The Billionaire's Agreement (The Billionaire's Proposal Book 2) Read online

  “Jude. Jude Johnson,” she clarified. “He’s a very sweet young man, and he stopped by with Sebastian last night.”

  “Did he?” Benjamin lifted tailored eyebrows and glanced back at Sebastian, anger brewing in his eyes. His gaze was sharp and cutting, and his lips shrank to a thin line.

  “Oh, yes. He’s a very nice young man. Did you know he was one of the top thirty billionaires under thirty years old last year?”

  Benjamin braced himself on the metal railing of her bed, knuckles gripping the metal until they were white. He sucked in a little breath and exhaled it before he replied, “No, ma'am, I had no idea. So, he is a billionaire,” Benjamin prompted, keeping his voice collected but tight. “Old money, I assume?”

  “I am not so sure, actually,” his mother confessed, chewing her bottom lip before giving a shrug. “I do know he volunteers much of his time to different charities that support Black American youth and education. He set up his own scholarship program to benefit young men who have a love for old movies, and just in this past year, his company has donated over twenty percent of their profits to local organizations, including the Guys and Gals Club of America and our local homeless shelter.” Sebastian’s mother beamed with pride as if she were talking about one of her own sons, and Sebastian couldn’t keep a little smile of his own off his lips.

  Benjamin's eyebrows lifted even higher, and he set his jaws, grinding his teeth. “Oh, I see. Well, isn’t he interesting,” he hissed and shifted the topic to something else, steering her back in the direction of casual soap operas until his mother was heavy with sleep again. Her words slurred, making conversation impossible, and it was also well-past noon.

  Sebastian kissed his mother's cheek and promised to see her in the morning as Benjamin fluffed her blankets and repositioned her pillows. They tiptoed out of her room, dimming the lights and carefully closing the door with the softest of clicks. Then, they moved down the crisp-white hallway to the elevators.

  Benjamin had been pleasant the whole visit, but as soon as they entered the elevator, his charming expression fell away. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Jude Johnson?” He gave Sebastian another questioning stare, this one several times more intense than the one he gave when they were in his mother’s room.

  “Jude Johnson,” Sebastian confirmed.

  “Mr. Jude-Perfect-Johnson, who probably hasn’t worked a day in his life. Are his hands soft, too?”

  Sebastian ignored Benjamin as he led him out, not honoring him with the fight he wanted until they reached Sebastian’s house. By then, Benjamin’s cheeks were puffed and red, and his arms were tightly-folded over his chest.

  “Did you leave me for him? Did you come down here, pretending to take care of your mother, when you really had a guy lined up?”

  “No.” Sebastian sighed. “I’ve been single. I’m still single, actually.”

  “Are you? Single and bringing rich guys up to see your mother, apparently?”

  “He gave me a ride, and he’s mildly famous anyway, so it wasn’t like he needed to sit in the car. Plus, my mom was happy to talk to him. He made her smile.” Sebastian’s eyes softened as he remembered the image of Jude and his mother laughing like old friends.

  The conversation had a lightness to it. It was natural, effortless, and Jude had enjoyed every moment of it. It had been nothing like the cultivated conversation Benjamin had. Jude had been honest, and he didn’t fake his enjoyment.

  “I made your mother smile,” Benjamin pouted. His shrill voice cut into Sebastian’s thoughts.

  “You did, and I’m glad.”

  “Are you? Or should I have sent her a cheesy pre-made flower bouquet from who knows where?”

  “You could’ve sent her flowers, too, sure, if you wanted.”

  Benjamin’s scowl deepened. “Sebastian. It’s not about the flowers. You like him, don’t you? Is he why you won’t get back with me? Am I just not rich enough for you now? Are you moving up to bigger and richer men?”

  “I just met him. I’m not moving up to anything.”

  “Really? It’s not how your mother made it seem. If you let her tell it, you two are damn near married, or maybe you didn’t see her face when she talked about Mr. Jude Johnson?”

  “I wasn’t really paying attention, no,” Sebastian surrendered, climbing out of the rental vehicle and starting up the old sidewalk to the house.

