Page 65 of Betrayal of a Billionaire
Which man truly held the key to her heart? And her happiness?
She wasn’t certain she could answer that question. She’d walked away from a man who loved her, and fallen for a man who couldn’t possibly.
Her fingers traced the warmth of the rings around her finger. The memory of their wedding flashed across her mind. The moments they’d shared since then, once a sign of their common goals and the growth of their relationship beyond their contract, now felt bittersweet.
Her gaze drifted to the window, where the bright moon cast long shadows. She remembered Luke’s comforting embrace under that same moon years ago, a stark contrast to the chaos that shadowed her current life.
Memories of moonlit sails with Luke clashed against the backdrop of her life with Grant, each a different world vying for dominance in her heart.
She climbed to her feet, pacing the room, each step a battle between the life she knew she should leave behind and the uncertain future she was stepping into. Her fingers curled in and out of fists, her nails digging into her palm.
She caught sight of herself as she stalked past the mirror. She searched her eyes, trying to find the answers in them. Who was she really? The woman who left everything behind that she shouldn’t have or the one who found unexpected comfort in a world she never imagined?
Her fingers reached for the necklace around her neck. She wondered if Grant was still downstairs.
Her brow furrowed as she wondered if a conversation would help. In her emotional state, she couldn’t imagine it would. What would she say? Would she sob to him that she’d become attached to them?
She frowned as she imagined his response. “Julia, we have a job to do, and when it’s done…”
She heaved a sigh. Why had she let this happen?
As she vetted through her options, her cell phone chimed.
She sniffled as she pulled the phone from the pocket of her purse. A message floated on her screen, but her vision was too blurred by tears to read it. She blinked them away and focused on the screen.Still having trouble sleeping?
She smiled down at the message from Luke. He knew her so well. She typed a message back.Yep.
She tossed the phone onto the bed as she crossed to the en-suite bathroom and grabbed a wad of tissues, pressing them against her cheeks before she wiped at her nose. Her phone chimed again. She splashed cold water on her face before she shuffled back into the bedroom and grabbed the device.
A message waited from Luke.Up for a midnight sail? It always helped before.
The message tugged at her heart as memories of moonlit sails floated through her mind. Before she could stop herself, she’d typed an affirmative message back. She shoved the phone into her pocket, though she wouldn’t need it at sea.
After another blow of her nose, she slipped out of her room and padded down the stairs. She glanced into the living room, finding it empty. Grant wasn’t even there if she wanted to have a conversation.
She flicked her gaze to the kitchen before she shook her head. She’d be back before anyone was awake. No need to leave a note.
Instead, she slipped into the cool night air, choosing to walk to the docks rather than drive. The streets would be quiet at this time of night, and the physical activity may do her good.
She wrapped her arms around herself as her feet slapped against the pavement. The scent of Balsam hung heavy in the air as she veered off on the shortcut, bypassing a large corner.
As she approached the dock, the harbor bell clanged in the distance, sounding almost haunting. She shivered as an owl hooted in the distance.
As Luke’s form, preparing the sailboat, came into view, she froze. Maybe she should turn back.
He twisted, a grin spreading across his features in the moonlight as he caught sight of her.
No turning back now. She offered him a fleeting smile before she closed the distance between them. Her heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and apprehension, each step toward the sailboat a step into a past she thought she had left behind.
He held his hand out to her as he rocked on the boat. She stared at his extended hand. She’d done this so often before. It seemed so easy, so normal.
Her eyes slid closed for a moment as she slid her hand into his, savoring the warmth of his skin against hers.
She stepped aboard theGentle Julia, familiarness surrounding her. The polished wood of the deck, the coolness of the railing, the rustle of the waiting sail, all of it wrapped her in a sense of nostalgia and comfort.
The gentle lap of the waves lulled her to a simpler time.
Luke’s hand pulled away from her, bringing her back to the present.
