Since when do billionaires with bad reputations buy friends? Okay, technically, Lex Hawthorn contractually obligated me to act opposite him in our college theater play, not become his friend, but the lines do get blurry when he's taking me out for ice cream, offering me homemade muffins, and saving me when I don't know where else to go. I've never felt this comfortable with someone before, much less with someone who's paying for my time. If only secrets and contracts weren't the foundation of our "relationship," maybe I could start taking him seriously. Bribed by the Billionaire Bad Boy is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy with mutual pining, neurodivergent characters, and plenty of closed-door sizzle. Previously Published as Unspoken.