Bluff by a Billionaire (Hearts and Holdings #6)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

GRANT

G rant stared at the photo painting the background of his computer screen, a mix of happiness and fear swirling through him. The beauty of the serene beach, lit by the rising sun that painted the sky a mix of blues and pinks, brought back the memory of their family vacation to Julia’s hometown months ago. Since then, everything had shifted, and he wasn’t certain it was for the best. The picture, once a symbol of unity and hope for him, now felt like a prelude to an uncertain future.

We’re a team . The words Julia had spoken on that beach, her special place that she’d shared with him, echoed through his mind. Then, it had given him a surge of confidence and optimism. Maybe they could be a real team. His mind drifted to the ring box tucked away upstairs in his nightstand.

He sighed as he flicked off the screen, staring at the distorted image of his own face, noting the worry etched into every line. The shadows in the corners of his meticulously ordered office seemed to creep closer, mirroring the encroaching doubts in his mind.

He still hadn’t broached the subject of treating their marriage like a real one with his current wife. A contract–ending sooner than he’d like–still dictated their relationship.

He’d tried to change that so many times before, but something always stopped him; usually, it was his own doubts. The moments he’d witnessed between her and her former fiancé in Harbor Cove still gnawed at him. He’d spent dozens of sleepless nights since then picking apart every moment of that trip and searching for any encounters between himself and Julia that could compare to the easiness between her and Luke.

Every quiet glance from Julia had become a puzzle, leaving him to wonder if behind those blue eyes lay a secret yearning for a life without him or an unspoken promise of a future together.

In the end, his overthinking had caused him to remain silent. Coupled with the insertion of Kyle back into their lives and the ramping up of the investigation into DG Industries, the time had flown by, leaving him standing at another precipice.

His stomach clenched as he wondered if it was crossable or if he’d fall into a bottomless pit when Julia inevitably disappeared from his life.

A knock sounded at his door, pulling him from his introspection. “Come in.”

The doors swung open, and Worthington entered, his eyes falling on the black computer monitor. “All finished for the day, sir?”

Grant slid his eyes closed as he sank his forehead into his palm. “I couldn’t look at that picture anymore.”

“The one you requested from Mrs. Harrington? Of the beach you visited in Maine?”

Grant nodded as he slouched back in his chair.

Worthington crossed to the drink cart and poured a bourbon. He handed it off to Grant before he clasped his hands in front of him. “And suddenly this picture brings you pain?”

Grant sipped the drink, allowing the meager balm to soothe his fraying nerves. “I just…”

“Yes, sir?” Worthington asked.

Grant lifted his gaze, studying the man’s aging face, filled with wisdom. “Do you think Julia would do a third contract?”

The slight widening of Worthington’s eyes along with the stiffening of his posture answered the question without words. “Are you planning to offer one?”

Grant let his glass clatter against the polished mahogany wood of his desk. His office, decorated in deep, rich tones and thick drapes, had once been a haven for him, but it was quickly turning into a prison. With a sigh, he grumbled, “No.”

“Really? It’s not like you to ask questions on a subject you don’t plan to execute.”

“Your non-answer told me everything I needed to know about that plan.”

“Mr. Harrington, if I may be so bold, are you really considering this?”

Grant stared into the amber liquid, hating the sound of the idea when he’d heard it, too. “No, I guess not.”

Worthington cocked his head, his eyebrows pinching.

“Worthington, don’t give me that look. I’m just…trying to come up with a scenario where Julia stays here.”

“I thought that scenario was already decided.”

“For me, yes. But for Julia…I don’t know.”

“You have spent almost two years with her. Have you no idea how she may feel?”

He sipped the bourbon again. “I don’t know. One minute I think it’s going to be fine and the next…”

“Yes?”

“The next I’m wondering if she’s counting the days down until she can leave me.”

“Mrs. Harrington seems to genuinely care for everyone in this house.”

Grant blew out a sigh, letting his chin drop into his palm. “Yes, she does. I’d agree with that. But here’s the kicker, Worthington. She genuinely cares for everyone .”

“What does that mean, sir?”

“It means…she cares for Kyle, too. Is she in love with him?” He shook his head as he pondered it further.

“That does not seem to be the case, sir. Dr. Carter has expressed his feelings to her, and she has not reciprocated them.”

“No, she told him she was married, but she’s the one who wanted him in on this whole mess with DG Industries.”

“A strategic move. Mrs. Harrington seems to be very good at using her resources wisely.”

The leather creaked as Grant leaned back against it, rubbing a finger against his lips. “Yes, she is. And maybe that’s all she’s doing with me. Using her resources wisely.”

“I fail to see what resources she is using when it comes to you, sir.”

“I am about to pay her ten million dollars,” he answered.

Worthington arched an eyebrow.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“I am giving no such look, sir. But when you are in this…frame of mind there is nothing to be said.”

Grant’s forehead creased as he frowned. What was the man getting at? “What do you mean ‘this frame of mind’?”

