Page 40 of Believing in a Billionaire
“Julia!” he shouted, catching her as she fell. “That’s it. You’re going to the hospital.”
She wanted to say no, but she’d never felt this awful in her life. Instead, she clung to him, desperate to stay conscious as she wondered what was wrong.
CHAPTER 9
GRANT
Grant poured a bourbon with a shaky hand. He’d lied to Julia. He gulped down a swallow of drink before he poured himself more. He’d need it.
Not only because of the lies he surrounded himself with, but for what loomed on the horizon.
Lydia’s words echoed in his mind as he cradled the tumbler of alcohol close to his chest. The afternoon shadows stretched across the lawn, their dark tendrils inching closer to the window as if driven by the very malevolence that Lydia embodied. They seemed to reach for him, a visual manifestation of the dread that had settled in his chest.
His mind settled on the phone call he’d just experienced, a shiver snaking down his spine.
“Hello, Grant.” The ice in those two words alone had been enough to stop him in his tracks, but it was the threat that came next that had forced him to make a desperate choice. “If youvalue the life of those around you, play it cool. There’s no need for anyone to know who’s calling.”
With the threatening note Julia received fresh in his mind, he’d told his family it was a work call and dismissed them from the office.
When he was alone, he’d tightened his grip on the phone, growling into it. “You’ve got some nerve calling me.”
The cackle that responded only increased his agitation. “Don’t bother playing tough with me, Grant. It won’t work.”
“I don’t know what judge let you out of prison, but it’s not going to last long. I’m going to–”
“Not do a thing. Not unless you want someone you love to meet with a very unfortunate accident.”
“Don’t you threaten my family.”
“You can’t do anything about it. Well, that’s a lie. You may be able to do something about it.”
His nostrils flared as he tried to suck in a steadying breath. “What are you talking about?”
“If you want to know, meet me at Riverside Park. I would highly recommend you come alone. We have quite a bit to discuss.”
His heart pounded at the invitation. He wanted to rebuff her, but he knew dismissing the offer out of hand would be a mistake. As angry as he was, he needed information. He needed to gauge what she was up to, needed some way to form a plan to stop her.
“What time?” he asked, his voice low.
“How’s four?”
“Fine.”
“It’s a date,” she said, the play in her voice at the statement turning his stomach. “See you soon, dear.”
He took another sip of his bourbon as the memory of the call faded. He hated every moment of this game.
Every word from Lydia was a barb, hooking into the fears he’d buried. It wasn’t just his family’s safety but a gnawing doubt in his own ability to protect them. Lydia’s cold, mocking laughter echoed in his mind, a chilling reminder of his vulnerabilities.
As he stared into the amber liquid swirling in his glass, a reflection of his own turmoil stared back. Lying to Julia was a betrayal of the trust they’d painstakingly built, a trust he feared was as fragile as the peace Lydia’s return threatened to shatter.
It clawed at him more deeply than he cared to admit. It wasn’t just the lie, it was the deep fear that Lydia’s return could unravel the delicate tapestry they’d stitched together.
Could he safeguard their future when the shadows of his past loomed so large?
Memories of Lydia’s manipulations flickered through his mind like ghostly warnings. He knew all too well that her freedom was a harbinger of turmoil.
But despite the turmoil churning inside him, a steely resolve took root. Grant set the bourbon down, its warmth no longer comforting against the chill of his determination. His fingers curled into fists as he silently vowed to end this, his resolve hardening.
