Page 36 of Believing in a Billionaire (Hearts and Holdings #7)

JULIA

J ulia’s world tilted on its axis as she stared at the scene. Kyle, bound and unconscious, brought a wave of nausea over her. With his head slumped it was impossible to tell if he was still breathing or if she was too late.

A quiet voice whispered. “I’m requesting police and paramedics.”

She was about to answer him as she rushed to Kyle to assess his condition, but another noise stopped her. She snapped her gaze toward it, scanning the shadows for something as she stood frozen.

She held her breath, straining to listen for any other noises. Her heart stopped when a figure emerged from the darkness, casually shuffling toward Kyle as he scrolled on his phone.

The juxtaposition of the man’s casual behavior with the dire situation twisted her gut into a knot.

She pressed her lips together as her knees wobbled. She wanted to go back to find Alicia, but she couldn’t leave now. She had to stay in case anything happened.

The man slid his phone into his pocket before he crouched down in front of Kyle, resting his hands on his thighs. After a second, he reached forward and slapped Kyle’s cheeks a few times.

“Wakey, wakey, doc. It’s time to have more fun.”

Kyle sucked in a sharp breath, his head shooting up as he winced in pain.

Julia’s heart hammered in her chest as she sorted through options, her heart aching as she studied the bloody bruises on his face. How far away were the police? She stared at her screen wondering if Alex had any idea, though she couldn’t ask him, anyway.

Maybe she could text him. She tugged the phone closer to her, toggling into her text application when the conversation across the room resumed.

“You aren’t looking too good,” the man said to Kyle.

The shrilling ringing of the man’s phone cut off any potential response from Kyle. The man dug the phone from his pocket and answered, his eyes still trained on Kyle. “Yeah, boss, I’m here.”

His head bobbed a few times. “He’s still breathing…barely.”

Another pause that stretched an agonizingly long time before the man pulled the phone away from his ear and tapped on it a few times before he twisted it to face Kyle.

“Oh, he doesn’t look good.”

Julia’s nostrils flared as anger burned inside of her at hearing Lydia’s voice.

“Hello? Doctor Do-right? Can you hear me?”

The man shoved Kyle roughly. “Answer when the boss asks you a question.”

Kyle groaned in pain, squeezing his eyes closed. “Yes.”

“Oh good, you’re still able to communicate. Perfect. I just wanted to pass a few things along to you before we…part ways. Because you’re not going to make it past tonight. Sadly, no one will care though.”

Julia’s features twisted at the words.

“Your new family is happily moving on without you. Grant…well, he’ll soon be destroyed, but still, he’s got his sweet little wife–thanks to you saving her life. And they’ve got their sweet little daughter to dote on.

“No one wanted you around. They’re not even looking for you. Your precious Julia doesn’t care. All those sweet, sympathetic looks she gave you didn’t mean a thing. She’s glad she doesn’t have to deal with you.”

Julia’s jaw clenched as she fought the urge to shout that nothing Lydia taunted him with was true.

Lydia sucked in a breath and sighed. “You never should have betrayed me. Not that it would have helped you with Julia or Grant, but at least you wouldn’t be in the position you’re in right now.”

Kyle’s head lolled as she spoke, though a quick crack to his jaw brought him back to consciousness. Julia startled at the scene, her lower lip trembling as her stomach quivered. Where was Alicia? And where are the cops?

“Anyway,” Lydia continued, “I just thought you’d like to die knowing how unloved you really are. It’s really pathetic how you thought they’d accept you. Now, they won’t have to.”

The words chilled her as Lydia spoke now to her associate. “Brandon?”

“Yeah, boss?”

“You know what to do. Goodbye, Kyle. It’s been fun.”

The man offered a derisive laugh as he slid the phone into his pocket before he cracked his knuckles. “Looks like it’s the end of the line, doc. But not before we have a little more fun.”

He wiggled his fingers before he curled them into fists. “I’ve really enjoyed our time together. I hope you don’t mind if I make this as long and painful as possible.”

He pulled his arm back and delivered a crushing blow to Kyle’s gut, eliciting a loud groan of pain.

“Oh, that one sounded like it hurt. But I’m just getting warmed up.”

A tear rolled down Julia’s cheek as she dumped her phone on the floor and raced toward the man, her heart a thunderstorm of conflicting emotions–fear for both her life and Kyle’s, a desperate need to protect him, and an overwhelming sense of dread.

