Page 96 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

Did he not know? The woman hadn’t listed a father.

“Yes, as you can see, I’m just another one of Grant’s rejects.”

“Does he know?” she asked, her voice just above a whisper.

Nothing about this situation aligned with the Grant she knew. Barely knew, her mind added. But still, he didn’t seem the type. He was wonderful with Sierra.

Kyle swallowed hard as he refused to meet her gaze. “I assume so.”

“So, you aren’t sure?” Julia leapt from her seat and paced behind the car. If Grant didn’t know, maybe he should. Would he abandon a child?

“I was adopted. I didn’t find that out until my adopted mother died. She told me on her deathbed. And when I went to find my real mother, I had less than a month with her. She told me about my father: Grant Harrington. She said they spent one night together. She said when she found out she was pregnant, she tried to talk to him, but he was conveniently unavailable. The next day, Grant’s father showed up and paid her ten thousand dollars to keep her mouth shut and get rid of the problem.”

Kyle jabbed a finger at his chest. “Me, I was the problem.”

Julia’s mind spun as she tried to search for a solution, both to her current situation and the problem looming for Grant. Had he wanted the problem swept under the rug? Had he assumed it had been?

Julia ran her fingers through her hair again before she set her hands on her hips.

“So, as you can see, Julia, he’s a real stand-up guy. Once you’re beyond your usefulness date, he’ll destroy you, too.”

Julia fought to keep her mind clear as the astounding revelation combined with Kyle’s emotionally charged hatred of Grant threatened to cloud her judgment.

“Okay, look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but–“

“If it’s a defense of him, I don’t.”

“Kyle, I don’t think he knew about this.”

Kyle rolled his eyes as he slammed the hatch shut. “I can’t believe this.”

“I’m serious. Because the Grant I know would not do this. He’s a wonderful father to Sierra.”

“I guess kids from a real marriage make all the difference.”

Julia shook her head. “I disagree. I don’t think he knows you exist.”

“No, he thinks he paid my mother to get rid of me. The problem.”

“But she didn’t. And he doesn’t know that. Maybe he doesn’t even know she had you. You said she didn’t speak with him and his father handled it. He may not even realize.”

Kyle’s features twisted with frustration at her words.

“Kyle, please, he deserves a chance to make this right.”

“No!” he shouted at her, causing her to stumble back a step. “He doesn’t deserve anything. Not his big house, not his billion-dollar company, not you.”

She licked her lips as she tried to vet through options to calm his very frayed nerves. “So, what are you going to do?”

He refused to meet her gaze, the upset still etched into every line of his face.

“Because you can’t keep going on like this. This isn’t going to solve anything. It’s not going to erase the hurt. If you succeed, what then? Will you feel better?”

“Maybe,” he spat back.

“I doubt it,” she said, lowering her voice to be calm and steady. “I don’t think you want to destroy him.”

“Don’t try to psychoanalyze me, Julia,” he warned with a shake of his head.

---