Battle with a Billionaire: A Suspenseful Billionaire Romance (Hearts and Holdings Billionaire Romanc

Chapter 22

Julia tried to stop her hands from trembling as she closed them around the key fob and hurried into the house. The latest memory had taken a toll on her, not just physically but emotionally.

Her first memories of Kyle had been somewhat confusing, but this one had been more devastating. She hadn’t recalled anything positive about her contractual relationship with Grant, instead, quite the opposite. She remembered something negative. Very negative.

When the memories flooded her mind, she not only got flashes of sights and sounds, but she also vividly experienced the emotions she’d felt in those moments again. Only with nothing else grounding her, they seemed magnified exponentially.

She recalled her frustration, her upset, and even her anger as she stared at the pictures of her at a coffee shop with a man.

The emotions overwhelmed her. She pushed into her room as tears stung her eyes. She blew out a shaky breath as a few escaped onto her cheeks. She hadn’t wanted to come across as an emotional basket case with Grant, so she’d fled.

She’d also had questions swirling in her brain that she needed to process. Like why her first memories had been of Kyle and seemed positive and her only memory of Grant was negative.

Was that meaningful or simply the luck of the draw with how her memories had decided to return?

She eased onto her bed and wiped at her cheeks. Had Kyle been right about Grant? Was that why she’d recalled a negative memory?

He admitted to having her followed. Kyle had told her the same thing. Was he controlling? Why had she agreed to a second contract if he was?

Nothing made sense to her, and despite her memories returning, it made less and less sense. Overwhelm flooded through her, driving more tears to fall to her cheeks.

She allowed the emotions to rush through her, hoping they would soon subside. Instead, she collapsed against her pillow with no signs of the wave slowing.

Sobs wracked her body and tears stained her pillow. She wished desperately for her memories to return so she could make some semblance of sense of her life, but her mind refused to give in to her pleading.

Her ringing cell phone cut off the flood of emotions pouring out of her. She glanced at the caller ID, her stomach twisting into a knot. It was her sister.

She sniffled, trying to pull herself together before she swiped to take the call. “Hello.”

“Hey, Juju.”

Her mind whirled as she tried to place the nickname, but it didn’t seem familiar. Not even the sound of her sister’s voice could restore her memory, apparently.

“Hi,” she said, trying to steady her voice.

“You okay? You sound weird.”

“Do I?” she asked as she desperately tried to determine how to sound normal.

“Have you been crying?”

She wrinkled her nose. Maybe she should lean into it. “Guilty.”

“What’s wrong? What happened? I didn’t buy that story about your phone, by the way. I knew something was up. What happened?”

“Oh, no my phone was broken. But that’s not why I was crying.”

“Well, what is it? You can tell me. You can tell me anything, Juju.”

Julia sucked in a breath, her eyes darting around the room in search of answers. “Well…I…I haven’t been doing very well on my manuscript is all.”

“Oh, Julia.” Her sister’s voice sounded chiding. “You really let the pressure get to you. You need to just take a deep breath and realize you’re a good writer. People like your books. They like your characters. You’re a good writer.”

Julia swallowed the lump in her throat. “Do you like my books?”

“I love your books. You know that. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your sister.”

She blew out a sigh, letting the warmth of someone who genuinely cared for her wrap her up like a blanket. She’d struggled to navigate the dangerous undercurrents in the Harrington household. She couldn’t tell who was lying and who was telling the truth. She had no idea what her thoughts were on the subject.

But she knew her sister probably meant everything she said. Unless her sister actually disliked her or was also controlling. The thought made her head throb again.

“Now, are you ready to tackle that manuscript and show it who’s boss?”

“Maybe,” she said, not wanting to let go of the connection just yet. She couldn’t remember her sister, but she felt safe with her, assuming they had a decent enough relationship since she’d threatened to call every state official when she hadn’t heard from Julia.

“Just maybe? I’m losing my touch.”

She wanted to blurt out everything, but Grant’s words stuck in her mind. Why hadn’t she told Alicia she was married? There must have been a reason. Maybe her sister wasn’t as kind as she thought. Or maybe she’d just not wanted to admit she’d married someone to save their image.

“You’re not, I’m just being a baby.”

Her sister chuckled. “You’re not a baby. Well, technically, you are my baby sister, but I’m the baby. You know how you made me call Ethan the other day?”

