Trapped in a Contract Marriage with My Billionaire Ex!

LAZARUS'S POV.

"We've found her," the PI explained, laying an envelope on the table. "Double-checked. She's in the Philippines, sir."

I snatched the envelope, ripping it open. Photos. Pictures of her. But...what the hell? These weren't the innocent snapshots I craved.  Some of them were...revealing.  My anger flared, hot and sharp, as one picture blatantly showed way too much skin!  Another had her bent over, and I roared, slamming the envelope shut.

"S-sir?" the PI stammered, clearly thrown by my explosion.

Before he could apologize, I shut him down, shaking my head. He left quickly, leaving me alone with those damn pictures.  My vision blurred as a tear escaped. Ah, f*ck it! I just wanted to hold her again. Years had passed, but the ache in my heart remained.

A tear escaped, tracing a warm path down my cheek.  Memories flooded back - her laugh, the way her hair smelled, the warmth of her hand in mine.  God, I missed her.  If only I could rewind.

I shoved the pictures back in. She's mine.  Nobody gets to see her like that.  "Cancel everything for the next month," I barked into the phone with my secretary, "Only emergency calls come through. And book a flight to the Philippines. Now."

You're mine again, Mrs. Romanov. I won't let you disappear this time. Not ever.

***

KARALINE'S POV.

It was nearly 6 pm, and my workday was finally over. Nora, my coworker and partner-in-crime, was leaning on her desk, looking like she had zero plans to leave anytime soon. I was busy shoving papers into my bag and trying to tame the disaster zone that was my desk.

"Heading home, Kara?" she asked.

"Yep," I mumbled, shoving the last stray pen into my bag. "You good? You've been staring into space for, like, an hour."

Nora grinned, revealing way too much excitement for a Friday night. "Nah, just waiting on you. Need a lift?"

I zipped up my bag and surveyed the wreckage of my desk with a satisfied sigh. "I'm good. Besides, you wouldn't want to be late for your big date with Professor McDreamy."

Nora's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. She'd been gushing about her college professor crush all week, and apparently, he'd finally asked her out. Now she was all dolled up and practically vibrating with whatever!

"Ugh, don't even get me started, Kara! I can't believe he actually asked me out!" She bounced on the balls of her feet. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Loud and clear," I said, rolling my eyes and leading the way to the elevator. "Just keep it together, okay? If this ends badly, don't come crying to me. I will literally smack you."

Nora swatted playfully at my arm. "You're such a buzzkill, Kara. Maybe I should set you up with someone tonight. Jade's got these friends who are, like, total hunks. They've got the looks, the money, and big—"

I cut her off with a well-placed smack on the arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Are you kidding me? You want me to ditch work to meet some rich pretty boys? And what's with the 'big' comment? Perverted much?"

Nora burst into laughter. Seriously, this girl was a walking meme. "Oh my god, Karaline! Big COMPANIES! CEOs, that kind of thing! What were you thinking?" Nora doubled over, practically howling with laughter. Okay, this was super awkward.

"Hold up, are you seriously thinking about... like... their dick? Kara, I never pegged you for a dirty mind!"

Her laughter was getting on my nerves, the kind that makes you want to punch someone. I just rolled my eyes and started walking towards the elevator. But I stopped when I realized Nora wasn't following. There she was, still plastered with that mischievous grin. I glared at her, hard.

"Bitch, please. Shut it or your head's getting introduced to your car door. Choose wisely while I'm still being nice."

The blood drained from her face, faster than her expertly applied makeup could handle. I smirked as she clamped her mouth shut and gave a super exaggerated nod. She knew I wasn't one for jokes, usually.

"Jeez, Kara, you're brutal. Alright, alright, gotta go. You sure you don't want a ride? I can tell Jade to bring his crew so you can meet them."

I sighed dramatically and shoved her towards her car. "Nora, I said no. Go before I tie you to the bumper with your overpriced scarf."

She finally gave up, a teasing glint still lingering in her eyes, but at least I knew I was safe from her matchmaking schemes tonight. Still, the memory of her laughter lingered, so just as she was about to pull out, I tapped on the window.

"Hey, Nora, I almost forgot."

"What now, Kara?" she shot back, already reaching for her phone. "Did you change your mind? I can literally call—"

"I'm married," I cut her off with a wink.

Leaving her speechless in the parking lot.

***

My work clothes were long gone by the time the clock struck nine. Now, I was behind the bar, facing a sea of drunken revelers. My usual uniform clung to me, and a practiced fake smile was plastered on my face for the benefit of the latest thirsty customer.

"One vodka, neat," he slurred, leaning in way too close and flashing a cheesy grin.

One look at this guy, and I knew he was exactly the kind of flirt I needed to avoid. Ignoring his too-charming smile, I grabbed the vodka bottle and poured a shot.

"Thanks, beautiful," he said, winking like a broken neon sign.

I rolled my eyes internally. Dealing with creeps like this was just part of a bartender's life, and after six months on the job, I had it down to a science. A curt nod and a quick smile later, I moved on to the next customer, their order already memorized. The vodka guy kept leering at me, but I ignored him. He should have gotten the hint already.

"Hey there, gorgeous. Why the cold shoulder? I just wanna chat." He'd managed to snag a seat closer to me and even had the audacity to offer a handshake. "The name's Kin."

