One Weekend with the Billionaire Chapter 57

*Braxton*

My phone rings, and it’s Stringer, letting me know that he hears a commotion from the apartment next door. He asks if he should go knock on the door, and of course I tell him he should do so. He hangs up while he goes to see what is going on. It’s the longest ten minutes of my life as I pace around my study, waiting to hear what’s going on.

I decided not to go all the way back home. It’s too far from Julia. Instead, I’m staying in my apartment near work. I’ll stay here for as long as I need to until I’m sure that she’s safe. If she’s determined to stay with Jeff, I might just stay here indefinitely. I can’t stand the thought of being an hour away from her. I need to be nearby in case something happens. Now, it seems like something has happened, and Julia might be in trouble.

My pacing stops and I stare out the window, waiting for Stringer to call. I know he’ll call me as soon as he can. I pray that Julia is all right. If that bastard Thompson hit her, I swear to God I’ll break his face. I’ll snap his tiny body in half!

My phone rings and I fumble with it, almost dropping it in my haste to answer. It’s Stringer. “Yes?” I say, praying that Julia is safe and that she’s decided to leave Thompson for good.

“Ms. Thompson is with me,” Stringer says, his voice calm. I take a deep breath, relieved to hear that. “We are headed toward your apartment, sir.”

“Thank you,” I say, wanting to talk to Julia but not on the phone. I need her in my arms. I need to see that she’s safe and that he hasn’t harmed her. I hang up and begin pacing again, walking back and forth from one side of the room to the other. I calculate how long it might take for Springer to get here from the Thompsons’ apartment. I glance out the window and see there’s quite a bit of traffic, at least in this part of town. I’m guessing at least a half an hour, maybe a bit longer. I check the time on the clock, not sure I can wait that long to see her, but I have no choice, do I?

I consider calling Thompson myself and threatening to smash his face in, to fire him on the spot. But then… I have no idea what has happened. All I know is that there was some sort of an argument. For all I know, Julia began the fight because she wanted to leave. Maybe she finally told him off, once and for all. All I know is that if he did anything at all to harm her, I will end him.

When I finally hear a knock on the door, I fly to open it, my heart pounding out of my chest. Julia and Stringer are standing there, and her face is pale, as if she has been through a traumatic event. I pull her close to me, practically smothering her against my chest as Stringer comes into the apartment and closes the door. I notice he does not have her belongings with him, but we’ll get to that in due time.

“Julia, darling? How are you?” I ask, pushing her back so that I can see her face. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” she assures me. “I had to get out of there, though. I had to walk away.”

“What happened?” I ask her, hating Jeff Thompson with every ounce of my being.

She shakes her head. “It’s just… he was so terrible. He tried to put everything on my shoulders, and I just couldn’t handle it. Thank God Stringer was there.”

I look at Stringer and give him a nod of thanks. He tips his head, a silent way of saying it’s been no problem. I pay Stringer well for his services, but this has been above and beyond, even for him, and I will make sure that he is compensated accordingly. “You’re safe now, Julia. You never have to go back there again,” I remind her.

“I know,” she says, but her voice wavers slightly, as if she’s not quite sure what she should do. “I know that.”

“Julia, I love you so much,” I remind her, pulling her to me again. “I love you with all of my heart, and I’m so glad you walked away from him.”

“Me, too,” she says, her cheek pressed against my chest. “I just don’t know what to do now, Braxton. I don’t know how to proceed.”

“You are more than welcome to stay here with me,” I tell her. “Forever. Or if you’re more comfortable staying elsewhere until we sort things out, we will find you a place of your own. A hotel, if you’d like. Whatever you want, Julia.”

She looks into my eyes, and I see that she is still lost and wild, but she is beginning to calm down slightly. “I love you, too, Braxton,” she says, and that’s all I need to hear to know we’ll make it all work out.