“You are determined to undercut any emotional connection you have formed with Mrs. Harrington.”

“I am not. Maybe there isn’t any emotional connection.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to find out, sir? Rather than continue as you are or worse…risk losing Mrs. Harrington?”

Grant sucked in a breath, pressing his lips together. The man, as always, was right. But he couldn’t bring himself to say the words to her. Every time she flicked those blue eyes at him in a quiet moment, he lost all his nerve. He felt like a schoolboy on his first date with the prettiest girl in the school.

He didn’t want to hear her say no. And telling her his feelings could lead to that exact scenario. And he definitely didn’t want to hear her say no before the contract ended. What if he told her and it put a strain on the last few months of their relationship?

“Yes, Worthington, it would be…if the answer is yes. If the answer is no…well, it could ruin everything.”

“And you believe it will be? She left Harbor Cove behind to come back with you.”

Grant considered it. He’d clung to that when they’d returned, but the memory of her with Luke haunted him. “What if she came back to finish the contract? What if she told Luke she’d come back to him when this was finished?”

“What if she didn’t?” Worthington asked.

Grant’s heart thudded against his ribs as he ran scenarios through his analytical mind. However, in this case, he couldn’t see the resolution of any of them clearly. In business, this would be simple. When his heart was involved, he lost all perspective.

Julia was the only woman he’d ever felt this way about. He’s had a string of failed relationships, including four marriages, with women he’d never felt this strongly about. Every other woman had been an infatuation, a way to win something. And they’d been far easier to win than Julia.

He’d dangled fancy jewelry, trips on his private jet, and more superficial nonsense, and they’d fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. And every one of them had left him in one way or another. He’d accepted it, thinking that was the way it was for him…until he met Julia.

She had changed his life, and he had no desire to go back to his old life.

Worthington spoke again before he could answer. “Sir, in times like these, I recall my grandfather’s words. The heart’s uncertainties are only conquered by its own brave declarations. Perhaps it’s time for honesty. Not just with Mrs. Harrington but with yourself, too.”

“Fine, Worthington, you’ve made your point. I know I need to say something. I…just need to figure out the best time.”

Worthington puckered his lips, glancing down at his well-polished shoes.

“And now you want to give your opinion on that.”

“No, sir. I trust your judgment. However, you do tend to…put these matters off.”

Grant slid his eyes closed. “I know, I know. I’m…going to do it.”

“We are all pulling for you, sir.”

Grant polished off the bourbon. “Not all of you. I’m pretty certain Kyle is pulling for himself.”

“Dr. Carter has been fairly well-behaved of late.”

“Yeah, that’s scary. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. He’s gone months without pushing a boundary.”

“Perhaps his project with Ms. Lydia was an excellent outlet for his…creative energy.”

“In other words, he’s busy pushing boundaries with Lydia instead of me and Julia?” Worthington nodded, and Grant shook his head. “No, that doesn’t ring true. He’s looking for an in, a new way to get at me or Julia.”

“But he has provided you with some useful information, hasn’t he?”

“Yes, he has. Supposedly. Nothing that puts Lydia behind bars or allows us to dig ourselves out of this mess, but he has passed along some useful information. Tiny tidbits.”

“But he appears to be making inroads.”

Grant tightened his grip on the empty glass. “Setting himself up to be the big hero. What’s more impressive to a woman than being a hero?”

“Being the man she loves,” Worthington answered.

Grant sighed again. “Honestly, Worthington, that’s a big assumption. And anyway, we’ve discussed this. I just…don’t want to jeopardize our relationship before I have to.”

“So, you plan to wait until the last minute?”

“Don’t say it like that,” Grant said with a shake of his head. “I plan to…see if we can get Lydia defeated, then tell her. When my life doesn’t depend on it. Otherwise, maybe she’ll think I’m just saying that because I want her help.”

“I see. And what if Ms. Lydia outlasts your contract?”

“Then…I’ll…sweep her off her feet right before our contract ends.” He poked a finger at his butler. “And don’t tell me to do that now. We have enough on our plates with keeping our eye on this plan with Kyle. Failure is not an option.”

“Not for Ms. Sierra’s sake. She still doesn’t know?”

Grant slid his eyes closed and shook his head. They’d never told his daughter she was the reason Lydia still lived in this house and the reason for Julia’s sometimes odd behavior in taking Lydia’s side.

He hated that his first wife was blackmailing his current wife into submission with the threat of exposing compromising images of his daughter, but that was the state of his life, currently. Hearing a rejection from Julia on top of all of that would prove too much for him. He’d have to hold off on asking her to stay married to him.

“No, she doesn’t,” he answered. “And I think it should stay that way. Sierra would…just complicate things. She’s not great at impulse control, either. I’m afraid she’d melt down, do something stupid, and ruin all the progress we’ve made.”

“Ms. Sierra does have a volatile personality, so perhaps it is for the best.”

“Yes, she does. And…”

Worthington cocked his head in a silent prod.

