Page 60 of Betrayal of a Billionaire

“And Luke,” Sierra said, her voice raw with emotion. “I don’t want any dinner. I’ll be in my room.”

“Sierra…” Grant called after her as she stomped up the stairs. With a sigh, he shook his head. “Order her something, too, please, Worthington.”

“Of course, sir.”

Grant stalked to the living room and poured himself a drink.

“Me too,” Kyle said as he shuffled into the room.

Grant slid his eyes closed before he poured another bourbon for his son and handed it off. “If you’re going to lecture me about how I should race off after Julia, I’d suggest you stomp your way up to your room like Sierra.”

“Fine, I’ll sit here and not say what we’re both thinking.”

Grant eased into the sofa, sipping the bourbon and allowing the burn to make its best attempt at soothing him. “I highly doubt we’re thinking the same thing, Kyle. My mind isn’t as twisted as yours.”

“Isn’t it? So, just to be clear, you’renotwondering if you’re making the biggest mistake of your life by letting her go to dinner alone with them?”

Grant heaved a sigh, hating the way the words sounded coming from Kyle’s mouth.

Kyle perched on the edge of the armchair across the room. “At least answer me this: does she mean anything to you outside of this contract?”

Grant slid his eyes closed as his fingers tightened around the glass. He had no desire to discuss his feelings for Julia with Kyle, a man who had already expressed his interest in Julia.

Kyle took another sip of his drink before he slouched back in the seat. “Well, I guess that explains how you so easily let her walk away.”

Grant centered his icy gaze on his son. “Nothing I say to you is going to mean anything.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re not going to believe me one way or the other,” Grant said before another sip of his bourbon.

“Look, I’m willing to put our personal differences aside before we both lose Julia.”

Grant heaved a sigh. “Yes, I know. You want to work together to destroy Luke.”

“I want to do something before she stays here.”

“I don’t think destroying the man she once loved–”

“Once loved?” Kyle said with a harsh laugh. “Did you pay attention at all today?”

Alicia’s words echoed in his brain.They just need each other.“Kyle, I am not going to sit here while you lecture me on my behavior after everything you’ve done.”

“At least I’ve done everything I could in terms of Julia.”

Grant stared down into the reflective surface of his bourbon, noting the worry etched in his own face. “Right, I should have followed her. So the minute we get home you could have told her how controlling I am, how I hovered over her, didn’t allow her time with her sister.”

Kyle’s jaw tightened as he leaned forward again, his grasp tight on his glass. ”But–“

“No buts, Kyle. Have you or have you not said these things to Julia? She can’t do anything I don’t monitor.”

“Youdomonitor her. But you picked a hell of a time to stop.”

“I do not monitor Julia. Make sure she’s okay? Yes. Worry about her? Yes. Stop her from living her life? No.”

“Well, you should have this time, Dad. Because this time, her living her life may cost us.”

He heaved a sigh as Kyle downed the rest of his drink. He hated that his son had a point. Was the faith he put into his connection to Julia misplaced? Should he be fighting for her harder?