Chapter 14
Julia’s heart thudded against her ribs, drowning out the pounding of her heels against the ground as she stormed to her car. She ran a hand through her hair as she slid behind the wheel of the Porsche.
She fired the engine and stomped on the accelerator, sending the sporty car screaming forward. Turmoil roiled within her. Why had he had her followed? Was she constantly being watched?
And the threat of scandal notwithstanding, Grant’s first words asked who the man was. Why did it seem personal to him?
Memories of previous encounters flashed in her mind. After her concussion, he’d seemed so warm, yet now so cold.
She leaned her elbow against the cool surface of the door, her forehead resting against her palm as the city’s skyline approached. She’d done her best to keep her private affairs private. Sierra had been clear about her position. She was there to provide a service.
It hadn’t even occurred to her to tell anyone she was meeting with her brother-in-law. Had it been information anyone wanted?
Did she really need to provide an itinerary for every meeting she had? Had that been part of the deal?
The walls of her decisions closed in around her. She was a prisoner in a cell of her own making.
She heaved a sigh, the city’s chaos of traffic and people matching the turmoil in her mind. As she slowed to a stop at a red light, she sucked in deep breaths, turning up the fan on the ice-cold air conditioner.
She supposed they had a point. She’d been contracted to provide the image of the perfect wife. While a meeting with her brother-in-law hardly jeopardized that, they controlled her image. They’d paid for that right.
They owned her.
And she had agreed to it.
As traffic lurched forward, she tried to calm herself, wrapping her fingers around her steering wheel as she let her anger dissipate.
It was no use being upset for something that was her own fault. As her anger slowed from a boil to a simmer, she examined her emotions more thoroughly.
Had she been angry that she needed to report to them or had she been angry that he’d doubted her?
It didn’t matter, she decided as the Magnolia Grand came into view. The inevitability of returning to Harrington House loomed over her. There, she’d be given a new set of rules for this charade. Personal lines shouldn’t be crossed outside of reporting her whereabouts.
She pulled up to the curb. A valet hurried to open her door, and she slid out from behind the expensive car’s wheel.
She tried to steady herself as she climbed the stairs and pushed through the doors. She chewed her lower lip as she searched for the sign pointing to the Magnolia Room.
“Julia?” a voice called behind her.
She whipped around to find the owner, surprised to see Dr. Kyle Carter striding toward her. “Dr. Carter.”
He grinned at her as he closed the distance. “Hi. What a coincidence seeing you here. Are you meeting someone for lunch?”
“Ah, no,” she said, shoving a lock of hair behind her ear, “I’m here for the Ballet Board meeting.”
His eyebrows knitted as he studied her. “Is everything okay? You seem…flushed.”
“Oh, yes,” she said, blowing out breath, “I’m fine. I just…ran up the stairs. I thought I was late.”
“No, no, you’re not late. I happen to be on the board, too. Well, what a lovely surprise. Can I walk you to the meeting?” He offered his arm.
“Thank you,” she said as she accepted it. Something about his easy charm struck her, but with the turmoil still ebbing and flowing inside her, she couldn’t put the pieces of the puzzle together.
“It’s just this way. Are you new on the board?”
“I am. How long have you been on it?”
“This is my first meeting, too. We’ll be new together.” He grinned at her as he pulled open the door and motioned for her to precede him.
She stepped into the large meeting room and the din of chatter from other board members. A warm hand pressed against her back, and she twisted to find Kyle behind her. He offered her a smile. “Let’s find seats. If we’re lucky, we can sit together.”
Julia offered him a fleeting smile before Caroline Foster hurried toward her. “Julia, so lovely to see you. I’m so glad you could join us.”
She flicked her gaze to Kyle.
“Hello, Caroline. Thanks for recommending me. Uh, this is Dr. Kyle Carter. He’s also joining the board.”
Carolina thrust a hand out to shake his as she gave him the once over.
“Hi, Kyle Carter. Julia and I happened to have the unfortunate luck to have met yesterday after she took a spill.”
Caroline’s eyes widened as she glanced at Julia. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, just…not paying attention. But I’m no worse for wear.”
The lights flickered, indicating the start of the meeting. “Oh, good. We’ll talk later.” Caroline squeezed her hand before she hurried to her seat.
Kyle pushed in Julia’s chair as she sat before sliding into the seat next to her. As the hour passed, the room buzzed with plans and proposals, and board members discussing budgets and fundraisers. The light filtering through the tall windows cast a warm glow over the meeting, contrasting with the storm still brewing in her mind.
The meeting concluded, leaving a buzz of conversation in its wake. Julia methodically tapped her papers into a neat stack, feeling Kyle’s presence hovering beside her.
