Page 93 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

He hoped they were, but he prayed above anything they were safe.

As the team continued to bustle around him, Grant let his eyes slide closed, feeling the weight of the situation settle on his shoulders. He tried to brace himself for what was to come, but he wasn’t certain anything could prepare him.

When his phone rang again, it split his thoughts and twisted his stomach. He glanced at the display. Another unknown number. This one different from the last. They must be using a series of burner phones.

Max raced back across the room. “Answer it. Speakerphone.”

Grant nodded, swiping to answer the call and placing it on speaker. “This is Grant Harrington.”

Silence met his words for a moment. He held his breath as time slowed. Just as he was about to prod for a response, a breath gasped on the other end. “Daddy?”

His eyes went wide, and his heart hammered. “Sierra?”

“Daddy,” she sobbed, her voice quivering.

“Sierra, where are you? Can you tell me where you are?”

He expected the robotic voice to cut off her words. His mind thought ahead in the chess match. Where was Julia? He needed to hear her voice, too.

“Umm, I don’t know where I am. He just…left me here.”

“What? Honey, are you safe?”

“I think so,” she cried. “I’m just on the side of the road. I don’t know where I am. I can see the city, but I don’t know where.”

“Keep her on the line,” Max said, “we’re tracing her.”

“Honey, honey, don’t hang up. We’re searching for you, okay?”

“Okay.” Her voice was heavy with upset. “Daddy, I don’t feel good.”

“I know, baby, we’re coming to get you as soon as we can, okay?”

“Okay.” She sniffled. “Okay.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No,” she answered. “I’m okay.”

She hadn’t mentioned Julia. Why? He had to know. He asked the question that had burned through his mind since the start of the call. “Sierra…I need to know if Julia is with you.”

“No.” The question started her crying again.

“Do you know where she is?”

“No,” Sierra answered, her voice cracking. “He took her. He just…he left me here and took her.”

“Who, baby? Who took Julia?” Grant tried to steady his voice, but it came out just above a whisper as dread coiled in his stomach.

“Kyle Carter.”

The name hit him like a physical blow. Flashbacks of the terse exchange in the police station and Kyle’s unsettling gaze flooded his mind, filling him with anger.

The world spun for the umpteenth time as the words smacked him in the face. Kyle Carter had done this. And now he had Julia.

CHAPTER 24

JULIA

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