Page 47 of Betrayal of a Billionaire
“Well…still…”
Alicia heaved a sigh. “You’re right. He’s a real womanizer. He beats out Grant any day of the week.”
“Not funny, Ally.” Julia’s eyes turned pleading. “Please, please try to be supportive here.”
Alicia rolled her eyes. “I hate when you give me the little sister look.”
Julia let her lower lip slide into a pout.
“Oh, wow, you’re really working the poor puppy dog thing.”
“Ally, I’m serious. I’m not sure how much more I can take of this. It’s a constant battle between past and present, and I’m nearly ready to lose my mind. And Lydia tracking us down really ices the cake.” Julia cocked a hip as she ran her fingers through her hair.
“Hey,” Alicia said, slipping an arm around her sister’s shoulders, “maybe you need to take a breath.”
“That’s what I’m doing.”
“No, I mean…a longer one. Maybe you need to just…take some time for yourself to think. Why don’t you come to our place and–”
Julia wrinkled her brow. “Think about what?”
“Everything,” Alicia said. “Julia, I don’t like this. I don’t like how stressed you are. I don’t like him. I don’t like any of it.”
“Yeah, you’ve said,” Julia said. “But I’m married to him.”
“Juju, if you need help–”
“I don’t,” she snapped, tugging away from her sister and returning to the sink. She eyed herself in the mirror, regrettingthe sharp statement already. The truth was she was drowning, but no one understood, too focused on their agenda.
Alicia crossed her arms, eyeing her through the reflection. She sucked in a sharp breath as she shook her head before she threw her arms in the air. “Okay, fine. I’ll do my best to be supportive. But I don’t like this, Julia. And I want to protect you. I’m your big sister. And with Mom and Dad gone, I feel like…I worry. I just want you to be happy.”
Julia breathed a sigh of relief as she spun to face her sister. She reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you. Now, let’s go back and wrap this up.”
Alicia wrapped her arm around her sister as she led her from the bathroom. As she swung the door open, a figure blocked them.
Lydia’s lipsticked lips curled up into a devilish smile. “Hi, ladies! Everything all right?”
“Of course,” Julia said.
Lydia stepped into the bathroom, her heels clicking across the tile as she backed both sisters up. “Oh, Alison, is it?”
“Alicia,” Alicia answered.
“Right. I need a minute with Julia…private wives of Grant type of stuff. Do you mind?”
Alicia tightened her grip on Julia. ”Actually–“
“She doesn’t,” Julia said with a smile at her sister. “Go on ahead, Ally, I’ll be right there.”
Alicia flicked her eyes between the two of them before she set her jaw and begrudgingly stalked to the door. “Fine.”
“Well, she’s a pleasant little thing, isn’t she?” Lydia asked as the door slowly eased shut.
“What do you want, Lydia?” Julia asked.
Lydia arched an eyebrow. “Answers.”
“To?”