  “You weren’t? Is it because you were too busy thinking about him, too? What does he look like? Maybe I want to get in on this fantasy as well.”

  “Stop.”

  “Why?” Benjamin stalked towards the house behind Sebastian, slamming the door of the rental vehicle closed. “He’s hot, isn’t he? Let me guess. Average height, thin but muscular, nice smile?” Benjamin had described himself, but the description fit for Jude.

  He had, however, left out the dazzling smile, sultry voice, and calm demeanor.

  “Oooh, wow, okay. So it does fit him, doesn’t it? I guess someone has a type, doesn’t he?” Benjamin continued on. “I can’t believe you. You told me I was the one for you, and now you’re replacing me with some other guy? It’s good to know I can be so easily replaced.”

  Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “I’m done with this argument.” He unlocked the front door and threw it open. “Order something for dinner. I’m going out.”

  “Where are you going?” Benjamin stomped across the threshold, working himself up to a frenzy again.

  “Out,” Sebastian repeated. “I’ll be back later.” He turned away, leaving the door ajar as he climbed into the rental vehicle again.

  Benjamin stood in the doorway, bottom lip poked out and head tilted slightly, but Sebastian ignored his not-so-subtle attempts at innocence and pulled out of the driveway. He had no plans, but he knew he needed silence. No angry ex-lover yelling at him, no music, just the hum of the vehicle under him. Sebastian drove up and down local streets until he found himself pulling into a familiar driveway.

  Jude’s driveway.

  His muscle memory had taken him there, and he had no recollection of the trip, but he swallowed over a growing knot in his throat and killed the ignition. After drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he climbed out and approached the door, knocking and clasping his hands behind his back as he waited.

  The door opened smoothly after a minute, and a stoic man in a suit answered. Bored eyes regarded Sebastian.

  “How many I help you?”

  “Uh,” Sebastian blinked. “I’m looking for Jude.” He paused. “Jude Johnson.”

  The doorman’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he stepped aside, allowing Sebastian into the house. “Yes, of course. I will get him for you.”

  ***

  Chapter 3

  Jude

  “Mr. Johnson,” an older gentleman, Jude’s butler and driver, prompted. “The door’s for you.”

  Jude glanced away from the black-and-white movie he was watching with David and Eleanor and fixed his attention on him. “Who is it, Mr. Raymond?” he asked.

  Mr. Raymond had worked for the Johnson family since before Jude could remember, and there was more than a working relationship between them. Mr. Raymond had been the one encouraging Jude after low test scores when all his father had were harsh words, and he had been the one wiping tears from his eyes when unkind words drew them out.

  In many ways, Mr. Raymond had been more of a father to Jude than his biological one.

  “I didn't inquire. Should I?”

  “No, no, it's fine, I'll go check.” Jude paused the movie and slithered from his floral-patterned, wingback chair, draping a frayed old blanket over the arm and padding barefoot from his entertainment room to the main foyer with his doorman leading the way.

  From behind Mr. Raymond, Jude spied Sebastian's bulky form and bit his lip over a smile.

  Once they reached the door, Mr. Raymond tipped his head to Jude, narrowing his eyes in question. Jude shook his head, and then, with a tight-jawed
expression, Mr. Raymond offered a half bow and left the men to each other.

  Jude watched the older gentleman disappear before he turned back to Sebastian and scanned over his form, lingering on his casual slides before trailing back up to his face. “Is everything okay?” Jude questioned.

  “Yeah, everything's fine. I just-” Sebastian paused, pulling his shoulders back and peering over Jude's head. He licked his lips and looked back down at Jude. “I just wanted to say thank you for bringing my mother flowers. You didn't have to.”

  “Of course, but I figured she would appreciate them, so I did. Did she like them?”

  “Oh yeah, she loved them. She couldn't stop talking about you or the flowers while we were there today.”

  “We?” Jude tilted his head.

  “Yeah, ah. An old friend is in town, and it’s complicated,” Sebastian shrugged.

