Page 17 of Believing in a Billionaire (Hearts and Holdings #7)

“We’re not leaving you, Julia. You need us,” Sierra said as she rubbed her arm. “And you’ve taken care of all of us for long enough. Let us take care of you.”

Julia wrapped an arm around Sierra and hugged her. “Thank you, Sierra. I appreciate you being here.”

Alicia shifted her gaze to the bedding, and Julia squeezed her hand. “All of you.”

“And Daddy is going to be here soon, too.”

“Oh, you didn’t call him and tell him I was sick, did you?” Julia asked.

“Why? Shouldn’t he know?” Alicia asked.

“He’s at the office trying to deal with something. He can find out when he gets home. There’s no reason to alarm him or pull him away from his work.”

Kyle heaved a sigh as he skirted around Alicia to press a hand against Julia’s forehead.

“I’m not feverish. I’m recovering, see? Just like I told you I would.”

Kyle’s jaw clenched as he took her pulse. “Just making sure.”

She leaned back in the pillows sucking in a breath as a burst of pain bloomed at her temples.

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore it as a residual symptom.

She refocused her energy, wondering how Grant’s work was going.

She considered sending a text, but as she shifted to reach for her phone, a wave of nausea swept over her.

She squeezed her eyes closed with a moan.

“Juju?” Alicia asked.

She pressed a hand to her forehead. “I’m okay.”

“You sure?” Kyle asked.

She tried to nod, but the movement took away any relief she’d felt after eating. Her stomach rebelled, twisting with a sharp pain. Nausea rolled over her in waves as she broke out into a cold sweat.

She opened her eyes to find worried faces staring back at her. Before she could offer them any reassurance, she clamped a hand over her mouth and rushed into the bathroom.

Alicia followed, twisting her hair into a makeshift ponytail with her fingers as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

She wiped at her mouth with a shaky hand before she flicked away a tear that had fallen.

“Easy, sis. You okay?”

Julia swallowed hard as she started to nod before she turned it into a shake of her head and hovered over the toilet again. She slouched back onto her rear, appreciating the cool tiles below her as she sucked in deep breaths.

“Okay, better,” she said.

“Not by much,” Alicia said. “You’re still pale.”

Julia attempted a weak smile. “I just…I think if I lie down,” she whispered.

“Okay, let’s get you back into bed.” Alicia rose and wrapped her fingers around Julia’s arm.

“Oh, wait, wait. Before I climb into bed, I just…want to brush my teeth.”

“Seriously?” Alicia asked.

“Yes, seriously. I want this disgusting taste out of my mouth,” Julia said with a wince.

“All right,” Alicia said as she tugged Julia to stand.

She leaned against the marble countertop, her knees weak. She squeezed toothpaste onto the toothbrush and swished it around in her mouth with a mechanical motion.

When she’d finished, Alicia helped her back to bed amidst a sea of concerned faces.

“I don’t like this, Julia,” Kyle said.

“Noted,” she answered with a sigh as she crawled into bed. “Let me just get some sleep, and we’ll see how I am in the morning, okay?”

“Something wrong?” Grant’s voice asked. She twisted to find him tugging his tie from around his neck as he hovered in the door.

“No,” she said when Sierra launched into an explanation as she scrambled from the bed.

“Daddy, thank goodness you’re here! Julia is sick. And she’s getting worse.”

“I’m not getting worse,” Julia insisted. “I just…the food didn’t agree with me. Maybe it was too much.”

“It wasn’t too much,” Kyle said. “She’s sick. Something’s not right.”

“People get sick, Kyle. I just need some rest.” Pain shot through her stomach again, and she slid her eyes closed.

“Julia,” Grant said as he pushed past Alicia to take her hand, “maybe we should take this more seriously.”

“No, I’m fine. I just need some rest. And Kyle is taking good care of me. I trust him.”

“Nice try at flattery, Julia. But it won’t work. I’m going to let you get some sleep, but I’m keeping a close eye on you. If you get any worse, you’re going straight to the hospital.”

“Fine,” she said as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

The voices around her faded in and out.

“…take her now?” Grant’s voice asked.

Kyle answered, “Let’s give her a few hours…”

“…worried…” Alicia said.

The night passed in a blur of discomfort and restless dozing. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, pain pounding at her temples and twisting her stomach.

By morning, she was weak enough that wishful thinking and denials were no longer sufficient.

She moaned as her eyes fluttered open.

Kyle hovered over her. “Her fever’s higher than ever. She’s pale, and her heart rate is too high. She’s in enough distress that I don’t think we should wait any longer.”

“I’ll call an ambulance immediately, sir,” Worthington said.

“I’m calling ahead to let the hospital know we’re coming,” Kyle answered him.

“Grant?” Julia murmured as she struggled to focus on the room spinning around her.

“I’m right here, Julia,” he answered, clutching her hand closer. “I’m right here.”

She struggled to reach for him but found herself too weak and sick to move. A tear rolled from the corner of her eye as the room faded from her view, blackness replacing it.

As her vision faded, her last conscious thought was a silent plea for relief and a desperate hope that the nightmare would soon end.