “What do you actually feel – for me?”

He looked at me, and the war behind his eyes was breaking containment.

[Say it. Just say it. Worst case, she leaves. But if you don’t say it, she’ll leave anyway. So what’s it going to

be?]

He took a deep breath.

“I like you.” Every syllable came out like it cost him something.

“From the very first day.”

[I said it. It’s out. Whatever happens now, happens.]

He shut his eyes like a man waiting for a verdict. I took in the clenched jaw, the white-knuckled fists, every

line of his body braced for impact.

This man ran a billion-dollar empire. He could bend entire industries to his will. And right now, he looked like

a teenage boy bracing for rejection.

I leaned down and kissed him.

His eyes flew open.

[Holy fucking shit.]

His entire mind exploded – not metaphorically, not dramatically. His head was nothing but fireworks and white noise. There were no thoughts left.

I pulled back just enough to speak. “Me too,” I said. “For longer than you’d think.”

He stared at me, stunned. Three seconds passed, then five- and then he sat up and pulled me into his arms.

He held on so hard I could barely breathe.

[Is this real? Did she just say she likes me too? I’m not dreaming, right? I should pinch myself – no. Don’t. If it’s a dream, I don’t want to wake up.]

He buried his face in my neck, and his voice came out muffled. “You mean it?”

“I mean it.”

“Since when?”

“I’m not telling you.”

[Why won’t she tell me!!! I need to know!!!]

“Then I’ll tell you,” he said. “It was the first day. You came into my office to discuss the arrangement, sat across from me, and said, ‘Mr. Sterling, I can handle this.”

He paused. “What I thought in that moment was – I’m never letting this one go.”

[God, that was so cliché. Whatever. She likes me. She actually likes me!]

He held me against his chest, and I let him. I listened to his heartbeat.

It was absurdly fast.

It blurred together with the wild, disbelieving loop still running through his mind. I closed my eyes.

I smiled. The door to the gilded cage had never actually been locked.

We were the ones who’d trapped ourselves inside, both too afraid to push it open first. Now it was open.