Page 53 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

The man glanced behind him at the two men, nursing their respective wounds while still handcuffed. “That’s some misunderstanding, lady.”

“That’s false,” Kyle interjected as he stormed toward them.

“Oh, get him away from her,” Grant shouted, taking a step toward him when another uniformed officer stopped him.

“Whoa, whoa, gentlemen, let’s take a step back here.”

“This was not a misunderstanding at all,” Kyle said, placing himself between the officer and Julia. “This woman is being abused. I stepped in to help. I’m a doctor.”

“She is not!” Grant shouted.

Kyle flicked his eyebrows up as he shot an ire-filled glance at Grant. “Really? Because your behavior right now certainly suggests that she is.”

“All right, that’s enough. You’re both going in.”

“Is that really necessary?” Julia asked. “I think this…it got out of hand. No one meant for it to escalate the way it did.”

The officer blinked at her a few times before he flicked his gaze to Grant. “You want to press charges?”

“No,” he answered, his voice a low growl. “It got out of hand. She’s right.”

The officer returned his gaze to Kyle. “You?”

Julia waited for his answer, hoping this would be the end of the ugly incident. He lifted his chin. “Most definitely, yes.”

“What?” Julia choked out.

“I’m sorry, Julia. I know this will seem hurtful right now, but in the long run, this is for the best.” He twisted to face the officer. “When I threw that punch, I knew what I was doing. He practically dragged her out of here by her hair. I could not let him leave with her.”

“That’s not true!” Julia cried.

“Now, Julia, it’s common to have these feelings,” Kyle started when she backed a few steps away from him. The situation pressed in around her as it continued to spiral beyond her control.

“He’s going to the station. He can’t hurt you now. Let me take you somewhere safe.” He reached for her with his wrists still bound.

“Get your hands off of her!” Grant shouted again as the officers dragged him from the restaurant.

“This is insane. I’m going with Grant. You’re wrong.”

“Julia!” Kyle shouted as she followed behind her husband.

“Mrs. Harrington,” the uniformed officer said as he hurried behind her, “maybe the best thing would be some distance. Do you have a friend you could stay with or someplace you can go tonight?”

“I’m fine,” she answered as she hurried toward the door. A string of police cruisers polluted the street out front. She spotted Grant being shoved into the back of one as she hurried to the valet. “I really need my car.”

“Ma’am, I’m not sure…” He glanced at the snarl of traffic.

“Now!” she insisted, sending the man scurrying away as she dug in her purse for her phone. Trembling fingers swiped through her contact list to find Mitchell Caldwell’s number. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she pressed it to her ear.

Within twenty minutes, she sat on the hard, uncomfortable chair in the waiting room at the police station. Her last visit here had been when Grant was arrested for murder. This time assault.

A television hanging high on the wall played a news station. Julia stared at it with unseeing eyes until something familiar caught her attention. A grainy video of two men fighting played as the headline underneath read BILLIONAIRE BARROOM BRAWL in large white letters.

The serious-faced newscaster detailed the breaking news, her voice a mix of concern and stoicism. “Billionaire Grant Harrington is once again in the spotlight for what appears to be a fistfight with a New Orleans doctor. The violence sparked after what bystanders described as a confrontation over a woman.”

Julia’s heart flip-flopped, praying her face wouldn’t appear on the screen next.

The video feed cut to a cameraman chasing Kyle down the steps of the hotel. “I have no comment other than to say this is a private matter.”

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