THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT BRIDE

e. It was about waking up at dawn to work double shifts at a rundown diner, scraping together pennies to pay

Hospital, staring at a medical bill that might as well have

red thous

r mother's treatment would stop immediately. Helen had begged, pleaded, even tried to nego

e paper, shoving it into her worn-o

ting an orange glow over the city. She barely noticed the chatter of street vendors or th

vance, claiming business was slow. She had no family other than her sick mother. And friend

call? What

through her contacts. No one. Not a

the sky. "Please," she whispered to no one

her phone buzz

wn nu

before answe

els?" a deep, mea

wisted. "Yes.

avis. I represent

n fr

me alone could make grown men tremble. She had never met him, never even seen him in perso

. "I think you hav

this call is for you. Mr. Harper

ed. "Meet

was debating how much to reveal. "Mr. Harper has a prop

onaires didn't just summon broke waitresses fo

," she said quickly

hly, "you may want to hear him out. After al

hooshed out

ow about that?

you. He is a man who gets what he w

on the phon

game this was, but she had no

at saying no to Alexande

-

That E

s shot. The call had ended hours ago, but she still cou

n clear on that. She had exactly thirty minutes to decide if she would st

k circles under her eyes, lips dry from worry. She had thrown on her best dress, a simple black number she had bought years

at was t

the door ma

over. When she opened the door, a sharply dressed man with

ining his head slightly. "I'm

throat w

stepped through that door,

y apartment one last time,

t's

-

nterpris

t entirely out of place. The lobby was grand, the floors polished to

proached. "Miss Michaels, Mr. Har

evator. The ride was silent, tense. When the doors opened, she was led down a long h

ehind an enormous ma

nder

ders perfectly, his dark hair was styled to perfection, and his sharp bl

oice sent shivers down her s

t his gaze. "I didn't rea

outh lifted slightl

d at her sides. "What

s a puzzle he was deciding whether to solve. Then, with chil

iage co

h hitched. "Y

gerous. "Marry me, Helen. And in return, your mothe

m, her pulse roa

n't a pr

deal with