Chapter Thirty-Two
Aasia woke up and fluttered her eyes open. She felt relieved after the long talk she and Bear had last night. She told him everything—her conversation with Bentley, and her suspicions of Deacon.
She rolled over and laid her hand on Bear’s shoulder. He opened his eyes and smiled. “Good morning.”
She started to respond when she heard muffled voices coming from downstairs. “Is that arguing?” Aasia said as she came more fully awake.
Climbing out of bed, she pulled on her robe and made her way downstairs.
Inside the living room Phoebe, who was still in her pajamas, looked disheveled as she faced someone who was standing near the door. As Aasia stepped off the stairs, she saw that it was one of the ranch hands from Creek’s Creek. Grimes. He looked even more disheveled than Phoebe.
He was the first to see Aasia and his mouth fell into a frown.
Phoebe turned and offered Aasia an apologetic gaze. “Sorry if we woke you.”
“What’s going on?” Aasia asked.
Grimes and Phoebe shared a glance before she said, “I didn’t want you to find out this way, but he’s the father of my baby.”
This floored Aasia. “Oh? How…?”
“I’ve been back in Texas longer than you think. Grimes and I met when I first got here.” Phoebe looked tired with dark circles under her eyes.
“I’m sorry to barge in like this but I needed to speak to Phoebe.” Grimes turned his worried gaze on her. “You won’t take my calls. We need to talk about this. I won’t let you give up the baby. Our baby. I should have a say in what happens.”
Phoebe blew out a long breath. “This is all your fault.”
Aasia squinted. “How’s this my fault?” Then she realized Phoebe was speaking to Bear who stood behind Aasia. She hadn’t heard him descend the stairs. “What are you talking about, Phoebe? Bear hasn’t done anything—”
“The hell he hasn’t. He was the one who told Grimes that I was considering giving the baby up for adoption,” Phoebe seethed.
Aasia looked from her sister to Bear. “Is this the truth?”
He tore a hand through his tousled hair. He looked amazing just having woke up from sleep, but Aasia didn’t let his sex appeal deter her. “He came to see me and told me that Phoebe was pregnant. I thought he already knew the details.”
“I told you that in confidence,” Aasia said quietly.
“I can’t believe you told him!” Phoebe threw up her hands.
“He would have found out yesterday after the party,” Aasia said.
“That’s different.” Phoebe wiped a tear from her cheek. “Well, there’s something you should know, sis.”
Grimes took a step toward her, placing his hand on her arm. “Don’t.”
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.
“I was protecting you.”
“Protecting me?” she snapped. “Don’t you dare act like this has been some kind of noble sacrifice on your part. You don’t get to hurt me and call it protection.”
“There’s a lot more to the story,” he said quietly.
“Then tell me. Everything.”
“I can’t.”
“Of course you can’t.” There was pain lingering under her sadness.
“In due time.”
“In due time?” Her voice cracked. “Do you think I can ever trust you again?”
He stared back at her. A hundred things swept through his mind but nothing he could say. He was bound by his oath to the team. “I want a chance with you. I’m giving up all this for you.”
Her eyes glistened. “A chance isn’t built on lies. You betrayed me. All you had to do was be truthful. I would have told you everything.”
“Tell me now. I can help you.”
Her laugh was cold and brutal. “What makes you think I want your help? I don’t trust you.”
“I never wanted to hurt you. My hands were tied.”
“Congratulations. You did.”
The room felt engulfed in invisible smoke.
For a moment, he wanted to say fuck it and reveal everything, but he wanted to protect her and his team. He couldn’t open up to her. Even when she was breaking in front of him. Even when he lost her, he still couldn’t tell her all the facts.
“I understand. I’m sorry.” He turned and walked away.
He blindly made his way down the stairs. Phoebe and Grimes were no longer in the living room. Bear strode outside and was shocked to find Grimes standing near Bear’s truck.
“Bear, she found out. I couldn’t throw the entire team under the bus—”
“So instead, you throw me under the bus? Without even warning me? Giving me the chance to take precautions?”
“Damn, I was going to, but Phoebe—”
“I don’t want to know.” Bear started to walk past Grimes, but a second thought came to mind. Bear pulled back his arm and punched Grimes in the jaw. Not hard enough to knock the grizzly man off his feet, but powerful enough that it would be a reminder that he’d fucked up.
Bear left Grimes in the driveway holding his jaw as he drove away. He too felt like he’d been punched. Not in the face, but in the gut.
Aasia would never forgive him.
Not in a million years.
And honestly, he’d never forgive himself.