Page 13 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

Julia’s heart sank at the sight, and she pulled her hand away. She imagined his former wives would have flung their arms around his neck and forgiven everything. Instead, he’d confirmed her worst suspicions. He didn’t want her understanding. He wanted her silence. And he was willing to buy it any way he could.

“I hope you like it,” he added.

She shook her head, not in answer to his latest statement, but more to dismiss the entire situation. She didn’t want or need expensive gifts. Her silence had already been bought when she’d signed the contract in what may have been the single biggest mistake of her life.

She closed the box and pushed it back toward him. “I don’t–“

“If you don’t like it, I can get you something else. This reminded me of your eyes.”

“No–“

“Julia, please. I promise nothing happened. And I didn’t want anything to happen.”

She fluttered her eyelashes. She had to get hold of this conversation before it spiraled further. “I told you in the office. You don’t owe me anything. No explanations or…” Her eyes fell on the velvet box. “Gifts. It’s not my business.” She flicked her gaze to her lap, her hands tightening around each other.

“But…”

“Grant, I understand this arrangement. I don’t have any say in your private business or your life. Again, I’m not certain it’s a good idea given that new image you’re trying to project, but it’s not my business.” A light breeze ruffled her hair as storm clouds built on the horizon, and she slicked a lock of it behind her ear before grabbing the compass necklace hanging around her neck, her mind flitting to another man who was no longer her business.

Grant stared at her for a moment. She flicked her gaze to the dark clouds building. “It looks like the storm’s coming faster than anyone anticipated. We should go.”

She rose from her seat, but he remained on the bench for another moment before he stood slowly, stuffing the box into his breast pocket. She imagined he was likely annoyed with her over her behavior.

He slid his hand down his tie before he ran it through his hair. “Uh, we still need to discuss the dinner party tonight. Can we at least go to lunch to do that?”

His words seemed harsh, and she swallowed hard. If they had this much bitterness between them over a misunderstanding, how would they make it through the dinner party, let alone the next several months?

She pressed her lips together, feeling obligated though she preferred to slink back to her room and lose herself in her manuscript. “Yes, if that’s what you’d prefer.”

He let his gaze fall to the ground. “I think it’s best if we’re on the same page for this. It’s too big of a night for any misunderstandings.”

She forced a smile onto her lips and nodded, doing her best to put the incident behind her. She’d told him what she believed was right. She’d have to stuff down any lingering emotions and live up to every word she said. And to do that, she’d have to put on a fake face and pretend everything was okay when she felt anything but.

“Because right now, it feels like we’re reading from two entirely different books,” Grant said as they strode to the car.

Julia climbed into the backseat and kept her attention trained on the window. His biting statement struck at her core. Maybe even their professional relationship had been a mistake.

CHAPTER 5

GRANT

Grant stormed through the doors of his private study, tugging the tie from around his neck with quick movements before he tossed it on the desk and headed straight for the drink cart. Rain battered the windows outside, matching his stormy mood.

After his lunch with Julia, he’d returned to the office and tried to finish up with a few files, but he found himself too distracted.

The conversation with Julia both before and during their lunch hadn’t gone the way he’d hoped. She had remained withdrawn and quiet.

He downed one glass of bourbon before he poured himself another. The quick movement caused the box in his breast pocket to smack him in the chest. It served as another reminder of the mess his life had become.

He tugged it from his pocket and snapped it open, eyeing the sapphires against the black velvet. She’d rejected his gift. She’d rejected him.

He slammed the box closed, ready to whip it across the room when Worthington slipped inside. Grant tightened his grasp on the box and crossed to his desk.

“Rough day, sir?”

Grant collapsed into his chair, the creak of it echoing the ache in his heart. “My life is a mess, Worthington. Once again.”

Worthington relieved Grant of his glass and refreshed the drink before he returned it. “It seems to me your life is coming together in a way it never has before.”

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