Page 85 of Noel Secrets

“Addie,” he said softly. “I know this looks … confusing.”

“Confusing?” She whirled to face him, stepping back and running into the table with her backside. “Confusing,Price?” The pieces clicked so fast the room began to spin. “You’re watching me and my house?I’myour assignment?”

A stone settled in her gut and dizziness assaulted her. She reached back and held onto the table for support. How had she been so blind? How had she not seen the glaring truth? It was crystal clear in this appalling moment.

Price, the great security operative for Aiden Porter, staying four doors down for an assignment that he couldn’t disclose. Price, her superhero, showing up just when Travis tried to push his way into her house. Price, the man she thought she was falling for, the man she believed she trusted, being there right as her house exploded.

Kissing her. Holding her. Claiming he was falling for her.

Lying to her. Betraying her. Destroying her trust.

Addie glanced back at the monitors. Cameras showing every angle of her house, front, back, and sides. How could she have been so slow, so willing to trust him? How had this happened to heragain? It was vastly different from Jamison. Price was tryingto protect her, not harm her, yet it felt even more hurtful and deceptive. Jamison had been wearing a mask of charisma and kindness that she had initially found appealing but had lost its shine quickly and she’d been the one to end things. Price’s mask of humble hero, kick-butt protector, and all-around great guy was still in place, but he’d used it to deceive her, gain her trust, and break her heart.

“It’s not like it seems.” Price held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Your sister?—”

A loud rap came on the front door.

Price grunted in frustration, his dark gaze reflecting more than that. He was upset and alarmed by this turn of events.

Well, she was nauseated, betrayed, and quickly growing furious, and it was all his fault.

“That’ll be the EMTs. They need to check you out. I’ll explain everything. It will be okay, Addie.” He held her gaze, begging her to listen to him, to give him a chance. “We’ll work this out. All right?”

Addie couldn’t form words. She could only stare at him. This superhero of a man, who she had been falling for, had been hired to watch over her. She was mortified that she’d given her heart to him, kissed him, said far too many telling things to him.

Work this out? They were not going to simply work this out like it was a misunderstanding.

Her sister?

… Daphne. Only Daphne would do something like this. She hadn’t taken Addie’s no and she’d hired Aiden Porter’s people to keep Addie safe. Price had lied to her face and said that Daphne Belle hadn’t hired him. How could he?

She didn’t appreciate her sister’s meddling. Price had saved her from Travis and been there for her tonight, and maybe she could someday appreciate that, but not right now. Right now, she was too embarrassed and angry.

How had she gotten soluckyto have Price be her bodyguard and not another of Aiden’s operatives? It might have simply been because he was in the area, but she could imagine Daphne had requested him because she knew Addie was interested in him. It was the only thing that made sense.

The other thing that made blaring sense was she’d been an absolutely gullible idiot. She’d been so drawn to Price that she hadn’t interrogated him about his ‘assignment’, taking his answer that he shouldn’t share at face value.

She’d asked if Daphne had hired him. He’d looked her in the eye and said, clear as day, that Daphne hadn’t hired him. She hadn’t questioned him being out for a run in the freezing dark and how he’d miraculously been there when she needed him when Travis showed up.

Addie stared at him as he let the EMTs in and a man and woman approached her and started asking her questions. Price looked like the same tough, ruggedly handsome, somehow humble military hero as he gave her a hopeful yet guarded look with those intense dark eyes beneath those thick eyelashes.

No. She didn’t know him at all. Everything she knew was a lie, a ploy to deceive her, especially the intense and caring way he looked at her that had melted her heart.

Which part of the past few weeks had been real and what had been him playing a part? Their ‘chance’ meeting at Quincy Market. Him knowing how much she loved banana pudding. Had Daphne somehow set all of that up as well? Growing closer to her so he could protect her. Kissing her. Like he meant it. Multiple times.

Had Daphne met Price through Brex, assumed he was the perfect man for Addie, and set this all up?

Her stomach turned over, and she could answer honestly when the lady asked if she was experiencing any nausea. Yes, she was sick to her stomach, but she doubted it had much to do withthe explosion and her house burning down a few hundred yards away.

This nausea was the gut churn of betrayal.

Daphne and Price had betrayed her.

Daphne she’d eventually have to forgive. She was her sister and they’d been through fights before and somehow healed.

But Price…

Maybe she’d eventually forgive him too, but any trust she’d felt for him was gone. She was heartbroken over his betrayal. He’d wormed his way deep into her heart and shattered her from the inside out.