She shrugged off his touch. “If we’re sharing secrets, then let’s make it a party. Your boyfriend here isn’t who you think he is.”
Aasia tied the belt of her robe tighter. “Bear has spoken with me—”
“Oh? So he told you that he’s here investigating Bentley?” Phoebe cocked her head to the side. Her anger radiated from her every pore.
Turning on her bare feet, Aasia looked at Bear. He looked like he’d been struck by lightning. His jaw hardened and his gaze slanted. Before she could question him, Phoebe continued, “He had a wire in Bentley’s house. Bear had been surveilling Bentley all this time.”
“Is this true?” Aasia felt her stomach turn.
Bear stared back but didn’t say a word.
It was Grimes who said, “Phoebe found out by accident. Sorry, but I had to explain that Bear’s here undercover, pretending to work as a hand.”
Bear didn’t take his gaze off Aasia. Still, he said nothing.
Feeling betrayed, Aasia brushed past him and stomped up the stairs and hurried into her bedroom. She heard him enter and close the door, but she didn’t even look in his direction as she grabbed clothes from the closet. She dropped the robe and dressed hastily.
“Aasia?”
She spun, targeting him with all her anger. “You’ve lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie. I withheld the truth.”
She couldn’t believe her ears. “That is lying! All this time you pretended to be my friend. Last night you professed your love.” She swung her hand in that direction. “Was all this a way of getting information about Bentley?” She couldn’t believe how her world had suddenly turned upside down.
“No. I was always your friend. I meant every word I said last night. I love you. I want to spend my life with you.” Lines appeared around his eyes.
“And yet you lied.” She felt tears coming but she wouldn’t show him the emotion.
~*~
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it hit Bear harder than a scream. He stood there, watching all the softness leave her face. He wanted to cross the room and drag her into his arms and hold her. There was a coldness between them that made him sick.
What had Grimes said to Phoebe? Bear needed to be careful. All he knew was that Phoebe had found out some details and Grimes had been covering. Bear was at a complete disadvantage.
“I didn’t lie,” he said firmly. “I just didn’t tell you everything. I couldn’t.”
She gave a bitter laugh. “That’s the same thing. You know it.”
“It’s not that simple, Aasia. Grimes was right. I’m here undercover. I’ve been surveilling Fletcher.” These words felt like acid on his throat. “Sharp was kind enough to let me pretend to be a hand at the ranch.” It killed him that he still couldn’t divulge everything to her.
A wounded expression covered her features then a light came into her eyes. “You’re here about the illegal business dealings at MedLabOne. You’re investigating the false insurance claims. If that’s the case…” Her eyes lowered at the corners. “You’ve been investigating me too, right?”
“Yes.” He couldn’t lie about that.
She stepped closer, her hands folded into fists at her sides. Her bottom lip trembled. “I’m a suspect?”
“No, you’re not. I know you had nothing to do with the illegal transactions.”
“How?”
He hesitated. He was going to kill Grimes when he got his hands on him.
“Bear? I need to know. How do you know that I wasn’t involved?” Her voice was low and ominous “Did you have a listening device here? At the office?”
“No. Only at Fletcher’s.”
“Why? Why do this to me? Why not come to me and ask me?” Her voice shook.
