Page 38 of Contract Of Shame

Chapter Twelve

On Monday morning, Richard watched from his office as Scarlet gathered her belongings. A few of the other office workers came to wish her goodbye. She smiled at them and continued to gather her things. He couldn’t watch this. With every item she placed in the brown boxes a punch landed directly over his heart.

He fucking hated this. Erratic fingers ran through his hair, and he watched her fish out her keys and come to his office.

She didn’t look at him or say any words as the keys to the files and office landed on his desk.

“Please, don’t go,” he asked. He’d promised himself while he fought for sleep last night he wouldn’t beg or plead for her to stay. The thought of losing her wasn’t as powerful as physically watching her leave.

How could he cope without seeing her every morning? Take away all the sex and everything he’d forced on her, and his life wouldn’t be worth living. Very dramatic for a man of his age and his standing. Being alone he could deal with, as long as he could see Scarlet every day. Ever since she’d begun working for them, he’d lived his life begging for the next smile or touch.

Without even realising it, Richard had fallen in love with her long before last week. Opal adored her, and his friends enjoyed her company. He was fucking worse than David Buttons. He’d forced her and used her body’s responses against her.

“I don’t want to stay,” she whispered.

“I’m begging you. Please stay.”

“You’ll get over it soon.” She turned to leave, and he grabbed her wrist stopping her. “People will see,” she said to him.

“I don’t give a fuck what people can see. I’m so fucking sorry. Please, don’t go.” With her hand still in his he walked round the desk in front of her and went to his knees. He didn’t care about the stares or what people would think. Scarlet, the beautiful woman before him, she was the only thing that mattered to him.

“Don’t do this, Richard.”

Her hand shook inside his. “Marry me,” he asked.

Scarlet grasped and pulled out of his touch. “Don’t do that. You didn’t want me, remember? You wanted a week. That’s all you wanted from me. You contracted the damn thing. You made me feel like a whore.”

Her voice remained level, but the tears falling from her eyes weren’t anything other than hurt.

“I tore up the damn contract. It was the stupidest thing I have ever done. I told Lily, and she opened—”

“You told Lily? How could you do that? She didn’t know about our little arrangement. How could you have embarrassed me like that? You promised me it would stay between us.” Richard got to his feet and went to her. Desperation was clawing at him to keep her. He cupped her cheeks in his hands. He saw the hatred shining out at him, and before he stopped himself, he kissed her.

She struggled beneath him but soon wound her hands around his neck. A sweet victory for him.

Scarlet had to love him. His pleasure was short-lived as she pulled out of his hold. “You got the last bit of me. Now let me go.”

Richard tried to focus his thoughts. She was at his door and about to leave his world forever. “The last time we were together I didn’t use anything? You could be pregnant.” Not using anything had been a genuine mistake.

“You did it on purpose?” she asked.

He didn’t know what the best answer would be. “No. I wanted to be with you and inside you so damn bad, protection slipped my mind. I’m sorry.” He decided the truth would be best in this situation.

She turned back, and the hurt on her face was worse than anything he’d seen thus far.

“I asked one thing from you. I asked you to protect me from that, and you didn’t.”

“I know. What are you going to do?” he asked.

Her complexion was pale, and her entire body was shaking.

“As I’m sure you remember I’m used to taking care of other men’s messes.” The punch to the gut doubled him over. He stood and watched her gather her things and leave his life forever.

She’d asked one thing of him, and he’d fucked up. Maybe she could have forgiven him for the contract, but forcing a baby on her? Could she ever find it in her heart to forgive him?

Richard didn’t know how long he stood watching the empty space. Eventually his friends Wayne and Tony came in. One of his partners had called his closest friends to help him.

“Come on, man,” Tony said, and together they helped him out of the building.

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