Each step toward the assailant felt like moving through quicksand, her resolve battling with the terror of confronting him. With a leap, she flung herself onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

“What the hell?” The man swung his arms behind him in a desperate attempt to grab her as he stumbled across the floor.

“Get away from him!” she shrieked.

He grabbed her arms around his throat, trying to tug them away, but she kept a tight hold, squeezing as tightly as she could manage.

The sound of their struggle, the harsh breathing, the scuffle of shoes on the dusty floor, echoed through the empty warehouse.

Julia’s world narrowed as adrenaline coursed through her veins, amplifying her senses.

The hot grip of the man’s hands as he tried to pry her from him burned her skin.

The rough fabric of his shirt scraped her palms as she clung on, every muscle straining to hold tight.

A second later, he changed tactics, spinning around and slamming her into the wall. The force knocked the wind out of her, but she kept hold of him.

After the second hit, though, her muscles loosened, and she slumped down the wall into a heap on the floor.

The man twisted to face her, his eyebrow arching. “Oh, it’s you.”

His thick fingers wrapped around her neck and dragged her to stand on her tiptoes. “Well, this will be even more fun.”

“Hey, doc,” he called over his shoulder, “your girlfriend’s here.”

Julia clawed at the man’s hand around her throat as she gasped for breath.

The man snapped his gaze back to Julia. “Now, I’m going to have to decide which way to play this. Do I let him watch you die before he does, or do I make you watch me kill him?”

She gave up on pulling his fingers away and reached forward to press her thumbs into his eyes.

He dropped her on the floor as he stumbled backward, rubbing his eyes. “You little bitch.”

Julia scrambled to her feet, but he was faster than her. He lunged at her, grabbing her hand and whipping her back to him. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

She fought to get away from him, but his grip was too strong. She swung with her other hand, but he caught it before she could hit him. With both arms in his clutches, he backed her to the wall and pinned her against it.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spit in his face. His face twisted in rage and surprise, his lips tugging into a deep grimace before he slapped her, then wrapped both hands around her throat. “You’ll regret that. You just made my choice easy. Say goodnight, sweetheart.”

Julia gasped in a breath, the edges of her vision turning black.

“Get off my step-mommy,” Sierra shrieked as she kicked the man’s shins.

Without letting pressure off her neck, the man flicked his gaze to Sierra. “Are you kidding me?”

“I am not,” Sierra said, landing another kick.

The man pulled a hand away from Julia’s throat as he batted at Sierra who danced back a few steps. She raised her fists in the air. “Come on, I can take you.”

Julia used the momentary distraction to knee him in the groin. He let the pressure off her throat as he stumbled backward.

Sierra raced forward and landed a blow against the man’s jaw. Unfortunately, it didn’t faze him. He snapped his angry gaze toward her as he swung a fist toward her face.

“No!” Julia shouted, blocking his arm with her own as Sierra stumbled backward to avoid the oncoming blow.

“Oh, you want to go first? Fine.” The man turned his attention back to Julia.

Sierra leapt onto his back as he shoved Julia to the floor. The man shook her off easily, dumping her on the floor next to her stepmother.

“Sierra, go find Alicia,” Julia shouted at her as she rolled away from the man’s attempt to kick her.

“I’m not leaving you!” Sierra answered, her voice shrill with panic.

Before Julia could scramble to her feet, the man caught her ankle. He yanked her back toward him before he straddled her.

“Get off of her!” Sierra shouted again, pummeling him and knocking them both to the ground.

With an elbow, the man tossed Sierra off of him, sending her rolling across the floor.

He climbed to his feet as Julia did. She remained in a low crouch, trying to determine which way he’d move so she could escape his next attack.

He snarled at her, his lips tugging into a sneer. “You’re not going to win. I’m going to make you suffer.”

“I don’t think so,” Alicia’s voice barked.

“Oh, good, another little lady to join the party,” he said as he twisted to face her, his smirk disappeared as he came up against the business end of her handgun.

“Hands up and back away from all of them.”

“Whoa, lady, there’s no reason to get your panties in a twist. We were just having some fun.”

“Now, it’s my turn to have fun. I said back away from her.” Alicia waved the gun at him, motioning for him to step away from Julia.

His facial muscles twitched before he made a desperate move to save himself. He reached for Julia, tugging her closer to him as he wrapped an arm around her neck.

