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Her eyebrows flew up. “Oookay.” She nibbled her lower lip. “Did West… do something? Are you fighting? Did he hurt you?”
I almost snorted at the absurdity of it. I was a trained fighter. Yet, she wasn’t wrong. West had hurt me. Just not in the way she meant.
“Everything between us has been a lie,” I whispered.
Somehow, whispering felt easier than speaking aloud.
Hallie frowned and swiped a strand of her dark hair aside when it fell across her face. “Why do you say that?”
I looked her in the eye. “His name isn’t Westley Gallo. It’s Weston Conti. I just found out.”
Her mouth formed anO. “Why would he lie about that?”
I looked down at my hands, the fingertips cold despite the warmth of her apartment. “Because he’s a federal agent on an undercover assignment. I’m part of his cover—only I didn’t know it.”
“What?” She looked as stunned as I’d been by the revelation. “Explain.”
So, I told her about how I’d seen him with the blonde and asked Zeke to find answers. Then, how everything had turned upside down.
“You can’t tell anyone any of this,” I reminded her, drying my damp cheeks on my sleeve. “I’m sure it’s classified, and I promised not to mess up his assignment.”
Hallie smirked. “You do remember that I’ve worked on classified assignments before too? At King’s Security, they train us to keep our mouths shut. Your secrets are safe with me.”
“Thanks.”
She shrugged. “We’re friends. That’s what we do. Now, let me get us a drink and we can talk about your options. Would you prefer beer, wine, liquor, or tea?”
“No coffee?” I asked.
“Not in your state. You need soothing, not amping up”
I felt a flash of amusement. “Have you been spending time around Sage?”
Sage was Hallie’s boss, Kade’s, fiancée—a quirky, homeopathic-remedy-loving yoga instructor.
“A little. So, what’ll it be?”
“Tea, please.”
I could really go for a drink. Perhaps a strong wine or a gin and tonic, but if Hallie and I were going to discuss options, I’d need a clear mind. Hence, tea.
Hallie stood. “Put your bag away. I’ll make the tea.”
I hauled myself upright, wincing at how much effort it took, and carried my duffel bag to the spare bedroom. It was simple with a double bed, white walls, dark gray carpet, and a matching wooden dresser and nightstand.
I placed my bag on the bed, unzipped it and rifled through to find the pajamas I’d need for tonight and an outfit for tomorrow. I hung my pants, shirt, and blazer from the door handle and plugged in my phone charger beside the nightstand. I glanced at my phone, half-expecting to see missed calls and messages from West, but there was nothing.
I donned the pajamas, returned to the sofa and tucked my legs beneath myself on one end. Hallie carried over two steaming mugs of tea, placing them on the coffee table.
“Have you thought about what you might do?” she asked.
I grabbed my mug and raised it to my nose, breathing in a faintly herbal smell. “Is this chamomile?”
“Yes, with a few other things in the mix. It should help settle your nerves.”
My lips twisted wryly. “You’ve definitely been listening to Sage.” I blew across the surface of the tea to cool it. “The way I see it, I have three options: One, I demand a separation. He deceived me and betrayed me, and there’s no reason I should have to tolerate his presence in my life.”
Hallie intertwined her fingers and rested them on her knee. “But that might unravel whatever he’s managed to achieve so far. Do you know what, exactly, he’s been up to?”
