Page 76 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

He stopped, reaching back to squeeze her hand. “Thanks. And have fun with Sierra. And, Julia, be safe. I asked James to drive you.”

“I will be.” She offered him a reassuring smile as he strode away. He hated to leave her, but Mike Donovan didn’t call him into the office unless the problem was major. His gaze flickered back to her as she continued to reassure Worthington. He needed to address the company crisis, but he desperately wanted to stay with her.

He pushed himself to leave the house, his mind leaping ahead to find ways to rectify the situation. Though he wondered if they could, and how much of their security had been compromised. Would it cost him something more sacred than his company?

CHAPTER 20

JULIA

Julia sank into her office chair, exhaustion hitting her again. Another intense morning after a sleepless night had her running on fumes. She let her head fall into her hands.

The phone call with Kyle Carter had left her stunned, and her admission about the conversation to Grant led to another tense confrontation. She worried about the ramifications of the dire warning Grant had issued to the man.

She massaged her temples, trying to ease the tension. The conversations over the past three days with Kyle raced through her mind. From the subtle animosity at the hospital to the open hostility of the fistfight, something seemed oddly staged about the entire thing. But why? Could there be a layer of Kyle’s personality she hadn’t seen that hinted at his motivation?

Her mind stretched to find the answers but came up short.

There are things you don’t know about him. Kyle’s words echoed in her mind. What did that mean?

She couldn’t believe anything he said anyway. Though maybe they could be prepared for the lies he planned to spread.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. She twisted to face the door, finding a still-penitent Worthington in the door. He clutched a folder in his hands as he studied her. “Mrs. Harrington, is there anything I can bring you?”

“No, Worthington, nothing.”

He offered her a dejected nod before he stepped away.

“Worthington,” she called, “just a moment.”

The man returned to hover in the door.

“Come in, sit down.”

He swallowed hard as he stepped forward and eased into the seat Grant had occupied earlier, allowing the folder to fall onto his lap.

Julia sucked in a breath. “Are you still bothered by what happened earlier?”

“A terrible slip in security, Mrs. Harrington, and I am most embarrassed.”

Julia let her head loll as she offered him a consoling glance and reached for his hand again. “There is absolutely nothing to be upset about. There is no way you could have known it wasn’t Ethan. And unless we’re going to set up a system of challenge questions, anyone could claim to be anyone.”

The man firmed his lower lip as he straightened.

“Really, Worthington, I’m not upset with you. There is nothing you could have done.”

“You are most kind, Mrs. Harrington.”

“I’m not kind, Worthington. Anyone who would expect you to have reacted differently in that situation is crazy.”

A chuckle escaped Worthington’s lips. “I may have known a few of them.”

Julia’s mind wandered to Grant’s other wives. Was it them he referred to? Had they treated him differently?

“Well, I am not one of them. Now, let’s put this in the past. Okay?”

“Yes, Mrs. Harrington. And thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to reassure me both earlier and now.”

She patted his hand with a smile. “Of course. You are an important part of this household.”

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