Page 54 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

Julia sank her chin into her palm as the newscaster returned to the screen. “It is still unclear what prompted the incident or who threw the first punch, but Harrington was taken into custody earlier today. Viewers may recall this is the second arrest for Harrington in as many months. Merely two months earlier, he was accused of murdering his secretary who was eventually found alive and well.”

Her hard-nosed features turned lighter as she detailed the upcoming sports report. Julia slid her eyes closed as tears stung her eyes.

As Julia sat in the sterile glow of the police station’s fluorescent lights, a cold realization settled over her. She couldn’t help but wonder if this scandal was the tip of the iceberg. What if this public spectacle was more than just a misunderstanding? What if it was the beginning of a far greater threat? One that could not only unravel their image but the fabric of their lives?

A shiver shot through her as much from the dark thoughts raging through her mind as the cold air streaming from a vent above her in the ceiling. As she gathered her purse and rose to switch seats, the door opened, and a figure strode in. Limned in the light from the hall, it took her a second to realize it was Dr. Kyle Carter.

Her heart hammered in her chest, a mix of dread and disbelief swirling within her. Her clammy palms gripped her purse, bracing for what may come next. She swallowed hard as they locked eyes. Was he here to escalate the situation or offer support? Either way, it was likely more trouble than she needed.

CHAPTER 15

GRANT

Grant’s jaw flexed as he gritted his teeth while they shoved him into the back of the police cruiser for the second time in as many months. His mind raced, trying to sort through the situation and the fallout, but confusion and anger reigned.

He’d been on his way to whisk Julia away for a private lunch to take a step forward in solving their issues. He’d misjudged her earlier, and he needed to fix that. Now, he had no opportunity to resolve anything.

The cruiser pulled away from the curb, on its way to the station. Julia’s face, a mix of complex emotions, floated past his window. Her eyes, usually clear and expression, were muddled with fear, worry, and something else he couldn’t decipher. It gnawed at him. The uncertainty of her feelings toward him made the situation even worse.

Had she had enough of this charade? She’d been angry at him when she’d stormed from the house after explaining her so-called indiscretion.

After this embarrassment, would she prefer to cut ties before anything else went wrong? They weren’t on the best of terms. This couldn’t have come at a worse time.

As the towering buildings passed by his window, their silhouettes casting long shadows in the afternoon sun, his mind parsed through the incident itself.

He had intruded on a scene that, at first glance, appeared uncomfortably intimate between Julia and the doctor. The memory of their proximity followed by the doctor’s accusations and desperate attempts to “protect” his wife from him churned in him, a mix of jealousy and protective instinct roiling.

This time, he hadn’t immediately jumped to any conclusions about them, but the uncomfortable look on Julia’s face made him rush toward her. He’d noticed the doctor’s interest in her yesterday. Yes, his jealousy had flared again, but this time to protect her, not to accuse her.

What he’d walked in on, however, hadn’t been anything like he’d anticipated. Was his judgment this poor when it came to her?

“This woman is being abused.” The doctor’s declaration to the police reverberated through his mind. How had things spiraled to that point? What had led the doctor to make such a damning declaration?

Had Julia said something to him? Something innocent that had made him think that? He seemed insistent. Insistent on protecting Julia.

While he could understand the urge to protect her, he couldn’t understand how any of this had happened and how he’d ended up in the back of a police cruiser again.

In a horrible repeat, they hauled him from the cruiser’s back seat, leading him through the sterile, echoing corridors of the police station. Each step felt heavier than the last. Somehow this time seemed worse than his murder charge. That time, Julia had stood by his side, waiting at the police station for him. She’d believed him.

This time, he had no idea if she’d stand by his side. After their argument this morning followed by a second, very public confrontation, she may avoid him entirely. Would even their contract fall apart?

He finally found himself alone in the cold, uninviting embrace of the interrogation room, its barren walls a stark reminder of his isolation. As he sat alone in the starkly lit room, a sense of impending confrontation weighed on him. He braced himself, knowing whatever came next likely wouldn’t bode well for him.

A second later, the door popped open. The same detective who had interrogated him over Evelyn’s disappearance strode in, a smirk on his sharp features.

“Well, well, well, here we are again.”

Grant shook his head with a sigh. “Wrongfully accused again.”

The man slapped a folder onto the cold metal table before he dragged the chair across the concrete floor. It echoed loudly in the space before he sank into it. “It’s funny how that keeps happening, isn’t it?”

“I don’t find it amusing in the least.”

“Neither do I. Only this time, I don’t think you’re wrongfully accused.”

“You haven’t learned anything from the last time, have you?” Grant asked.

“I think we’ve learned quite a bit. It’s interesting because the last time I saw you I came to the same conclusion that the good doctor did.”

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