Page 22 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

“In name only, Daddy,” Sierra reminded him.

The words were another punch to his gut. The same as Julia’s line about owing her nothing. Was he the only one with anything invested in this? When he caught her before dinner, she’d been closer to her old self. She’d acted like they were a team again, but then her words didn’t match.

“She’s smart, and she may be good at this role, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to stick around.”

Did Sierra's words stem from a clearer perception of Julia, or were her views just as biased by her fears born from a mother who left her too early? Was she struggling as much as he was with her emotions over Julia?

He felt a twinge in his chest, a mix of emotions he couldn’t bring himself to admit. The thought of Julia leaving felt distinctly personal rather than contractual.

“Anyway, what did you think of Christopher Metcalfe? I think he’d be fabulous to bring into the company.”

At the mention of his name, Grant’s mind lingered on the unease he felt. He’d sensed something off, too, like Julia had. “I didn’t talk to him enough to get an impression. I was a little busy defending my actions from a hostile board member, remember?”

“Hardly. Julia handled that, like you said. And I know you…you make judgments super quickly. Your skills are honed. Now, what did you think?”

Grant rubbed his forehead. “I think I’d like to hear what Julia had to say about him rifling through the desk in the private library.”

Sierra offered him an unimpressed stare. “You’re kidding me. Again with what Julia says. I want to know what you have to say, Daddy.”

Grant’s nerves broke. “He was fine. If you want help at the publishing company, hire him.”

“I was thinking something more like a position with Harrington Global.”

“Are you seeing him?”

Sierra scoffed. “No.”

“Then why is this so important to you?”

Sierra lifted a shoulder. “I just…think he’s a good addition that we’d have in our pocket. I’m trying to contribute.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Sierra grinned at him as she planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy. I’ll tell him to expect a call from you.”

“No, Sierra–” he called as she flitted out of the room. With a deep sigh, he settled back against the arm of the couch and sipped his scotch.

His mind went over the conversation again, picking out details from Sierra’s dismantling of Julia. His thoughts centered on a moment during her recovery. He’d left her alone to answer a phone call and returned to find her eating ice cream for dinner.

The expression on those delicate features as he walked through the door, mixed with surprise and guilt before they turned playful shot through his mind. After confessing she thought he’d be gone far longer, she raised a shoulder and claimed, “It’s healthy. It’s dairy. And I had Worthington add nuts for protein.”

He smiled at the memory, a chuckle escaping him.

“Celebrating a successful evening, sir?” Worthington asked as he swept into the room and surveyed it.

“More or less,” Grant answered him.

“That sounds…less than preferable by your standards. What went awry?”

Grant stared into the reflective surface of his beverage. “Nothing much, just some pressure from the board.”

“I cannot imagine you could not field it.” Worthington collected several glasses and delivered them to a tray across the room.

“The problem wasn’t my answers, it was that no response I gave could have answered the question.”

Worthington arched an eyebrow as Grant rose to freshen his drink. “Julia handled it beautifully.”

“I would have expected nothing less from Mrs. Harrington. Then the incident earlier today did not affect her?”

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