“What are you going to do now? Shoot her?”

Julia’s back arched as he yanked her backward. She grabbed at his arms, trying to free herself.

“Let her go,” Alicia answered, a cold steel in her eyes from years with the FBI.

“I don’t think so. I think the lovely Mrs. Harrington and I will make an exit together.”

“I’m not going to let that happen,” Alicia said, her gun trained on him as he shuffled sideways.

Julia tugged her lips back in a wince, trying desperately to get her sister’s attention. “Ally…”

“Easy, Julia. I’m not letting him take you anywhere.”

“I know,” she said. “I know what to do.”

The steely expression on her sister’s face twisted into one of understanding.

As Julia elbowed the man in the gut and slid from his grasp as he pitched forward, Alicia fired.

The bullet struck the man in the shoulder.

Blood bloomed as he stumbled forward, wide-eyed, in a desperate attempt to escape.

Alicia fired again, missing him as he raced from the space. She dug in her pocket, tossing a pocketknife toward them, before she ran after him, gun at the ready.

Sierra rushed to Julia and wrapped her in a hug. “Are you okay?”

Julia sucked in a steadying breath, her chest heaving from the efforts of the fight. “Yeah, are you?”

“Yeah.” Sierra flicked a concerned glance at Kyle. “What about him?”

Julia snatched the knife from the floor before she pushed her tired muscles forward. “I don’t know.”

She dropped to her knees in front of him, her eyes sweeping over his body. Bloodied and bruised, he didn’t look good. The zip ties binding his wrists to the chair cut into his skin. She found a similar situation at his ankles.

She cupped his face in her hands, lifting his head. “Kyle?”

Her features twisted as she fought the urge to cry.

“Kyle,” she said, her voice shaky while she patted his cheek. “Come on, wake up.”

A groan escaped him as he lifted his head slightly, one eye too swollen to open fully. “Julia?” he slurred.

“Yes, it’s okay. You’re okay. We’re going to get you out of here,” she promised as she slid the knife open and sliced at the restraints around his ankles. “Sierra, find my phone. Alex called the police. See if he has an ETA on them.”

The woman bobbed her head, her face twisted with concern as she hurried back toward the entrance to search for the cell phone.

Julia moved on to the ties around his wrists as his head lolled forward again. “Come on, Kyle, stay with me, okay?” Her voice cracked, each word a lifeline thrown into the dark, a desperate plea for him to hold on just a little longer.

“It’s too much,” he murmured, each word laced with pain.

“What’s too much?” she asked as she sliced through one zip tie and moved to the next.

“Pain,” he huffed out, his voice strained as she cut the last tether holding him to the chair.

He toppled forward into her, knocking her backward. “It’s okay, I’ve got you. Tell me what to do.”

Sierra hurried over with the phone.

Alex’s voice cut through the speaker. “Sunshine? I’ve got the emergency services two minutes out.”

“Can you get them here any faster?” she asked, panic lacing her voice as she shifted Kyle’s weight off of her and onto the floor.

His features twisted with pain as he reached a shaky hand toward her. She grabbed it and squeezed. “I’m here.”

“Julia,” he said, his voice weak and breathy, “I’m not going to make it.”

Her heart clenched at the words, and she bit back the tears forming. “Don’t say that.”

Sierra hovered close, her pale face and wide eyes betraying her fear. “Julia?” she squeaked as she searched for some reassurance.

Alicia returned, holstering her weapon as she hurried across the space. “How is he?”

“Not good,” Julia answered, her voice shaky. “Alex has police and paramedics two minutes out.”

“Julia,” Kyle repeated.

“I’m here,” she answered, flicking her gaze to him. Something clouded his eyes. He stared at her for a moment before his head lolled to the side.

“Kyle? Kyle!” Her voice, shrill with panic, echoed in the large space as she cut her gaze to her sister. “He’s not breathing.”

Alicia dropped to her knees. “I’m starting CPR.”

She breathed into his mouth before she started chest compressions. Sierra knelt next to her, wrapping her in her arms as Julia pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.

“Paramedics are one minute out,” Alex said.

She clung to Kyle’s limp hand as tears fell to her cheeks.

Every passing second stretched into an eternity as silence surrounded them.

Her world narrowed to the sharp movements by Alicia as they waited for the paramedics in an agonizing test of patience as she wondered if Lydia had just claimed her first major win.