  Jude gave a simple nod. “So, how is she? When I was there, she slept the entire time.”

  “She is doing fine. Her surgery is tomorrow at five in the morning.”

  “Are you going to be there for her?”

  “Yes, I'll be there. I haven't talked to my boss yet, but I will call in the morning, and I'm sure he will be fine with.”

  “Okay, good.” Jude hollowed his cheeks, watching Sebastian a few minutes longer. Just like in his stretch SUV, the conversation lapsed into an easy silence, and they stood there regarding each other and enjoying the non-judgmental company. Jude’s shoulders sagged in Sebastian’s presence, and Sebastian drew him closer, moth to flame, with his protective, confident energy.

  As they stood there, the door to his entertainment room opened and closed, and Eleanor joined them in the foyer, resting her hand on Jude's shoulder and drawing his attention to her.

  “Is everything okay?” she prompted, glancing from Jude to Sebastian. “Oh! Aren't you the guy from the BDSM club? I loved your demonstration. It was very informative.” She smiled, leaning into Jude.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” Eleanor allowed the conversation to slip into silence as well, and after a few awkward moments of them staring between each other, she patted Jude’s shoulder. “I just came to check on you. David wants to restart the movie, and he was wondering what was taking so long.”

  “Oh shit. I didn’t realize you had company. I’m sorry. Don’t let me keep you if you’re busy,” Sebastian cut in.

  “It’s fine,” Judas responded to Sebastian first and then turned his head to Eleanor. “I will be a few minutes longer, but he can restart the movie if he wants. I’ve already seen it several times, so I'm not missing much,” he chuckled.

  Eleanor nodded, and after giving another glance towards Sebastian, she disappeared back to his house, leaving them alone again.

  “What movie were you watching?” Sebastian asked.

  “Oh, we were re-watching Gone With The Wind. I know it's pretty problematic, but it's one of Eleanor's favorite movies, and it's very romantic.”

  “Yeah?” Sebastian slipped his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels.

  “Do you, um, do you want to come in and watch the rest?”

  “Uh, no thanks. I should probably be getting home here in a minute. My mother’s surgery is early in the morning, and I have a guest at my house.”

  “Oh right,” Jude agreed. “Tomorrow’s going to be a long day for the both of you.”

  “Hey, Jude, what's going on? Eleanor said we can restart the movie, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted to.” David’s voice merged into their conversation next, and David joined them in the foyer. His tenor voice preceded him, and he stopped right next to Jude, brushing his shoulder and looking towards Sebastian. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “No, it's okay.” Jude squeezed David's arm.

  David gave Sebastian a hard once over, pausing at his shoes before raking his eyes back up. His head sat square on his shoulders, and his jaw tightened. “Is it?” His eyes never left Sebastian.

  “Yes. It’s fine for you to start the movie. I'll be back in there in a second,” Jude promised.

  David continued his unblinking stare before grunting in response to Jude’s words. “Fine.” He touched Jude’s back. “It’s not really a movie night without the host present, though. Besides, you and Eleanor picked this one, and I’m not going to sit here and watch a cheesy romance film-”

  “Okaaaay,” Jude drawled, “I hear you. Just a few more minutes.” Jude shooed David away and held his breath when he turned back to Sebastian. “Sorry. It’s this thing we’ve been doing since we were in middle school. Sunday movie night. Usually, it’s all of us, but Amelia and Cassius are on a date, so we’re all still hanging out with each other, just not at the same time. I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

  “No, it’s cool.”

  Jude nibbled his bottom lip. “Okay. Um. Are you sure everything’s okay?”

  “Yeah. Everything’s good.” Sebastian knit his eyebrows and looked down at Jude’s patterned rug before back up at him. “How about we grab coffee on Wednesday evening?”

  Jude blinked. “Um, I would love to get coffee with you, but I can't on Wednesday. I have a long-standing thing that I can’t get out of. How about Thursday?”

  “Thursday’s fine.

  “Great. So, um, I can meet you right after I get off?”

