Page 31 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

“I will leave you to your business, sir.” Worthington strode from the room and closed the doors behind him, leaving Grant alone with his tortured thoughts.

He forced himself to concentrate on the contract he reviewed, but his mind constantly drifted back to Julia, filling in the gaps. Was she with him now?

He swiped the phone from the receiver, intending to call Max for an update when he shook his head. He needed to concentrate on his work. He couldn’t lose focus now. The company would end up being the only thing he had left.

A knock interrupted his rumination. “Yeah?”

Worthington strode into the room, a large envelope in his hands. “This just arrived for you, sir.”

“Thank you, Worthington,” Grant said with a nod as he accepted the envelope. Perhaps the contents held the key to diverting his attention.

He grabbed the silver letter opener from the pencil cup and sliced it open, sliding out the contents. His heart stopped as his gaze locked onto Julia’s image–her sparkling eyes, that slight smile. He recognized the dress she wore to the Crescent City Charity Gala. The picture shook in his hands, each tremor distorting the image.

Why had this been sent to him?

Heavy silence thickened the air around him until his ringing phone shattered the stillness in a jarring, insistent sound that echoed endlessly before he reached for the receiver. His heart raced as he lifted the receiver to his ear, a chill of foreboding making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

“Yeah?”

A robotic voice cut through the line, sending a shiver down his spine. “Mr. Harrington, did you get our special delivery?”

“Who is this?”

“Someone you owe. Big. And unless you want something to happen to that pretty new wife, you’ll pay. Instructions coming soon.”

The line clicked. He stared at the receiver as he pulled it away from his ear. His heart pounded, and he glanced at Worthington. Someone had just threatened Julia. And he had no idea who.

CHAPTER 10

JULIA

A surge of adrenaline shot through Julia, sending her pulse racing as she averted her eyes from the couple, discomfort tightening in her chest.

“Do you normally barge into other people’s houses like this? Wait, don’t answer that,” Sierra said, holding up a hand, “yes, you do. You keep butting into Harrington business at every turn.”

Julia finally flicked her gaze back to Sierra with a tilt of her head, her voice tinged with frustration and her words measured. “That’s not entirely fair, Sierra.”

“What’s not fair is you bursting in here like you own the place. You don’t.”

“I didn’t burst in here! The door was open. I came for my keys. That’s it.”

Sierra cocked a hip, narrowing her eyes. “Well, that’s going to be a problem because you can’t leave here until we get a few things straight.”

“Such as?” Julia asked.

Sierra’s voice hardened, each word a command. “Such as the fact that you never saw any of this. James and I…it’s private, okay? You never saw this. Understand?” The intensity in her eyes held Julia in her place.

“Yes,” Julia said with a nod.

She knitted her brows as Sierra’s scrutinizing eyes narrowed at her. “That’s it? That’s not good enough. I don’t trust you, Julia.”

Julia clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “Oh, Sierra, I’m not going to say anything, it’s not my business.”

“It’s not my business,” Sierra mimicked. “Oh, aren’t you just a saint.”

“Sierra,” James whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She shook it off and stalked a few steps toward Julia. “How do I know the first chance you get you won’t sell out my secret to get on my Daddy’s good side?”

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