Page 109 of Battle with a Billionaire

Grant collapsed into his chair, relief coursing through him that she was safe. “Please bring her home.”

“I will as soon as she’s ready,” his son answered before the line clicked.

“Oh, thank heavens,” Grant said with a sigh despite a niggling notion at the back of his mind. “She’s safe. She’s with Kyle.”

“Thank goodness, sir. Is Dr. Carter bringing her home?”

Grant hesitated. “Yes.”

“That sounds…less than preferable from your standards.”

Grant heaved a sigh. “At least she’s safe. But I’m not very happy that she’s with Kyle. Again.”

Worthington offered him a tight-lipped smile. “Let’s hope she is home soon, sir. I will call Mr. Sterling and inform him.”

Grant tightened his grip on his chair arm as he imagined Julia with Kyle again. He bristled as the idea of Kyle filling her head with his usual lies rushed into his mind. He couldn’t wait until she was home.

As he sat alone with his thoughts, waiting for her to return, the void left by Julia’s absence echoed loudly in the quiet of the room. Each tick of the lock reminded him of the growing chasm between them, fueled by forgotten memories and unspoken fears.

It seemed to be an eternity before he spotted the red Porsche sliding down the driveway toward the house. She stepped out of the car and eyed the house. She seemed fine but looked uncomfortable to be here as she strode toward the door.

He stepped from his office, a sigh mixed with relief and envy escaping him as she stepped inside. A storm of relief and frustration swirled inside him. And one question hung between them. What if her night away had changed something irrevocably between them? “Julia, thank goodness. Where have you been all night? Your bed wasn’t slept in. We were so worried.”

“I–”

“She spent the night at my place,” Kyle said.

Julia slid her eyes closed at the statement as Grant’s jaw tensed. She grabbed his arm and shook her head. “I can explain.”

Kyle shook his head at the words before they shared a glance. The looks between them twisted the knife even further. Maybe he didn’t want to hear this explanation. “Julia, you don’t–”

“I do.” She glanced over his shoulder. “Can we go inside?”

“Of course,” he said, his posture stiffening. Why did she want to speak in private? What was she about to reveal and would it ruin everything?

She eased into a chair as he crossed to her.

“Julia, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Really. I…it’s hard to explain.”

“Just…take your time.” He tried to force steadiness in his voice, but he felt anything but.

She swallowed hard. “Yesterday, I…a memory cropped up again…a place. I had to see what it was. So, I took the car and went there. It was Kyle’s apartment. When I went inside, I had this rush of a memory of being there.”

Grant’s heart clenched at the words. Had she connected with Kyle in other ways after that memory?

“I fell asleep there. I’m sorry. I just…needed to follow that memory to try to bring more of these fragments back. I can’t stand this blank space in my head.”

Grant gripped the side of the desk until his knuckles turned white. “He couldn’t have called?”

She snapped her gaze up to him. “Kyle wasn’t there. I fell asleep before he got home. He didn’t want to wake me. I’m sorry.”

“I understand the need to chase your memories, but please tell me next time. Or someone. We’ve all been worried.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking, but my mind is scrambled lately.”

“It’s okay, Julia. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

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