Chapter 19
Grant eased into the high-backed leather chair with a sigh as Julia left the room. His eyes fell on the wedding picture on the desk, the corners of his lips curling as he spotted her smile. He traced his finger over the frame, lost in thought as he recalled that light, unexpected laugh. With her eyes alight with genuine amusement and his echoing that, it was the first stirring of something more than a contractual obligation.
The picture had started as a fake facade for the public, but it had started to symbolize something more personal, something he hadn’t anticipated. Yes, he could easily see how Dr. Kyle Carter could become infatuated with her.
The thought of the man erased any trace of the grin from his features. His continued harassment of Julia raised his hackles. At least he should have no ability to get to her here.
If the shopping trip with Sierra hadn’t meant so much to his daughter, he’d have asked them to cancel it, but he spotted something in Sierra’s eyes when Julia had accepted that made him reluctant to refuse her.
He drummed his fingers against the mahogany desk as he pictured another encounter with Kyle Carter approaching Julia as she shopped for shoes. His fingers twisted into a fist until he remembered Sierra’s presence. There was no way the man would get within spitting distance of Julia with Sierra around.
The corners of his lips turned up into a smile as he imagined Sierra’s sharp manicured nail poking at the good doctor until she backed him out of the store. Sierra may be a better guard dog than anyone on his security team. Though he’d still send someone with her.
He snatched the receiver on his phone and punched the button to call one of his most trusted employees. “James,” he said when the man picked up.
“Mr. Harrington, good morning. Heading into the office early?”
“No, I’m not certain I’ll go in today, but if I do, I’ll drive myself. I have something more important for you to do today.”
“Absolutely, sir, name it.”
“Julia is going shopping with Sierra this afternoon. After the incident with the car and then the doctor, I don’t want her going anywhere alone. I need you to keep an eye on her.”
“Absolutely. I’ll make sure she gets there safe.”
Grant’s voice softened. “James, you’ve been with me for a long time. I trust you more than anyone to keep Julia safe. She means…it’s important.”
“I’ve got it covered.”
“Don’t let her out of your sight, James. There are too many threats on the horizon.”
“Yes, sir.”
He ended the call before he tapped his mouse to bring his monitor to life. He clicked through a few emails before Worthington slid into the room. “Working from home today, sir?”
“Yes, I think so. I’d like to stay close to Julia.”
“Is Mrs. Harrington still upset? She seemed more chipper at breakfast.”
“No, she’s not upset. We had a long talk last night and settled a few things. It’s these threats. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Worthington flicked his eyebrows up. “Then she realizes that the contract is not the only tie between you?”
Grant heaved a sigh as he flicked his eyes away from his emails to the butler. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose as the weight of the unspoken words that still hung between him and Julia pressed on him. “Not exactly.”
Worthington sank his chin to his chest, puckering his lips.
“Don’t judge. I’m not certain she feels the same way. In fact, I know she doesn’t.”
“Do you?”
“She said yesterday she’d been crazy to enter into a fake marriage.”
“That does not mean she doesn’t care.”
“Just let it simmer for now, Worthington. I have plenty of time to win her over.”
“Sometimes, sir, it’s the unspoken truths that weigh heaviest. Perhaps it’s not about timing, but the courage to face those truths.” Worthington’s voice carried a wisdom honed by years of observation.
“Not if she rejects me, it’s not.” Grant flicked his gaze back to the monitor.
Worthington paused for a few moments before he said, “Would you care for coffee, sir?”
“Yes, thank you, Worthington.”
Worthington offered him a nod before he disappeared from the room. Grant settled in to study a new contract. His phone pinged with a new notification from Harrington Global’s IT department.
“That’s odd,” he murmured as he studied it, before tossing his phone onto the desk. The last thing he needed was a crisis at the company. His plate was full enough.
He grabbed the phone again, placing a call to Evelyn and asking her to pull several files and send him the information via email.
As he set the receiver into the cradle, Worthington returned with the coffee.