She didn’t recall it at all, but she couldn’t say that. She assumed Ethan was her brother-in-law. She hoped to infer it from the conversation. “Yeah.”

“Well, I did. And we got into another huge fight. And then I brought up counseling, and he shut down completely.”

“Oh, gosh, I’m sorry.”

“Doubt it,” Alicia answered. “But maybe our relationship is just losing its touch.”

“Don’t give up on it yet. Maybe it just needs some time.”

“We’ll see.” A radio crackled in the background, and Julia’s brow crinkled. Was her sister a cop? “Ah, shoot, that’d be Mrs. Kline’s cat stuck in the tree again. I gotta run, sis.”

“Okay, we’ll talk soon. And don’t worry about Ethan. It’ll work out.”

“Thanks, Juju. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She hung up the phone as emotion raced through her again, threatening more tears. She missed the connection already.

She blew out a steadying breath, trying not to let the emotions overwhelm her again. After a few minutes, she set her phone down, rose from the bed, and crossed to the en-suite bathroom. She splashed cold water onto her face before she toweled off.

She wandered back into the bedroom as the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the back lawn. Exhaustion made her weary. Her head throbbed, probably from crying.

She sat on the bed’s edge before she flopped backward, allowing the silky soft duvet to bring her a tiny measure of comfort.

Her stinging eyes wanted to close, but she didn’t want to fall asleep. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling while she massaged her temples, she let them slide closed.

Something jolted them open, and she bolted up to sit. Her head pounded as she tried to make sense of it. An address. A street sign, then numbers on the side of a building.

What was she seeing? She had to know. She had to see if this unlocked a memory for her. Her eyes fell onto the key fob she’d set on her nightstand when she’d run away earlier.

A second later, with her keys in hand, she slipped out of her room and slinked through the halls. She hurried down the steps, her eyes trained on the front door. She slid her gaze sideways toward Grant’s closed office doors as she slipped through the door into the late afternoon air.

She had no idea why she didn’t tell anyone where she was going, but she didn’t want to be stopped. If Kyle was right and Grant was controlling, he wouldn’t let her go, and she had to know why she remembered this address.

The bright red sports car still sat outside the door. She ripped the bow from the hood and tossed it aside before she climbed behind the wheel. Her stomach turned over when the engine roared to life. The last time she’d driven, she’d nearly been killed. She took a moment to suck in a calming breath before she shifted into gear and let the car roll forward.

Her nerves settled as she snaked down the driveway. At the end, she stopped and poked in the address, allowing the GPS to guide her as she snaked her way into the city. As the building came into sight, she craned her neck to stare up at it. It looked like an apartment building.

She whipped the sporty car into a parking space on a side street and climbed out, still staring up at the glass and steel building. One apartment number lingered in her mind.

She pushed into the lobby and crossed to the elevators. As the car rose in the air, she struggled to recall who lived here. Was it her? Was this her old apartment?

The doors whooshed open, and she stepped into the hall, navigating down to the appropriate door. She stared down at the keypad lock before she typed in a code and twisted the handle.

The door swung inside on its hinges, and she smiled. Maybe this had been her place before she married Grant.

She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her as she eyed the modern space. Something didn’t seem right about it.

She sucked in a sharp breath as images danced in her mind as she flicked on the light and walked down the hall toward the living room and kitchen. The soft glow and distant sounds of the city insulated her from the storm she found herself in.

You need sleep. Kyle’s voice echoed in her brain.

“I’ll never sleep,” she murmured.

I think you will. Warm hands had guided her to the couch. She reached out, allowing her fingertips to touch the cool, soft leather.

Pain throbbed at her temples as images blurred past. She’d been here before, but it wasn’t her place. It was Kyle’s. Why had she been here?

She circled around the couch and eased onto it as memories flickered on the fringes of her mind. She tried to follow them through to create a full picture.

I’m not taking you back until you’ve slept.Why did she need sleep?

The memory of him tucking a blanket around her flashed through her mind. If you don’t fall asleep, I’ll take you back.

Take her back where, she wondered? What had she said next? “Do you promise?”

He’d grinned at her. Maybe.

The memory swirled through her mind, filling in with vivid color and detail. She twisted to find the blanket he’d draped over her on the back of the couch.

She pulled it down, unfurling it as she kicked off her shoes. She eased onto the pillow propped against the arm and pulled the blanket higher.

