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

“We will bankrupt his company, sink his tour boats, and leave him in the middle of a foreign country with no money and no passports,” Kyle finished for her.

“Right. Wait, what?” Sierra screwed up her face as she snapped her gaze to him.

Kyle shook his head at Sierra to dismiss the question, and she whipped back to face Alicia. “Right. And my brother is crazy enough to do it, so…”

“Aw,” Kyle said as he slid an arm around Sierra, “that’s the first time you called me your brother.”

“Desperate times,” Sierra said.

“Stop it,” Julia said. “Luke is not coming back. Alicia is here because she needs to spend some time with me. Grant is fine with it. She’s not going to do anything to ruin our relationship.”

“Will this mess up our preplanned Mother-Daughter event schedule?” Sierra asked.

Kyle scrunched his features. “You have preplanned events scheduled with Julia?”

“I do. I have the next three months booked.” Sierra twisted to face Julia again. “Will it mess that up?"

“No,” Julia said as she rubbed Sierra’s arms.

“Not even our scheduled lunch today?”

“Not even that. I can spend time with both of you. I’m not going to cancel our plans, though, I promise.”

“You have lunch scheduled today with Sierra?” Kyle asked. “Can I schedule lunch with you tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s fine,” Julia answered. “We will all spend time together, okay? Alicia is not going to ruin anything between me and Grant. It’s all going to be fine.”

Sierra arched an eyebrow, settling her narrowed eyes on Alicia.

“Fine. She can stay…for now.” She inched closer to the woman, her voice lowering to a growl.

“But you listen, lady, and you listen good. You’re on my turf now.

And if you mess with my family, I will make you wish you’d never stepped foot inside this state. ”

Sierra pushed past her, stomping away in her high heels as she called over her shoulder. “See you later for lunch, Step-mommy!”

“Wow. That was intense. Hey, Sierra, wait up,” Kyle said as he hurried after her.

Julia breathed a sigh of relief as they left, sliding her eyes closed.

“How do you stand this?”

She opened her eyes, her features melting. “It’s not normally this chaotic. It’s just that…never mind.”

Alicia shifted her duffel bag on her shoulder as Julia led her down the hall. “What?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s focus on you,” Julia said as she led Alicia into a large bedroom suite. “Okay, this should have everything you need. Bathroom there, sitting area here, and bedroom through that door.”

“This is bigger than our house,” Alicia said.

Julia chuckled at the statement as she tugged the bag from Alicia’s shoulder. “It’s not. But I hope you like it. Now, let’s get you unpacked and settled in.”

“Tea, Mrs. Harrington,” Worthington announced as he carried the tray inside.

“Thank you, Worthington.”

The man nodded before he clasped his hands in front of him. “Would you like me to unpack Ms. Alicia’s things?”

Alicia waved him away. “Uh, no. I’ll handle my own things, thanks.”

“Very good, ma’am. Is there anything else, Mrs. Harrington?”

“No, thank you, Worthington,” Julia said as he poured the tea.

The butler left them behind, pulling the door shut behind him.

Alicia puffed out a breath as she stalked across the room and plopped into one of the armchairs. “This is surreal, Julia.”

“Sorry. You’ll get used to it. I thought it was weird, too, at first. So,” she said as she passed Alicia a cup of tea, “anyway, what do you want to do? Cry? Scream? Do you want me to hold your hand or…”

“I want to know how you stand this. The two kids are weirdos. And what did you mean about it not normally being this chaotic?”

Julia’s shoulders slumped. “Grant and I…didn’t decide to stay together until last night. So…Sierra and Kyle are a little…on edge since this is so new.”

“Last night?”

“The last night of our contract. We finally had a real conversation. So this is very new for all of us. I think both Sierra and Kyle are just a little nervous that something is going to take this away. Plus, you kind of did mess with my relationship with Grant when we were in Harbor Cove.”

“Guilty. Sue me. I thought the guy was bad news.”

“Well, this is why they’re upset. They know you don’t like him, and they are afraid you’re going to undermine our relationship.” Julia offered her sister a pleading glance. “Please don’t do that.”

Alicia let her head fall back against the chair’s back. “I’m not going to do anything. I don’t want Frick and Frack to leave me in a foreign country without a passport or money.”

“Kyle and Sierra are not going to do anything to you.”

“Really? Because they both seem pretty angry. And that was a weirdly specific list of things that the good doctor planned to do to Luke.”

“Luke ruffled a few feathers the last time he decided to waltz back in here and make a play for me.”

“Apparently,” Alicia said as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Everything is going to be fine. Perfectly fine.” Julia heaved a sigh as she sipped her tea, wondering if it would be true. Despite the bond she and Grant now shared after admitting the truth to each other and Lydia behind bars, the house seemed like a powder keg.

Her sister needed her support, but no one wanted her here. And she couldn’t blame them. Had she made a mistake in bringing Alicia here?

She hoped it didn’t lead to more trouble than this family was ready to deal with after the events of the last two years.

Before her sister could answer, a knock at the door called their attention. “Yes?” Julia called.

Worthington entered with an envelope in his hand. “I am sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Harrington, but this arrived for you.”

“Oh, thank you,” she said as she accepted the missive.

The small, white envelope felt oddly heavy in her hand. The seal on the back seemed a relic of formality that seemed out of place. She set her teacup aside and slid a finger under the edge, tearing it open.

A single, white card, trimmed in silver filagree slid out. Devoid of a sender’s name, it bore a simple message. But it was one that drove fear into her heart and sent a chill snaking down her spine. The game isn’t over yet.

Julia’s pulse quickened, a tight knot forming in her stomach as the words on the card seemed to taunt her, each word echoing in her head, amplifying her fear.

She swallowed hard as she stared at the silent reminder that the battles they thought they’d left behind may not be over yet. Her heart thumped as she wondered what new challenges lay ahead.