“Thanks, Worthington. Where did you go for it? All the way to Columbia?”
“My apologies, Mr. Harrington, there was a call for Mrs. Harrington I needed to attend to.”
“Oh? Everything okay?”
“It seems her brother-in-law needed to reach her.”
Grant bobbed his head up and down for a second before his eyebrows pinched together. She hadn’t told her brother-in-law about their marriage. How would he know to find her here?
He wondered if the man had discovered their involvement. His mind swam with the fallout. He cleared his throat as he rose. “I think I’d better check on her to make sure everything is all right.”
“Of course, sir. Please let me know if there is anything Mrs. Harrington needs.”
Grant buttoned his jacket as he bobbed his head, heading for the stairs. He climbed the curving staircase, a growing sense of foreboding building with the echo of every step.
This was another thing that didn’t add up. Julia’s biting words about not informing her family of their marriage still twisted a knife in his gut. He hadn’t forgotten them.
So, why would her brother-in-law call the house? Had he seen the video? Would even more be thrust on Julia’s shoulders with her family inserting themselves into their agreement?
He navigated toward her room. Her voice floated down the hall. “I’m getting tired of this. Do not call here again… I doubt that. Don’t call again.”
Grant peered into her office as she slammed the phone onto the desk. Her pinched features suggested something was very wrong. Her fingers, still tight on the phone, tensed again as she rubbed at her temple. The morning sun cast long shadows across the room, hinting at trouble.
“Julia? Is everything okay?”
She flicked him a panicked glance, her eyes wide. Something was wrong. Grant hurried into the room, tugging a chair closer to her and perching on it as he took her hands in his. “What happened? Worthington said your brother-in-law called. Is something wrong?”
She licked her lips, flicking her gaze to the phone again. When she spoke, her voice sounded shaky. “That wasn’t my brother-in-law.”
“Who was it?”
She flicked her blue eyes to him. A cloud of disbelief and pain passed through them. “Kyle Carter.”
Grant’s muscles tensed and heat washed over him. “What?”
“He said he was Ethan. I was surprised because Ethan has no idea I’m married. But…”
“What did he say?” Grant pressed.
She shook her head, the shock seeming to wear off a little. “The same nonsense. He wanted to make sure I was safe, he was worried, and there were things I didn’t know that would convince me. The same thing as yesterday.”
Grant leapt from his chair, fury burning through him as he paced back and forth. “Unbelievable. He has no right to worry about you.”
Julia sat silently in the chair as he stalked back and forth.
“I’m sorry,” Grant said when she didn’t respond. “But this crosses the line.”
“I told him that.”
Grant whipped around and crossed the room in the opposite direction. He eyed the phone on her desk, anger welling inside him as he snatched it and pressed the button to redial the last number that had called.
“What are you doing?” Julia asked.
“Calling him.”
She leapt from her seat, placing a hand on his arm as she stared at him with wide eyes. “Grant, I don’t think–”
Kyle’s voice echoed in the speaker. “Julia?”
“Not quite,” Grant’s voice growled back.
Julia bit her lower lip, her expression a mixture of worry and disapproval with the escalating tension.
“Grant…”
“Yes. If you ever call my wife again…” He flicked his eyes to Julia who shot him a pleading glance as she shook her head, but he couldn’t stop himself from issuing the threat. “You’ll regret it.”
He ended the call, dropping his arm to his side as she slid her eyes closed. Had he just escalated things unnecessarily?
Julia exhaled deeply, a flicker of relief crossing her features followed by a shadow of concern. Her eyes, a storm of emotions, met his–conveying a blend of gratitude and apprehension. Julia clicked her tongue as she wrapped her arms around her midriff. “You shouldn’t have done that. You fed right into his story.”
Grant leaned over, gripping the desk as he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Julia, but what he did was way over the line.”
“Yes, I know that, but that was an overreaction.”
“I disagree. He upset you, and I’m not going to have him torturing you like this.”