I pretended not to hear him, but that jerk grabbed my wrist to stop me from mixing drinks. My smile evaporated faster than a spilled margarita. I wanted to be professional, but honestly? Screw it.  I pried his hand off my wrist, harder than I meant to because he wasn't exactly letting go. Finally, I got free and took a deep breath, trying to stay calm even though I wanted to scream.

"Sir," I said, "I'm working.  Can't really play the bartender and girlfriend at the same time."

Yeah, right, like I'd ever entertain him anyway. That was just a polite way of saying 'buzz off.' I turned my back on him and slammed a piña colada in front of the next customer. No clue if Creepy McWristgrabber left or not, but I wasn't giving him another second of my time.

The night wore on, and the crowd got rowdier by the minute. I was mixing drinks like a pro, head down, when someone—caught my eye.

I blinked a few times. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me! I even stopped mixing and stared dead at the spot where I thought I saw him. The man whom I still called my ex-husband.

No way. There's no freaking way! A wave of anxiety and pain washed over me as I scanned the crowd, searching desperately. Minutes ticked by, but whoever—or whatever—I thought I saw was gone. I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to focus on the real world.

It was just my imagination, right? Karaline, get it together! You're on the clock!

"Hey, you alright?"  One of my coworkers must've noticed my little freakout.

"Yeah," I mumbled, forcing a smile.

Seriously, what was I thinking? Luxembourg is like a million miles away from the Philippines! Why would he even be here? It had to be someone who just looked like him.

"Bloody Mary, please!"

"One Bloody Mary, coming up!" I forced myself to focus on the customer's order, shaking the weird encounter out of my head. It's not him. Definitely not him. Don't let this mess with you. But damn, why did I suddenly feel so jittery? Just the thought of him being here freaked me out. Why now?

"Everything okay over here, miss?" The lady who ordered the Bloody Mary gave me a concerned look. Probably saw me scanning the crowd like a hawk.

"Yeah, I am."

A fresh wave of customers swarmed the bar, thankfully pulling me out of flashback land. I kept my head down, mixing drinks on autopilot for the next hour before finally calling for a break.

"Hey, Toby!" I yelled over the booming music to my coworker.

He flashed me a wink that would make a sailor blush. "What's up, Kara?"

"Ugh, don't start," I groaned, chucking a stray lime at him.

He snagged it with lightning reflexes, a smug grin plastered across his face. "Just kidding, Kara. What's up?"

"Scratch that, maybe I shouldn't have bothered," I grumbled. "Can you cover for me a sec? Nature calls."

"Ooh, spicy! Thought you wanted me to, like, come with you or something?" He wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

I pretended to launch a vodka bottle at him, making him yelp and throw his hands up in mock surrender. This guy and his endless flirting! It was a nightly routine, but I knew it was all harmless fun. I landed a playful punch on his arm before making a beeline for the restrooms.

***

"Hey!"

Just as I stepped out, relief flooding my system, a voice stopped me dead in my tracks. I glanced up just to see the same creepy dude from earlier blocking my path. He flashed a predatory smile and reached out a hand.

"Remember me? The name's Kin, babe!"

"So?" I said, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Whoa, feisty. I like that."

"Great," I said flatly, "I like myself too, and guess what? Not a big fan of you." I met his gaze head-on, hoping my icy glare would send him packing. Some guys just needed a good dose of reality.

"Not a fan, huh?" He smirked, completely missing the point. "Maybe you haven't gotten to know me well enough yet, babe."

"Trust me, I don't need to." I just wanted to get back to work and avoid this kind of person, "So, if you'll excuse me!"

"I said wait!" But he lunged for me, and grabbed my hand to stop me from walking away.

This guy was definitely hammered! I yanked my wrist back, but his grip was like a vice. Pain shot through my hand, and I could already feel it turning red. This wasn't flirting anymore. This was harassment!

"Get off me!" I yelled, struggling in his grasp.

He clamped his other hand over my mouth, muffling my scream. "Looks like you need to be a little quieter, sweetheart. This won't take long, I promise," he slurred, dragging me towards a dimly lit corner.

No!

This wasn't happening. Not tonight! If I could break free, I was going to break his stupid face!

With a burst of adrenaline, I threw my elbow back, connecting with his gut. He grunted in surprise, momentarily loosening his grip. I used that split second to scream at the top of my lungs.

"Hey! Help! HEEEEEEELLLLP!" But he muffled my mouth again.

I tried to squirm away, but the jerk had his whole body pressed against me, pinning me to the wall like a bug. Ugh, if I survived this, I was making him chug toilet water. Seriously. I squeezed my eyes shut as his face got way too close for comfort.

Okay, universe, this wasn't how I pictured my first kiss in, like, three years. This was a disaster. Here I was, about to get smooched by a creepy drunk!

Lord, seriously? Fine, if this is my fate, whatever.

This is it.

Seriously, I'd rather see my ex walk through that door right now than get mauled by this creep.

This is it.

Wait, hold up. Why wasn't this happening?

What the heck was going on?

"Open your damn eyes, lady!"

The iron grip on my wrist vanished, replaced by a gentle touch from someone warm. The voice was totally different, but that didn't exactly calm my nerves. My breath hitched in my throat as a wave of familiarity washed over me from that touch.

Even though my heart practically recognized him, my brain was lagging behind.  No way. I couldn't open my eyes.  Not now.  Not again!