Page 112 of Betrayal of a Billionaire

The line trilled before Kyle’s voice answered. He prayed for good news after the fight with Lydia.

“Hey, Dad.” Kyle’s tired voice sounded dejected.

“Kyle, any word on Julia?”

His son sighed on the opposite end of the line. “It’s not…great.”

His heart skipped a beat. “What does that mean?”

“There’s…just nothing. Nothing they bring up will work. They just…keep hitting walls.”

The worry in Kyle’s voice made his stomach sink. What if there wasn’t an option to find his wife?

CHAPTER 24

JULIA

Julia swallowed hard as muffled shouts sounded outside, but no clear words could be detected through the thick layers of rock. Her heart thudded against her chest as panic rose within her. She was trapped.

She crawled closer to the rock wall preventing her from leaving and pressed her ear against it. She couldn’t make anything out. “Ally?” she called.

No one answered. Her hands shook as she pressed one to her mouth. The rocks didn’t budge, no one called to her. She knew what that meant. They couldn’t do anything.

Her breathing turned ragged as reality crashed down around her as hard as the rocks had moments ago.

She forced her heart and breathing to slow. They wouldn’t leave her here. They’d come back. They’d find a way.

This was a setback. But a temporary one.

She forced her mind to repeat that phrase over and over as she grabbed the flashlight and settled back against the stone wallagain. After a minute, she clicked off the light, plunging the cave into an eerie blackness that made her feel even more closed in.

She fought the urge to turn the light back on. She needed to conserve the batteries in case she needed the light later. With no idea how long she’d be trapped, she may find use for it.

She tugged her raincoat around her again to keep the damp chill out, nestling down inside it as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them away. She tried to focus on the positive. Sierra was safe. After a harrowing experience, at least she’d now get the care she needed.

That didn’t make it any easier for Julia, though. A part of her wished they’d both have been trapped in here. At least, then they’d have each other.

Guilt made a tear fall to her cheek over the selfish thought. Sierra would never have survived being trapped inside this cave for hours with no clear shot out. She’d barely made it through the experience when they could still see the outside.

Her mind drifted to her stepdaughter now. Was she okay? Did they find anything wrong at the hospital? Were there any injuries from her experience?

All questions she’d not get answers to for what would likely be several hours. At least she was safe. Her mind focused on that bright spot again. She recalled the relief in Grant’s voice as she’d emerged from the cave.

A smile curled her lips as she imagined him holding Sierra’s hand in the hospital, pleased to have her back.

What a mess this trip had been, she thought as she shook her head. Most of it had been her fault. She slouched down, drawing her knees to her chest and setting her chin on them.

Out of all the places Sierra could have picked, she picked Harbor Cove, her hometown. And the disasters had started before they even stepped foot off the plane.

Between her sister’s anger, first toward her, then toward Grant, to the complication with Luke, her behavior had directly put Sierra in danger and now landed her in a prison of her own making.

Why had she argued with Grant? She should have simply explained the situation. He would have likely understood. Or at least only been mildly angry that she’d risked the appearance of their marriage at a critical time with Lydia.

Shehadbroken the rules, after all. They’d agreed to no outside relationships. Though no one would have known if she hadn’t stupidly fallen asleep and slept for hours.

She wondered if Kyle had overheard the argument. Obviously, Sierra had. Grant blamed her leaving on it. Amazing that the woman who had insisted on holding her at arm’s length at the start of this contract had become so attached that she’d storm out of the house when Julia left.