  “Yeah.” Sebastian nodded, and as they discussed the details of Thursday's date, Sebastian's casual demeanor crumbled, and easy conversation became difficult. It started with his hands. At first, they were loose, but then he balled them into tight, shaking fists, and sent the tension all the way through his body until his eyebrows were knit together and the muscles in his jaw jumped from the pressure.

  When they finalized the last of the major details, Jude opened the front door and ushered Sebastian outside, so they were away from eavesdroppers and prying eyes. The door clicked behind Jude, and he braced himself against it.

  “I know I've already asked a couple of times, but are you really sure everything is okay?” He searched Sebastian's features, memorizing the details of his face, the hollowness in his hazel eyes, and the weight of his downturned lips. “You don’t have to talk about it. I just-can I give you a hug?”

  Sebastian opened his mouth to respond, but Jude's question took him off guard, and instead, he offered Jude a quizzical look, raising one eyebrow and furrowing his other. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Jude nodded and stepped closer to Sebastian, eliminating the distance between them and wrapping his arms around the other man's broad shoulders. Sebastian tensed at first, but Jude's grip on him tightened until the tension flowed out of his body.

  “Everything is going to be okay,” Jude whispered into Sebastian’s neck, meshing their bodies together. Sebastian rested his hands at the center of Jude’s torso, gripping the sides of his t-shirt.

  The larger man shuddered, exhaled a long breath, and then nodded. “I know,” he whispered.

  “Good.” Jude squeezed him tighter before releasing him, sliding his hands down Sebastian’s shoulders and letting his fingers tickle his palm. “If you need anything, I’m here. I know we just met, but I am here.”

  A smile touched Sebastian’s face. “Thank you. Anyway, I should get going.” He extended the distance between them. Their last connection dropped away, and Jude’s heart ached. It was physically painful for him to let go of Sebastian, but he plastered a smile on his face.

  “Yes. I have to get back to my movie before my friends come for my head.” Jude chuckled.

  “You do.” Sebastian took another step backwards, sliding his hands into his pockets.

  “I do.” Jude combed his fingers through his dreadlocks, nibbling the inside of his cheek. “Wait, um, about the thing, the thing you agreed to.”

  Sebastian lifted an eyebrow. “What about it?”

  “Is there something I can do to, perhaps, get started?”

  “Oh,” now Sebastian chuckled. Teasing but warm, and Jude’s cheeks burned. “Are you one o
f those students who likes to read before the first lesson?”

  “Perhaps.” Jude wrinkled his nose.

  “All right. Well, you can get a list of kinks and start thinking about which you may be interested in trying or which you want to know more about. It’s also important for you to make a hard-no list.”

  “Hard-no list?”

  “Yeah. Things you’ll never do, basically.”

  “Ah. Then, yes. I will get a kink list and review it.” Jude smiled, stepping back into the house. He lingered in the doorway, hugging the frame as Sebastian strolled to his rental vehicle and left.

  ***

  Chapter 4

  Sebastian

  Sebastian had arrived at Jude's house overwhelmed and anxious, but when he left, he felt entirely different. Jude's kind words and comforting touch had been exactly what he needed after his fight with Benjamin.

  In some ways, he felt bad about running to another man, but Jude was sweet and kind and altogether the opposite of his ex-boyfriend.

  He sat in the rental car once he arrived back at his place, stewing over everything that had transpired in the last few days. His life had been a whirlwind since Saturday morning when he stepped into Jude's home office and received a life-changing offer.

  The money would change everything, but he felt that Jude would do the same.

  Sebastian reluctantly exited the rental car and trudged up the steps, bracing himself for more questioning as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  Benjamin didn't disappoint, and as soon as the door closed behind him, he spied the other man's frowning features from his mother's couch. It was a replay of the last fight they had, and it sent shivers down Sebastian’s spine. Benjamin didn't speak immediately, but he raised questioning eyebrows and tilted his head to the side.

  When Sebastian didn't fill in the blanks, he spoke. “Where have you been?”

  “Out.” Sebastian kicked his shoes off and hung his keys on the hooks right inside the front door.