The rest of the memory floated through her mind, coming more easily as she closed her eyes. Her sister’s call, her admission she’d not told her about her marriage, and then her relaxing into sleep.

She opened her eyes and studied the room again. She had woken up here. He’d smile at her as he rubbed her calf before he’d made her breakfast. Her eyebrows pinched. Was it morning?

Quarter after six. His voice echoed in her head when the memory of evening lights filled her mind. They’d talked. What about?

He keeps the leash short, doesn’t he?

“It’s complicated,” she whispered.

If everything in your life is this complicated, maybe it’s time to reassess your choices, Julia.

She closed her eyes. Did he have a point? She’d trusted him enough to fall asleep here once. Their conversations seemed easy, perhaps outside of the bitterness he obviously had toward Grant. Was there a reason for that?

She couldn’t answer any of those questions, but that memory had brought a number of strong emotions. Something niggled at her that she’d been upset. But it hadn’t been with Kyle. Why had she needed sleep?

But no matter the reason, she’d trusted him enough to come here. She’d felt comfortable enough to fall asleep. She let that comfort surround her as she let her eyes close and drifted off to sleep.

In the quiet of Kyle’s space, she’d found an undeniable comfort, a respite from the chaos. Yet, beneath the calm, her heart wrestled with a question–was this ease born out of true connection, or merely a fragment of her scattered past?

When she opened her eyes, the morning sky remained dark with only hints of the sun still hiding below the horizon. She sucked in a breath as she blinked her bleary eyes, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. The softness of the bed, the scent of the room, none of it was like hers. Her heart ramped up, thudding hard against her ribs as she sat up.

She rubbed a hand over the bedding covering her before she twisted to search for the door. Her eyes caught sight of a note propped up against a glass of water.

Good morning. I found you asleep on the couch, and you looked so peaceful, I hated to disturb you. But I thought you might get better rest in the bed. I’m on the couch if you need anything. Kyle

She grabbed the note, trying to orient herself. She must still be at Kyle’s in his bedroom. She hadn’t even awoken when he’d moved her. She wasn’t usually that light of a sleeper.

She shoved back the covers and slid her feet to the floor. The scent of food cooking wafted her way as she reached the partially closed door and slipped into the living room.

Kyle stood at the stove, scrambling eggs. She padded her way across the living room as he twisted to face her.

“Hey, you,” he said with a smile. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like the dead, apparently. I can’t believe I didn’t wake up when you moved me.”

He grinned at her as he slid the eggs onto a plate and set it on the counter for her. “I was very careful not to wake you. Though I assume with everything you’ve been through, you probably really needed that sleep.”

She sucked in a breath as he leaned against the counter with his own plate. “I thought I slept well enough the night before last. I couldn’t even stay awake during the movie Grant picked.”

The mention of his father’s name caused his jaw to flex as annoyance clouded his eyes. “Of course, he’d pick the movie when you’re the one trying to relax.”

She shifted in her seat, not wanting to get into his personal feelings about Grant when she had limited information to work with on her end.

“Sorry. I don’t want to turn this into a conversation about my father again. I mean, if you want my take, I’m happy to give it to you, but I’m sure we can find better topics of conversation.”

“Such as? My mind’s pretty blank these days.”

He smiled at her, and she returned the gesture. “How about how you got in here? Not that I’m complaining, but it was a surprise to find you on my couch.”

He poured her a glass of orange juice, and she sipped it before she answered. “I had a memory.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Really? Another one? Of my key code?”

She nodded. “Well, a little more than your key code, but yes, that was part of it.”

“You remembered sleeping here while Grant was in the hospital.”

She paused, pushing her eggs around on her plate. “So, Grant was in the hospital?”

“You didn’t remember that part,” he said.

She shook her head. “No. Just being here and falling asleep. And waking up. And you telling me I need to rethink my choices in life.”

Kyle tugged his lips back into a wince. “Yes, sorry about that. But your answers left something to be desired.”

She blew out a breath as she dropped her fork on her plate. “Everything’s even more complicated now.”

He took her hand and tugged it closer to him. “It doesn’t have to be.”

She flicked her gaze to meet his. She couldn’t deny the connection she felt to him, but in a sea of nothingness, she had no comparison to any connections she felt to anyone else. Did they truly have a connection or was she only clinging to the one tether she had to her memories? “Kyle…”

He pressed his lips together as he squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to answer now. I’m not trying to pressure you. I know how difficult this must be for you. I’m just reminding you how I feel about you and that I’m here for you.”