“It’s not torture. Aggravating, yes. Torture, no.”
Grant flicked his gaze up to her for a moment before he stared at the wood grain. “I’m sorry. I suppose I just continue to ruin your image of me. First a murder charge, then a fist fight, and now a violent warning.”
She laid a hand against his shoulder, offering him a slight smile. “Not really. I could have crawled through the phone and choked him myself. He just can’t let this go.”
Grant straightened, a measure of relief coursing through him at her words. “Then, you agree I’ve done a relatively good job of defending your honor.”
A chuckle escaped her lips. “I think you’ve done a fine job, but I don’t want you behind bars again thanks to my honor.”
“I would punch him again for your honor if I had to.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m really getting tired of sitting in those uncomfortable chairs at the police station.”
Grant couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping him.
She chuckled along with him. “You laugh, but I’m being serious.”
He stared down at her, those unsaid words creeping into his mind again as they shared an easy moment despite the trouble.
“I promise to try not to get arrested again.”
She arched an eyebrow at him, a coy smile playing on her lips. “Let’s see how long of a streak we can create, shall we?”
“As long as Kyle Carter stays away from you, that should be easy.”
A quiet knock interrupted them. Worthington stepped into the room. “Is everything all right? Can I bring you anything, Mrs. Harrington?”
“No, thank you, Worthington,” she answered as Grant turned more serious.
“No, everything is not all right. That was not her brother-in-law on the phone, it was Kyle Carter.”
The color drained from Worthington’s face. “Oh, my. My apologies, Mrs. Harrington, had I realized–”
“It’s not your fault, Worthington,” Julia said. “You couldn’t have known.”
“If she gets any other calls, stay with her and make sure it’s legitimate,” Grant said.
“Of course, Mr. Harrington.” Worthington flicked heartsick eyes to Julia. “I am ever so sorry, Mrs. Harrington.”
Julia’s features melted as she left Grant to wrap a consoling arm around the man. “Oh, Worthington, it’s not your fault. It’s nothing to be upset over.”
The man offered her a faltering smile. Grant marveled at the scene. His third wife would have fired the man on the spot. In fact, she’d tried several times. He recalled her complaining that Grant was more loyal to his butler than her after one of them.
Julia, however, consoled the man, assuring him the mistake was nothing to fret over. He’d really never met anyone like her.
The chiming of his phone interrupted the sweet moment. He tugged the device from his pocket and studied the screen with a sigh.
“Grant?” Julia asked, her hand still holding Worthington’s.
“There’s a problem at the office.” He pressed his cell phone to his ear. “What is it?”
“Mr. Harrington,” the voice of Mike Donovan, his vice-president of security said, “sorry to interrupt your day, but we have a situation here.”
“What kind of situation?”
The man hesitated as though he didn’t want to pass the news along. “A major security breach.”
Grant’s hand tightened around the phone as the words sank in. A security breach could mean anything from leaked confidential data to a direct threat to the company’s stability. Worst-case scenarios flashed through his mind. “How bad is it?”
“We’re still assessing that, but it’s not good.”
“I’ll be right there.” Grant ended the call and slid his eyes closed for a second. “I’ve got to go to the office.”
“Is everything okay?”
“No, but let’s hope this isn’t as big of a problem as it could be.” Grant skirted around Julia, heading for the door.
“Good luck,” she called.
He stopped, reaching back to squeeze her hand. “Thanks. And have fun with Sierra. And, Julia, be safe. I asked James to drive you.”
“I will be.” She offered him a reassuring smile as he strode away. He hated to leave her, but Mike Donovan didn’t call him into the office unless the problem was major. His gaze flickered back to her as she continued to reassure Worthington. He needed to address the company crisis, but he desperately wanted to stay with her.
He pushed himself to leave the house, his mind leaping ahead to find ways to rectify the situation. Though he wondered if they could, and how much of their security had been compromised. Would it cost him something more sacred than his company?