Nichlaus returning his call.”
Nichlaus?
He stood quiet for a few seconds, apparently waiting for the other party to come on the line.
“Hey, Mike, sorry I missed your call. Tell me something good, man.” He paused then smiled, running a hand through his hair. “Ah, fuck, you’re not kidding. It’s been a long haul. But that’s great news. I can’t wait to get my life back. Hey, I really appreciate the department’s support on this one. I hope we got you enough to put him away for a good long time.”
An icy ball of dread formed in her stomach and she splashed at the water with her fingertips, dispersing the image. Heart stuttering, she ran back into the bedroom.
51
Chloe Cole
Methodically, she opened drawers and rifled through his closets but nothing helpful surfaced.
Her eyes lighted on his pants from the night before and she made a beeline for them. She’d just shoved a hand in one pocket and pulled out his wallet when the bathroom door opened.
“What are you doing?”
His voice was frosty, but even that seemed warm compared to the icy gleam in his eye.
Whatever. She was the one who’d been lied to.
“What have you been doing, is the question.”
“Don’t deflect. This is about you. What, the guys didn’t pay you enough to cover all that overtime so you thought you’d just help yourself?”
What the hell was he talking about? “You sound like a crazy person right now. I was looking through your stuff because I wanted to find out who you really are. So if we’re trading secrets or something, why don’t we start with you, Mr. Nichlaus .”
He had the good grace to look ashamed, but only for a second. “What tipped you off? No, don’t answer, it doesn’t matter. None of it does anymore, the job is over. I was coming out to tell you anyway.”
She tried to swallow past the stone lodged in her throat, but couldn’t. “What job?”
“I’m not Alex Nelson, lab assistant. I’m Alex Nichlaus, securities specialist. I’ve been undercover for the last four months working for a pharmaceutical company gathering evidence on some key players in a large-scale narcotics smuggling operation.”
“So you lied? This has all been a lie? The geeky persona, the inexperienced lover, all fake?” She cursed herself as emotion clogged her throat. She turned and stalked to the door.
52
Naughty Godmother
“Wait a second. Where are you going? Don’t you have something to tell me too? We have a lot to talk about here, Holly. This was all really complicated and neither one of us is innocent here.”
“Every second I stand here, the more horrible it feels. I can’t believe you lied to me this whole time. How could you let me—” She blanched, her body seeming to curl into itself.
The guilt that had begun to surface gave way to outrage. “That’s rich, coming from you,” he retorted.
“Wha—what is that supposed to mean?”
“The jig is up. It’s always been up. You may talk like an innocent, but I know you’re a stripper or an escort and I know about Saunders and Leeland.”
She looked at him as if he were insane as her mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
“The guys who hired you for the practical joke,” he pressed. She paled, but there was still no recognition in those stricken green eyes. Only hurt.
And tears. Fucking tears. Dammit .
The white-hot anger that had flared only moments before dimmed to a burning coal and he ran a hand over his face. What was he hoping to accomplish here? Finding somewhere to lay blame? They’d both been wrong.
He started again. “I don’t even care what you do for a living. I really liked being with you. And unless you’re an Oscar-winnng actress and had me completely hoodwinked, you liked being with me too. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But my job—”
She cut in, eyes flashing, her tone sharp enough to draw blood. “Your job has nothing to do with this. I understand confidentiality, believe me. But you pretended…”
She paused and
Nichlaus?
He stood quiet for a few seconds, apparently waiting for the other party to come on the line.
“Hey, Mike, sorry I missed your call. Tell me something good, man.” He paused then smiled, running a hand through his hair. “Ah, fuck, you’re not kidding. It’s been a long haul. But that’s great news. I can’t wait to get my life back. Hey, I really appreciate the department’s support on this one. I hope we got you enough to put him away for a good long time.”
An icy ball of dread formed in her stomach and she splashed at the water with her fingertips, dispersing the image. Heart stuttering, she ran back into the bedroom.
51
Chloe Cole
Methodically, she opened drawers and rifled through his closets but nothing helpful surfaced.
Her eyes lighted on his pants from the night before and she made a beeline for them. She’d just shoved a hand in one pocket and pulled out his wallet when the bathroom door opened.
“What are you doing?”
His voice was frosty, but even that seemed warm compared to the icy gleam in his eye.
Whatever. She was the one who’d been lied to.
“What have you been doing, is the question.”
“Don’t deflect. This is about you. What, the guys didn’t pay you enough to cover all that overtime so you thought you’d just help yourself?”
What the hell was he talking about? “You sound like a crazy person right now. I was looking through your stuff because I wanted to find out who you really are. So if we’re trading secrets or something, why don’t we start with you, Mr. Nichlaus .”
He had the good grace to look ashamed, but only for a second. “What tipped you off? No, don’t answer, it doesn’t matter. None of it does anymore, the job is over. I was coming out to tell you anyway.”
She tried to swallow past the stone lodged in her throat, but couldn’t. “What job?”
“I’m not Alex Nelson, lab assistant. I’m Alex Nichlaus, securities specialist. I’ve been undercover for the last four months working for a pharmaceutical company gathering evidence on some key players in a large-scale narcotics smuggling operation.”
“So you lied? This has all been a lie? The geeky persona, the inexperienced lover, all fake?” She cursed herself as emotion clogged her throat. She turned and stalked to the door.
52
Naughty Godmother
“Wait a second. Where are you going? Don’t you have something to tell me too? We have a lot to talk about here, Holly. This was all really complicated and neither one of us is innocent here.”
“Every second I stand here, the more horrible it feels. I can’t believe you lied to me this whole time. How could you let me—” She blanched, her body seeming to curl into itself.
The guilt that had begun to surface gave way to outrage. “That’s rich, coming from you,” he retorted.
“Wha—what is that supposed to mean?”
“The jig is up. It’s always been up. You may talk like an innocent, but I know you’re a stripper or an escort and I know about Saunders and Leeland.”
She looked at him as if he were insane as her mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
“The guys who hired you for the practical joke,” he pressed. She paled, but there was still no recognition in those stricken green eyes. Only hurt.
And tears. Fucking tears. Dammit .
The white-hot anger that had flared only moments before dimmed to a burning coal and he ran a hand over his face. What was he hoping to accomplish here? Finding somewhere to lay blame? They’d both been wrong.
He started again. “I don’t even care what you do for a living. I really liked being with you. And unless you’re an Oscar-winnng actress and had me completely hoodwinked, you liked being with me too. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But my job—”
She cut in, eyes flashing, her tone sharp enough to draw blood. “Your job has nothing to do with this. I understand confidentiality, believe me. But you pretended…”
She paused and
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