She sucked in a breath, emotions threatening to overpower her again.

“Let’s change the subject. I don’t want you upset.”

“Thanks,” she said softly.

“Although, to be fair,” he said with a coy smile as he grabbed their plates, “I think it’s pretty telling your only memories are of me.”

“Not true, actually. I had another one.”

His features scrunched at the words as he dumped the dishes into the dishwasher. “Of him?”

“Yes,” she said before she bit into her lower lip.

“Well, I’m still holding seventy-five percent, so I suppose that’s fairly good.”

She smiled at him.

“So, what was it? The flashy wedding? The one that gigantic picture hanging in the living room came from?”

She shook her head. “No, it was…an argument.”

She pressed her lips together as she slouched in her seat. “And you were right, he had me followed.”

Kyle heaved a sigh, offering her a conciliatory glance. “I’m sorry, Julia. I know this will sound hollow, but I really take no pleasure in you realizing what he is. It must be jarring, especially when you don’t know why you agreed to this…nonsense.”

“Why did I?” she asked him.

He shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know. We met after you were married. On the surface, it seemed you’d married for love. I didn’t find out about the contract until it had almost ended. The first one, that is.”

“And I agreed to a second because I had no choice,” she said with a sigh.

“Very little from what I could see. You were stunned when he named you CEO.”

Julia traced the edge of the counter as her mind searched for answers.

Kyle’s phone buzzed across the side table in the living room. “Sorry, I’m on call.”

“That’s fine, take it.”

He stared down at it for a second, his brow furrowing.

“Kyle, take it, really, I’m fine.”

“It’s not the hospital.”

Her forehead creased as she spotted the tension in his jaw. “What do you want?”

Kyle sighed, setting a hand on his hip. “Why?”

Julia struggled to make sense of the one-sided conversation.

A moment later, Kyle sighed. “Yes, I have. She’s with me, she’s fine.”

His jaw tensed again as a flicker of anger crossed his eyes. “I will as soon as she’s ready.”

He pulled the phone from his ear and jabbed at the display to end the call. “That was your loving husband.”

Her stomach turned over. He must have noticed she was gone. She swallowed hard, torn between the comfort she was finding here and the unknown at home. “Oh, I didn’t tell anyone where I was going…or even that I was going. I just…had this building in my head and left.”

“You don’t have to explain anything to him, Julia. You are an adult.”

“Who is married to him.”

“Barely,” he reminded her as she leapt from the stool.

“Still,” she said with a shrug as she skirted around him to pull her shoes on, “I should get back.”

“Alright,” he said with a sigh. “If you insist. I’ll drive you.”

“No, I drove here. I’ll drive back.”

“I’m going with you,” he answered. “Let me change.”

She was about to argue when she decided she would prefer his company. She sank onto the couch and waited until he emerged from the bedroom, still buttoning his shirt. “Okay, ready.”

“You didn’t have to rush.”

“I did. The old Julia would have just slipped out without any warning.”

She rose from her seat with a soft smile. “That doesn’t sound like me.”

“Believe me. It’s you.”

She grabbed her key from the coffee table, and they left the apartment behind. The morning sun painted the sky a vibrant red as they stepped onto the sidewalk, and Julia led him to the side street she’d parked on.

“You’re kidding,” he said as she aimed the key fob at the new car. “He bought you another Porsche?”

“Was that what I had before?”

“Yep,” he said as they slipped inside. “Blue.”

“I can’t believe I wrecked his Porsche,” she said as she pulled out of her spot. Within the hour, they arrived at Harrington House. The large mansion loomed in front of her as she stepped from the car.

She swallowed hard while they pushed through the front door.

Grant stepped from within his office, a sigh. Relief was etched in his eyes, yet a shadow of frustration creased his forehead. His posture, tense and expectant, spoke volumes of his inner turmoil. “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’s shoulders drooped as she squeezed her eyes closed. Kyle had just told him what happened in the worst way possible, and the atmosphere between them, already charged, turned even more tense.

She hadn’t done what she’d done to cause trouble, but it seemed that had been the result regardless of her intentions. The single memory of Grant floated through her mind. Would this misunderstanding lead to another epic argument?