Page 57 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

The doctor offered a soft chuckle again, a wicked grin on his still boyish features. “Another request I can’t accommodate.”

He slid into the chair across from Grant, his icy eyes sizing him up. “I hope the accommodations here are to your liking. It seems you’ve been finding yourself in these situations more and more often.”

Grant replied through clenched teeth. “Thanks to a string of false accusations.”

“Unfortunately, there is nothing false about this one.” The man rubbed his chin and winced, a playful smile darting across his face after. “And I have the bruises to prove it. Oh, along with several cell phone videos that captured your overly aggressive behavior perfectly.”

“You hit me first.”

“To save the lady.” His features remained amused as though they were playing a game. “I’m the white knight here. Just out to protect sweet Julia.”

Grant’s fingers tightened into fists. “Don’t say her name.”

Kyle’s features twisted into a broad smile. “That really gets to you, doesn’t it?” He flicked his gaze sideways as though processing the information before he bobbed his head.

“She is my wife. I prefer to see her protected always.”

“It’s too bad you’re in handcuffs, though. Rather difficult to do from behind bars, isn’t it?”

Grant narrowed his eyes at the man.

Kyle raised his unrestrained wrists. “I, on the other hand, am free.” His lips twitched with a mischievous smile. “Poor Julia. She’ll need a shoulder to cry on. And my arms will be available to hold her when she does.”

Grant’s features twisted as the man made a direct threat.

Kyle turned pensive. “She really is beautiful. I’ll bet she’s just as beautiful when she cries. Do you know? Have you made her cry before?”

“If you lay one finger on her–”

“You’ll what?” The playfulness disappeared from Kyle’s features, replaced with an aggressive stare. “Kill me? Go ahead, Grant, threaten me. Play right into the groundwork I’ve already laid about how dangerous you are.”

“I would never hurt Julia.”

Kyle pretended to ponder it. “That may be so, but when I’m finished, she won’t know what to think. And with your history? Well, I wouldn’t be so certain that she’ll continue to defend you. She really was something at that news conference after your first arrest. How long do you think this pattern can continue before she realizes what you are?”

Grant’s jaw clenched as the doctor’s insinuations struck at his heart. He’d wondered the same thing not an hour ago.

“What do you want?”

Kyle raised his eyebrows. “So we’ve come to the point. Oh, good. I’ve been dying to get here.”

He chuckled as though he was intensely amused. “What do I want? Such a simple question. And yet, such an expansive answer.”

“Get to the point.”

Kyle flicked his icy gaze toward Grant, his eyes filled with anger and hatred. He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white as his jaw clenched. “I want your life dismantled, piece by piece. And I’m going to start with Julia.”

Grant read the raw emotion in the man’s face. A cold dread settled in his chest. He’d faced adversaries before, but something about this one seemed personal. This was a vendetta–a relentless pursuit for a yet unknown reason that threatened to shatter everything he’d built.

CHAPTER 16

JULIA

Julia flicked her gaze away from Kyle as she scurried toward a chair in the corner.

“Julia.” His voice pierced through her, setting her nerves on edge after the incident at the restaurant. She felt his eyes on her, and she froze before she could settle into the seat.

His voice softened. “Julia, please…I don’t mean to rub salt in the wounds, I just…can we talk?”

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