“I may be a sentimental fool, but…I don’t want to tell my daughter her own mother is willing to burn her.”

Worthington offered a fleeting smile. “Yes, though the news may be tempered by the fact that her stepmother was willing to protect her.”

The statement brought a half-smile to Grant’s face. “Yes. She’s pretty fond of Julia. After she rescued her from that cliffside, they really got close.”

“Yes, they have. It’s one of the only times I have seen genuine emotion from Ms. Sierra.”

“Me too,” Grant said, his smile widening. “It just proves beyond a shadow of a doubt how amazing of a woman Julia is.”

His mind conjured the image of her smiling face and for half a second, he allowed himself to hear her say yes to his proposal. A banging on the door ripped away those happy images before he was ready. A chill ran down his spine as he wondered who stood on the other side.

Worthington crossed to the doors and swung them open.

“Hiding, Grant?” Lydia’s shrill voice asked, setting his nerves on edge even further.

“No, working.”

Lydia pushed past Worthington into the room. “You always use your work as an excuse to hide. Always have, always will. I’m surprised the little goody-goody you’re married to hasn’t left you already because of it.”

“What do you want, Lydia?”

“I didn’t get an invitation to the gala.”

Grant centered his icy gaze on the woman. “Awww. You’re breaking my heart.”

Her features, twisted with aggravation, spoke volumes. “Grant, am I not being clear?”

“You were perfectly clear. You didn’t get invited to the gala. The only thing I’m not clear on is why you’re telling me this. I don’t care.”

“Well, you should,” she answered, sticking a hand on her hip. “I want to go to it.”

Grant shrugged as he spun the empty glass on his desk. “Too bad you didn’t get invited then, huh?”

“I want an invitation.”

“And I suppose you expect me to do something about that?”

“Yes, I do. I am the mother of your child, Grant. How can you treat me so badly?”

He bit his tongue to stop himself from lashing out at her. He would have preferred to lunge across the desk and wrap his hands around her throat than speak to her. She could ruin his daughter, and she dangled that fact over his poor wife at every turn, forcing her to play a dangerous game. And she stood in front of him demanding better treatment?

Of course, she had no idea he knew. So, he had to play along.

Before he could come up with an answer, Worthington, still hovering in the doorway, cleared his throat. “Mrs. Harrington, how lovely to see you.”

“Hi, Worthington. Am I interrupting something?” She flicked her gaze between Lydia and Grant.

“No,” Grant answered as Lydia crossed her arms and huffed out a, “Yes.”

“Come in, Juls,” Grant added.

She crossed to stand next to him, offering him a glance before she flicked her gaze to Lydia. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes,” Lydia answered as Grant said, “No.”

“Okay, well, it seems as always you two are not on the same page.”

Lydia heaved a sigh, rolling her eyes as a lock of her blonde hair slipped from her chic updo. “I wasn’t invited to the gala. I have implored Grant to rectify this…egregious oversight. But Grant seems to think I’m not worth it.”

“You’re not,” he answered as Julia slid a hand onto his shoulder.

She squeezed it before she rubbed his back. “I’m sure you can do something about that, can’t you, dear?”

Lydia arched an eyebrow. “You see? Even Julia thinks this was a slap in my face and a situation that needs to be fixed.”

“That’s going a little far, but I do think this is an easy enough request,” Julia said.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Grant answered before he clenched his jaw.

“That’s not good enough,” Lydia answered. “Don’t you have an entire table at the event?”

“And it’s full,” Grant shot back.

Lydia clicked her tongue. “It can’t be.”

“It is,” Grant growled through clenched teeth. “So, I’ll see what I can do.”

Lydia narrowed her eyes at him before she flicked her gaze to Julia. “Well, now you can see how he treats you once he kicks you to the curb.”

Julia held up a hand. “I’m certain he can do something. He just doesn’t want to make a promise on the off chance it doesn’t pan out.”

“I expect results, Grant. Oh, and I want a plus one.”

Grant scoffed at the words. “You’re something else, you know that? First, you demand an invitation, and now you want a date. Although, I’m not sure you’ll actually find one.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. Just because you’re delusional enough not to see my worth, doesn’t mean all men are. Just get the job done, Grant. I have a dress fitting tomorrow. I expect results because I’m not having a fabulous dress made for nothing.” She spun on a heel and stormed from the room. “Worthington, martini, stat!”

“Right away, madam,” Worthington said with a sigh as he pulled the doors closed behind him, leaving Grant and Julia alone.

Grant reached for Julia’s hand as he sighed and let his eyes slide closed. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

She slid her fingers between his as she spun to lean against the desk. “I know. She’s not making it easy.”

Silence stretched between them for a second before she settled her eyes on him. “That’s why I think we need to talk.”

Her words fell like a cold shroud over the room. The ticking of the antique clock on the mantel sounded like a countdown to an inescapable fate.

Something about the way she said it made his heart skip a beat. The seriousness on her features twisted his stomach into a knot. What was she about to say and what would the fallout be?