“Well, thank you for showing me where the meeting was,” she said with a smile as she rose.
“You’re welcome,” he answered, his gaze lingering. “Would you like to join me for lunch? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Caught off guard by the invitation, Julia hesitated. The prospect of a short reprieve from the impending confrontation with Grant held a certain appeal. Simultaneously, a sense of politeness nudged her towards accepting.
“Yes, I’m free. I’d be happy to,” she found herself saying, her thoughts a mix of gratitude for a timely distraction and a desire to be civil.
“Great,” he said with a wide grin. “Is the Azalea Room downstairs suitable?”
“Of course.”
Kyle guided her from the room and down to the restaurant, securing a table for two overlooking the lush greenery of the lobby.
The waitress approached immediately with their menus. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Scotch, neat. Julia? Wine, perhaps?”
“Just a ginger ale, thank you.”
They perused the offerings and placed their order. Julia sipped at her ginger ale, acutely aware of Kyle’s eyes on her.
She flicked her gaze to him, offering a polite smile.
“So, how’s the wrist feeling?”
“Oh, much better. Just a little sore, but really nothing at all.” She wiggled it around to show him her range of movement.
“Good, that’s very good. I’m glad there is no lasting damage.” His gaze lingered on her again, his icy blue eyes piercing hers.
She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable under his scrutiny. “Uh, you said you had something you’d like to discuss?”
“Yes, but we could wait until after we’ve eaten.”
“No, please, go ahead, Dr. Carter.”
“Kyle, please.”
She smiled at him. “Kyle.”
He rubbed his hands against his pant legs as he sucked in a breath.
“Julia…this isn’t something that’s easy to bring up, but as a doctor…I feel I must.”
Julia’s heart skipped a beat. Had he seen something in her test results that he hadn’t told her? Visions of brain tumors danced in her mind. She supposed it could explain her odd decisions, of late.
The arrival of their lunch interrupted any further discussion until the waitress bustled away.
“I’m sorry, but is there some problem with one of my tests?” Julia burst as she left.
Kyle shook his head and stabbed at the greens of his grilled salmon salad. “No, no, you’re perfectly healthy. Which in some ways makes this all the harder.”
She huffed out a laugh, as she pushed her pasta around the pasta bowl. “This all sounds very dire.”
After setting his fork down, he dabbed at the corners of his mouth. “It is.”
Her heart thudded against her ribs at the words. What was he talking about?
He pressed his lips together, his eyes settling onto his salad before they flicked up to hers. “Julia, I’m seriously concerned about you.”
She stammered out a few sounds before she swallowed and tried to formulate a response. “I’m sorry, I’m not following you.”
“As a doctor, we see this more often than you may think. And it comes from all backgrounds. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Her eyebrows knitted as she tried to follow the conversation.
He offered her a consoling glance. “Julia, you’ve been in the emergency room twice in as many months with…odd injuries.”
“I guess I’m a bit of a klutz, though I hadn’t expected to find a missing woman or for a car to nearly run me over.”
“Okay, that explains those, sure, but it doesn’t explain the other odd behavior.”
She grabbed her drink, the wet, cold glass pressing against her skin. “Odd behavior?”
“Yes. I looked through your records from your first visit. I must admit, I followed that story, so I did see the press conference after your husband’s arrest. And then there was yesterday. And now today.”
“Kyle, I’m very sorry, but I’m not following you.”
“I noticed something peculiar about your husband’s behavior yesterday. His demeanor…it didn’t fit with someone whose partner had been in grave danger. He was cold, austere. His biggest concern seemed to be my attention on you.”
Julia shrank down in her seat. She couldn’t explain his behavior, but she assumed it stemmed from their lack of emotional connection. “I…uh…”
“And today,” he continued, “when you came in, you were flushed, upset, distracted. Julia, this all adds up to one very common thing.”
She arched an eyebrow as he spoke again.
“Abuse.”
The words smacked her in the face. Despite Grant’s recent cold, distant behavior, she reminded herself they were merely contractual partners. Warmth was not part of the deal. This wasn’t abuse, it was just indifference, but she couldn’t explain that. She began to shake her head when he held up a hand.
“Julia, please. Not all abuse is physical. There are many forms of it. And I see all the signs in your husband. He is controlling. And the fact that you make the excuses that you do–I’m a klutz, it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have. Those are hallmark signs of an abused woman.”
“I’m not being abused,” she said. “Grant is…”
The doctor leaned forward, awaiting her answer.
“Intense,” she choked out. “Yes. He’s…a very aggressive businessman. He likes to get his way. But he is nothing like that in a relationship. I promise. He’s not abusive.” She forced a nervous smile, trying to reassure him.
