Chapter 28: The Deal

Barbara Brown's POV

After Brad came to pick me up at the reception, we went to my house before I packed for my journey to the Bay Area as he was circling my apartment. I can feel his intense stare across the room when I was moving into the bedroom. I don't know what he was looking at.

"Have you ever consider moving out of here?" He asked as I turned to look at him. I put my hands on my hips as I was blowing my hair out of my face.

"Not all of us have money to just grab our things and move out, you know. Unlike you, Mr. Billionaire," I mumbled the last sentence as I can sense that my bedroom has been invaded by him. I was aware of his sandalwood scent and I think I might faint right there.

"But you have me now. All you have to do is ask and I will let you come to move in with me at my house," he whispered as I stilled in my movement when his hands were circling my waist. His hard body was pressed to my back as I was trying to control my breathing. He kissed my neck.

"What do you say, Barbara? Will you move in with me?" He asked before I turned and I put his at arm's length.

"We both know that you rather have your freedom than stuck with a broke Ph.D. student like me," I whispered as I was closing my eyes. I don't want Brad to see my vulnerability but if I was in another dimension, another time where he courted me like anyone else, I might say yes.

"Then, let me pamper you, my love. You know I can," he whispered as he hugged me from behind. I felt his heat and I cannot think. Not when I know our marriage was only on paper.

Well, except I have given my virtue to him.

I sighed as I felt he was kissing my throat and shoulder. I never felt this kind of love before. Of course, I have a lot of guy friends but they just friends. And Brad, he was everything that I wanted for a husband in my life.

Caring.

Perceptive.

Teasing.

I just shook my head slowly as he was kissing me again while his hands were caressing my body. I was stuffing my moan as I don't want Brad to think that he had his upper hand on my body which exactly what he was.

"Let me show you how much I want you tonight, Barbara," he whispered.

"No, please Brad. I need to pack and we have to leave for Bay Area," I said as I turned to look at him and I was pushing him away. He wanted to protest but I went to the bathroom as I closed the door and locked it. He sighed at the other side before I slid down and sobbed silently of my doom fate.

I have a husband that I love only if he could ever love me back.

After my haste packing, we went to the airport and we were boarding Brad's private jet to the Bay Area. It took 4 hours, which was plenty of time for me to sleep and ignored Brad. I have a lot to think about especially my funding for the research. Now, I don't even know if I wanted to pursue my Ph.D. anymore.

After a few hours later, I was awake to see that we have arrived at San Francisco International Airport before I saw the car was waiting for us. I don't know if it has a driver or not, but when Brad opened the passenger seat for me, I got in before he went to the driver's seat.

I guess no driver then.

"Where are we going? I thought we want to go to the site immediately," I asked before Brad looked at me. He smiled before he was speeding off from the hangar.

"You'll see," he said as he was speeding on the highway to Reno and I think I was glad that he did just show me when we were heading.

"Now, this is a sight that I miss," I said as I was looking at the desert of Reno with its mountains and the sight of coloration in the mountain as well.

"Are we closed yet?" I asked him as I never got to see the road when I first came here. Brad shoot me a look before he focused on the road again and smirked.

"Almost there. Why are you so impatient?" He asked with amusement in his voice before I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"If you have forgotten, I was out when you first brought me here," I said as I was looking outside the window. He chuckled.

"Of course, how can I forget?" He said before we were in the small trail that hard for a car to pass. But we did anyway because Brandon Cornwall was stubborn that way. I was looking at the site where I saw a familiar figure among them.

Owen.

I was happy to know that I have someone in the mist that I considered a friend. Brad parked the car at the designated area for the vehicle before I went out of the car and I looked over the site. It has changed gradually over the weeks that I was not here and I think it was a nice change.

"We will be going into the site after breakfast," Brad said as I was looking over my shoulder and scowled at him. Like he can give order to me.

"Yeah, whatever," I mumbled before I was looking around for a familiar figure, Sabrina. I don't see anyone except for myself amid men.

"Where's Sabrina?" I asked Brad when he looked at me.

"She's not coming. She has to arrange my papers back in the office. It's only you and me, this time around," he said as he smirked at me. I scowled at him before I went to the cafeteria to get some breakfast without waiting for my husband.

Like I would ever care for him.

I was taking some eggs and sausage when someone patted me on the shoulder. I turned to look at the familiar blue eyes and black hair.

"Owen, it's good to see you!" I said as I put the plate down for a while and I hugged him. He returned the hug before I was releasing him. I was smiling as Owen was smiling as well.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked him as he was taking a plate on the table.

"It's breakfast if I recall,'' he joked as I laughed at his notion.

"Yes, of course. How can I forget?" I said as we were taking some food before we took our seat at the table.

"I thought I never see you again," Owen said as he smiled at me. I shook my head at him.

"It will take me a lot more of a man trapped in the cave to stop me from coming," I said as we were catching up with our food before I asked him to show me around the mineral site as I wanted to work as early as possible.

"Of course, I can do that. If that's okay with you," he said as he was looking at me. I nodded at him as we were finishing our breakfast and we were heading for the site. I don't bother to tell Brad as I know he will want to be out of my presence around him. I can give him better. I will be running with Owen then.

"I see that you have new boots," he said as we were walking on-site. I looked at my boots and it was the ones that Brad brought for me. Or maybe it was Sabrina who bought it for me. I shrugged.

"Well, I got it for free so why not take it, right?" I said as we were inside the cave that was lighted up with gaslights and I can see the difference of the sill and dike. It was the same but we can know the age of them by looking at the intrusion that they made in the cave.

"Hold this will you," I said as I was giving a compass and a gaslight for Owen to hold it above my head as I was making some notes.

"This is remarkable, I cannot believe we have gone deeper than the first week that I was here," I said as Owen was silent for the most of the time. I was concentrating on my writing that I cannot tell if Owen was still here or he was looking at the sill and dike with fascination as I was.

"Owen?" I asked and that was the first mistake that I ever did.

Brandon Cornwall's POV

I was making sure that everything was in order when I left a few weeks ago. I caught up with my overseers and they were making great progress. I know that Barbara must be hungry as I saw her making her way to the cafeteria.

My stomach growled when I was walking back to the cafeteria as I can see myself sharing a meal with my wife.

Wife.

I smirked as I cannot think straight when Barbara finally accept my proposal and we will continue our marriage. Even for just a little longer. It seems that Barbara has that impact on me.

"Sir! Sir!" Someone called after me when I was looking in the direction of that sound. It was my trusted supervisor. I trusted him over Owen that Barbara seems to like very much and it made my blood boiled at that thought.

"What is it?" I asked him before he was taking his breath. He must be running to talk to me.

"The female that came with you," he started before my alert was on.

"What about her? What about my wife?" I asked as my stomach rolled for the worst that can happen.

"Owen. He took her into the cave and we heard a scream. Before we can get to him, he blasted themselves inside the cave," he said before I was running toward the cave.

I should have not let Barbara out of my sight.