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The statement stung, though he knew she didn’t mean it about his situation with Julia. “That’s not true, Lydia, but I don’t really care what you think. You called me up here because Julia was here. Now, where is she? I’d like to collect my wife and get back to enjoying the evening with her.”
“Hmm, that won’t be possible until we’ve gotten a little business out of the way first.”
“What is it this time? Another charity event for your luxury shoe line? Oh, no wait, let me guess, you’d like me to throw you a lavish party to celebrate your overblown accomplishments.”
Lydia shook her head, a smirk on her features. “None of those.”
“Then what?” Grant barked.
“I want the plans for the Solaris project. I know you brought them with you. Run down and grab them. And don’t take forever, I’m getting bored up here.”
Grant couldn’t stop the laugh that barreled from his lips. The ridiculous request brought tears to his eyes. “Exactly how much have you had to drink tonight?”
“Not nearly enough to remind me of why I ever fell for you to begin with. You really aren’t that charming, you know.”
He sobered as he shook his head. “I’m not giving you the plans for Harrington Global’s project. Now, where is Julia?”
“I think you will. I really don’t want to debate it, so just…run down and snap up that flash drive, okay?” Lydia grinned at him as she clicked her tongue.
“Lydia, no. What would make you think I would give you those plans?”
She narrowed her eyes as she stared into space, a finger tapping on her chin in a fake display of thought. “Hmm, I had a really good reason why you’d give me the plans for the project that’s going to launch Harrington Global into the stratosphere. What was it?”
Grant rolled his eyes at her display. “I’m getting tired of this little game. I don’t want to play anymore.”
He spun on his heel and took a step toward the door when she snapped her fingers. “Oh, I remember.”
With a heavy sigh, he twisted to face her. “I can’t wait to hear it.”
She grinned at him. “I’ll bet you can’t.” Lydia stalked toward the closed bedroom door and flung it open. “Morrison! Bring out our little piece of persuasion, please. Seems Grant needs a little motivation to help him do what I asked.”
Grant offered her an unimpressed stare as he waited for the so-called motivation. Lydia set a hand on her hip, a haughty expression on her features.
Movement at the door caught his eye. Julia appeared, her eyebrows tightly knit and her eyes clouded with a mix of fear and upset. His forehead creased for a moment as he tried to read her, but the man who followed her made it all too clear what was happening.
His stomach dropped and his heart pounded against his ribs as he noted her bound wrists and the gun leveled at her head.
“Julia?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, tears shining in her eyes.
“Aw, isn’t this touching?” Lydia said.
“Let her go, Lydia, she doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Grant said.
“Oh, but she does.”
Grant shook his head. “No. She’s innocent in all of this. Let her go. We’ll handle whatever’s going on between us alone, okay?”
“I don’t think so. And she’s hardly innocent. She’s actually been playing on my team for several months now, but she’s outlived her usefulness. It seems she actually cares about you and Sierra, which means this is the only way she can help me. Now…how much do you love Little Miss Muffet? Enough to give me the Solaris plans or is Harrington Global your one true love?”
Grant swallowed hard as he stared at Julia. Nothing meant more to him than she did. And if he lost his company because of it, so be it. “I’ll get the plans.”
“Wow,” Lydia said with a cackle, “that was easy. Had I known it would be this easy, I would have done this a long time ago.”
“Don’t, Grant. You can’t let her win.”
Lydia wrapped an arm around Julia and pulled her closer. “Aw, she’s just so sweet it makes my teeth ache. Now, run along and get that flash drive. Us girls will be waiting for you.”