He stared at her for a moment before he reached forward to take her hand. She tried to pull away, but he wrapped his other hand around hers, tugging it closer. “Julia…”
His words were interrupted by Grant’s booming voice. “Julia?”
She snapped her gaze to the lobby, finding him storming toward them. After the misunderstanding this morning, her mind reeled. He’d likely assume this to be another romantic liaison.
“Grant!” She ripped her hand from Kyle’s.
His figure loomed as he approached the table. Time seemed to slow. Julia spotted the tightening of his jaw, the hardening of his eyes, the unspoken storm brewing in his gaze.
The doctor’s features twisted with annoyance as he tossed his napkin on the table. “Oh, that’s just perfect.”
“It’s not what it looks like,” Julia said as she leapt from her seat.
Kyle shook his head. “You know, it’s the fact that those are the first words out of your mouth, Julia, that makes me even more concerned about this situation–and you.”
Grant snapped his gaze at the man. “What situation?”
“This,” Kyle said, standing from his seat and motioning toward the two of them. “This is not healthy and it’s not normal. Julia, step away from him.”
Julia’s heart pounded, disbelief coursing through her. “Dr. Carter, I’ve already told you that you have this all wrong.”
“Have what all wrong? Juls, what is going on here?”
Kyle shook his head. “Don’t answer that. You don’t owe him any explanations.”
Julia struggled to smooth over the situation spiraling wildly out of her control. Kyle didn’t seem to be listening to anything she said.
“Julia,” Kyle said, “step away from him.”
“What?” Grant barked.
“It’s okay, Julia. He can’t hurt you anymore. Just come toward me.”
Julia stood motionless, unable to stop the train barreling toward them. Before she could interject, Grant did. “Hurt her? Okay, that’s enough. Julia, let’s go.” He wrapped his hand around her arm.
“Take your hands off her.”
“Kyle, I’ve told you that you’re wrong.” She tried desperately to make him understand, her fingers wrapped tightly around the cloth napkin.
“I’ve seen enough battered women to know not to take your word for it. I won’t let this happen to you, Julia. You’re too vibrant a woman to be subjected to this. Take your hands off her.”
“I will not,” Grant said. “She’s my wife. And this conversation is over.”
He pulled her closer to him when the doctor reached for her. “I don’t think so.”
Before she realized what was happening, Kyle whisked her swiftly behind him, positioning himself between her and Grant before he twisted and launched a punch that struck Grant in the jaw.
The impact sent Grant reeling backward, his balance lost, crashing into a nearby unoccupied table that clattered loudly in the sudden chaos.
Gasps rang out, including from Julia. “Grant!”
She tried to rush toward him, but Kyle stopped her. “Julia, leave him. Let me take you somewhere safe.”
Grant rose, rubbing his jaw as he steadied himself.
“I don’t think so.” Grant grabbed hold of the man’s shoulder and twisted him around before he landed a punch. Blood sprayed from the doctor’s split lip.
Kyle staggered back but recovered quickly and lunged at Grant. Julia scampered back a few steps as the violence continued. Kyle’s gentle, but misplaced concern contrasted starkly with Grant’s assertive, borderline aggressive behavior. And she stood caught in the middle.
Two waiters raced toward them as cell phones sprang to life, capturing the fight on camera from every possible angle.
Kyle slammed into Grant, sending them both sprawling onto the floor. They rolled across it, slamming into another table and upending it.
“Leave her alone!” Kyle shouted before he landed another blow.
Julia’s mind raced at the sudden outburst of violence. How had this happened? Why? It made no sense.
Two of the waiters finally reached the tangle of men and tugged Kyle off as he struggled to free himself.
“Grant!” Julia cried as she crossed toward him.
Another set of waiters lifted him to his feet as he tried to break free from them. Tension still hung heavy between the two men. “Stay away from my wife.”
“You don’t deserve her,” Kyle shouted back, yanking at his limbs in a desperate attempt to free him.
Julia reached Grant’s side, studying the bruise already forming on his jaw.
Kyle offered her a pinched glance. “Julia, don’t. Just…think about what I said.”
Before she could react to the statement, police swarmed them, separating the two men and handcuffing them both while they sorted out the situation.
“You wanna tell me what happened here?” a uniformed officer asked Julia, a notepad in his hand.
Julia’s mind whirled to piece together the incident. It had gone from the assumption Grant was abusive and escalated from there. She flicked her still wide-eyed gaze from Grant to Kyle before it landed on the officer. “It was a misunderstanding.”
