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“Who the hell is he and what is he doing in my garage and in my life?” Her hand slapped the counter. “And why are you here with him? You were my husband’s best friend, Ian. He said you were the same as his brother, and now you bring an agent into his wife’s life.”
“His widow’s,” Ian said softly, gently.
Sabella flinched. “And that makes it okay?” she bit out. “Damn you, Ian. You’d betray him that way?”
“I haven’t betrayed Nathan, Belle.” His stare was fierce and hard. “I don’t order Noah Blake anywhere. Whatever the hell he’s doing, he’s doing on his own. I know him. We’re friends. I’m your friend.”
Yes, they were friends. For two years she had watched her husband and his friend together. They had been as close as brothers, maybe closer. And Ian had a particular little habit. One her father used to have. When he lied, he didn’t so much as bat an eyelash. His expression didn’t change, his body didn’t tense, and he reacted so normally that it had always appeared abnormal to Sabella.
“Don’t you lie to me.” She pointed a trembling finger back at him, stabbed it in his direction. “Don’t you dare lie to me. Something’s wrong with him and it’s more than a few knife cuts. And there’s more going on here than that crap you just let slip from your mouth.”
“And if he could tell you anything more, he would,” Kira stated.
Sabella’s gaze sliced to the other woman. What was the warning in her eyes? It was there. She could see it, feel it, and so did Ian.
“Kira, could you wait outside?” he asked her.
“No, Ian, I really can’t.” She smiled back at him, the obvious love she felt for her husband in her eyes, her smile. But her determination defining her stance.
He almost rolled his eyes.
“You’re my friend,” Sabella said harshly. “Yet you’re standing here and allowing him to lie to me. You’re lying to me?”
Ian breathed out roughly. “Sabella, listen to me.”
“Who is he?” she asked both of them, again. “He’s an agent, isn’t he?” She was shaking, torn apart by that realization. “Which agency? FBI?”
Ian shook his head. “Noah isn’t an agent, Belle. Not of any government agency.”
“That leaves private?” she guessed. He didn’t answer her. “Are you a part of it?”
“Let’s say you’re cleared to know only the fact that there is an operation being conducted in Alpine,” he finally told her. “You and Rory were cleared for that knowledge, no one else.”
And he wasn’t lying. She licked her lips nervously.
“What’s wrong with him?” She was still breathing roughly, the question she wanted to ask held back, from the fear of disappointment.
Ian’s jaw bunched. “Nothing you need to be frightened of.” He hoped. She heard what he wasn’t speaking.
“Why is he here?”
“That’s his story to tell, Belle,” he said, sighing. “I’m here as your friend, and as his. That’s all anyone else can know. I heard about the attack on Toby and received a call that Noah had been hurt as well. I wanted to check out the situation for myself.”
“You’re lying,” she cried out. “Damn you. Damn you both to hell, you’re lying to me, just as you lied to me about how my husband died.” She whirled away from him, her hands covering her face before she turned back. “He wasn’t just shot. Was he?” She was shaking now, so desperate for some part of the truth somewhere, that she was nearly mad for him. “Tell me, Ian, tell me what happened to my husband and then tell me what the hell that man is doing in my life.” She pointed toward the hallway, watching as Noah stepped into the hallway.
“Belle.” Ian shook his head.
“They wouldn’t let me say goodbye to my husband,” she snarled. “I couldn’t see his body—”
“You didn’t want to see his body, Belle,” Ian snapped back. “Trust me. Remember him the way he was and let him go. Because he’s dead. And I promise you, you didn’t want to see what we recovered.”
A sob tore from her throat. For a second, just for a second, she had almost thought . . . She shook her head. No, she had known better.
She covered her mouth with her hand but had to turn away from them all. All of them.
“Belle.” Kira spoke behind her.
Sabella lifted her hand. Silence. She just needed silence. She just needed a minute to let that last flame of hope die within her.