The man glanced behind him at the two men, nursing their respective wounds while still handcuffed. “That’s some misunderstanding, lady.”
“That’s false,” Kyle interjected as he stormed toward them.
“Oh, get him away from her,” Grant shouted, taking a step toward him when another uniformed officer stopped him.
“Whoa, whoa, gentlemen, let’s take a step back here.”
“This was not a misunderstanding at all,” Kyle said, placing himself between the officer and Julia. “This woman is being abused. I stepped in to help. I’m a doctor.”
“She is not!” Grant shouted.
Kyle flicked his eyebrows up as he shot an ire-filled glance at Grant. “Really? Because your behavior right now certainly suggests that she is.”
“All right, that’s enough. You’re both going in.”
“Is that really necessary?” Julia asked. “I think this…it got out of hand. No one meant for it to escalate the way it did.”
The officer blinked at her a few times before he flicked his gaze to Grant. “You want to press charges?”
“No,” he answered, his voice a low growl. “It got out of hand. She’s right.”
The officer returned his gaze to Kyle. “You?”
Julia waited for his answer, hoping this would be the end of the ugly incident. He lifted his chin. “Most definitely, yes.”
“What?” Julia choked out.
“I’m sorry, Julia. I know this will seem hurtful right now, but in the long run, this is for the best.” He twisted to face the officer. “When I threw that punch, I knew what I was doing. He practically dragged her out of here by her hair. I could not let him leave with her.”
“That’s not true!” Julia cried.
“Now, Julia, it’s common to have these feelings,” Kyle started when she backed a few steps away from him. The situation pressed in around her as it continued to spiral beyond her control.
“He’s going to the station. He can’t hurt you now. Let me take you somewhere safe.” He reached for her with his wrists still bound.
“Get your hands off of her!” Grant shouted again as the officers dragged him from the restaurant.
“This is insane. I’m going with Grant. You’re wrong.”
“Julia!” Kyle shouted as she followed behind her husband.
“Mrs. Harrington,” the uniformed officer said as he hurried behind her, “maybe the best thing would be some distance. Do you have a friend you could stay with or someplace you can go tonight?”
“I’m fine,” she answered as she hurried toward the door. A string of police cruisers polluted the street out front. She spotted Grant being shoved into the back of one as she hurried to the valet. “I really need my car.”
“Ma’am, I’m not sure…” He glanced at the snarl of traffic.
“Now!” she insisted, sending the man scurrying away as she dug in her purse for her phone. Trembling fingers swiped through her contact list to find Mitchell Caldwell’s number. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she pressed it to her ear.
Within twenty minutes, she sat on the hard, uncomfortable chair in the waiting room at the police station. Her last visit here had been when Grant was arrested for murder. This time assault.
A television hanging high on the wall played a news station. Julia stared at it with unseeing eyes until something familiar caught her attention. A grainy video of two men fighting played as the headline underneath read BILLIONAIRE BARROOM brAWL in large white letters.
The serious-faced newscaster detailed the breaking news, her voice a mix of concern and stoicism. “Billionaire Grant Harrington is once again in the spotlight for what appears to be a fistfight with a New Orleans doctor. The violence sparked after what bystanders described as a confrontation over a woman.”
Julia’s heart flip-flopped, praying her face wouldn’t appear on the screen next.
The video feed cut to a cameraman chasing Kyle down the steps of the hotel. “I have no comment other than to say this is a private matter.”
Julia sank her chin into her palm as the newscaster returned to the screen. “It is still unclear what prompted the incident or who threw the first punch, but Harrington was taken into custody earlier today. Viewers may recall this is the second arrest for Harrington in as many months. Merely two months earlier, he was accused of murdering his secretary who was eventually found alive and well.”
Her hard-nosed features turned lighter as she detailed the upcoming sports report. Julia slid her eyes closed as tears stung her eyes.
As Julia sat in the sterile glow of the police station’s fluorescent lights, a cold realization settled over her. She couldn’t help but wonder if this scandal was the tip of the iceberg. What if this public spectacle was more than just a misunderstanding? What if it was the beginning of a far greater threat? One that could not only unravel their image but the fabric of their lives?
A shiver shot through her as much from the dark thoughts raging through her mind as the cold air streaming from a vent above her in the ceiling. As she gathered her purse and rose to switch seats, the door opened, and a figure strode in. Limned in the light from the hall, it took her a second to realize it was Dr. Kyle Carter.
Her heart hammered in her chest, a mix of dread and disbelief swirling within her. Her clammy palms gripped her purse, bracing for what may come next. She swallowed hard as they locked eyes. Was he here to escalate the situation or offer support? Either way, it was likely more trouble than she needed.