Fake Dating the Unsuspecting Heiress Page 13

  I’d like to know the real you.

  He didn’t even know her real name. She’d been lying to him from day one and he had no idea. How could he know the real her when he didn’t know where she came from or who her father was? Her father’s status had just as much influence on her as Colton’s father’s criminal ways had affected him.

  “The thing is,” Colton said as he leaned across the table, his gaze holding hers. He took a deep breath. “I want you to be able to trust me, but there’s something—”

  “I want that, too,” she said, nerves and guilt warring in her belly, making it hard to focus on his words. He was talking about trust and she hadn’t even trusted him with her name. “But I need to tell you something.”

  He arched his brows in surprise and she hurried on before she lost her nerve. “I’m Addison Reginald.” He continued to stare at her in surprise but she couldn’t tell if he recognized the name. “Reginald, as in Alexander Reginald’s daughter?”

  She had no idea why she was stating that like a question. Old habits died hard, apparently. Shifting in her seat, she rushed to explain. “It’s not like I was trying to lie to you—or anyone, really. It was just that when I came here I wanted to start fresh, and it’s hard to do that sometimes when people know who I am.” She shrugged. “Or who my father is, at least.”

  She watched him blink. Once. Twice. She tried not to cringe as she waited for his reaction. Would he be angry that she’d been hiding her true identity? Would he look at her with new eyes?

  “You’re Alexander Reginald’s daughter,” he said slowly. “And you’re telling me this because…”

  “Because you’re right,” she said. “You were totally right. We don’t know each other well enough to be…kissing.”

  Ugh, did she really have to blush just because she’d said the word kissing? No one over the age of ten blushed over that word. She tried to ignore the heat in her cheeks. “I had fun with you the other night, and the other day. And…and today.” She bit her lip, summoning up her courage. “I’d like to do it again sometime.”

  Surprise lit his eyes and amusement had one side of his mouth hitching up. “Kiss me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Have fun with you.”

  His gaze softened. “Yeah, I’d like that too. In fact, there’s nothing I’d like more.”

  She let out a long exhale. “Good.”

  His brows arched. “You seem relieved.”

  “I am.” She shook her head, trying to find the words. “It’s just that it’s really hard for me to trust people, especially once they know that I’m Alexander Reginald’s daughter.” She shifted. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but I’m kind of glad you didn’t know when we first met.”

  He didn’t say anything and she toyed with her napkin.

  “Not that I don’t trust you, but I’m not sure I would have—or at least it would have been harder to if I’d had to worry that you had ulterior motives.”

  He was watching her so closely, the look in his eyes so dark and unreadable, she felt a wave of nerves all over again. “This is coming out all wrong, isn’t it? I’m not saying I wouldn’t have trusted you, it’s just…”

  “You don’t have to explain.”

  “No. I do.” Her voice was firmer than she intended, but she’d meant it when she’d said she wanted him to know her. Her past was critical to understanding her, just like his was…just like everyone’s was. “I have sort of a bad history of people using me to get to my dad.”

  Colton’s eyes narrowed with unmistakable anger.

  “It’s not my dad’s fault,” she said quickly. “He’s always been so supportive and there for me, even when my own mother couldn’t handle being around me. It’s just…”

  “What?” His voice sounded hoarse and she peered at him in concern until he glanced away.

  “It’s just that—sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s trying to get close to me for me and who was just trying to get close to my father.” Her laugh was unexpectedly bitter. “The only guy who ever showed interest in me before you came along was actually getting paid to be nice to me. Can you believe that?”

  “No,” he said quietly. “I can’t.”

  She shook her head with a little grimace. “I hope I’m not coming across like too much of a poor little rich girl. My life has been blessed and I’ve always known that. I’ve always had my dad and he made sure I always had everything I ever wanted.” She wrinkled her nose up in wry amusement. “He just couldn’t help me make friends.” She grinned at the thought of her father who she missed more than she wanted to admit. “You know, I think if given half a chance he’d still try to buy me a friend, if he could, even now that I’m an adult.”

  Colton let out an exhale but it sounded more like he’d been sucker punched than an actual laugh.

  “Colton? Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” He pushed his chair back a bit. “Yeah, I just…”

  “Hey, big bro.” Gina’s shout interrupted their conversation. “Can you take a look at this AC unit back here? It’s acting up again. I don’t know what you did last time but…”

  Gina kept talking, shouting across the coffee shop, but Addison’s attention was locked on Colton. More specifically, on the weird look that crossed his face as he scrambled to his feet.

  Was that…relief?

  “I’ll be right back,” he said.

  She found herself blinking as she watched him walk away from her.

  No…more like run away.

  Her breathing grew shallow but she tried not to panic. Of course she’d shocked him with her announcement. Unless he’d been living under a rock he’d know of her father. It wasn’t every day someone met a billionaire’s daughter.

  She clasped the edge of the table as she watched him hurry out of sight, following Gina into the back room.

  Well, that had gone well.

  Everything in her wanted to run. She took a deep breath. That was fear talking and she’d already decided she was done with that. Fear had no place here anymore.

  She focused on the smell of roasting coffee, the feel of the chilled, air-conditioned air, the sound of the pop music playing softly in the background. Basically, she tried to do whatever she could to drown out the nagging voice of doubt.

  You ruined everything.

  Yup. There it was. Loud and clear.

  He’ll never look at you the same.

  Shut it, voice. If knowing her father’s identity was enough to change his feelings for her then clearly his feelings weren’t all that deep to begin with. The thought made her heart squeeze—she didn’t have much experience with relationships, but she’d like to think that she knew herself. She trusted her gut—and her heart—and they were both telling her that this thing between them was real.

  New, obviously.

  Fragile, definitely.

  But then again, weren’t all new relationships?

  She took a deep steadying breath as hope returned and the anxious voice retreated. They’d take it slow. There was no rush. Besides, she’d trusted him with her secret and that was huge. Definitely a good first step toward a real, honest relationship.

  The sound of Colton’s phone vibrating on the table brought her out of her reverie and into the present. It wasn’t like she was trying to look at the number. But it was lit up and sitting there and the numbers were clear as day.

  A California area code.

  Huh. That was odd.

  She leaned over to see it clearer, the rest of the numbers so familiar she thought she must be seeing things. Her mind stalled. What the…?

  She gave her head a little shake and looked again, but the numbers were still the same. It was her father’s number.

  Why…who…what…? So many questions raced through her mind; she couldn’t finish formulating one before the next began.

  Why would her father be calling Colton?

  Finally, the thought formed, and with it an icy knot in her gut. Before her brain could com
e up with an answer, her body responded as if it already knew.

  The connection couldn’t be a coincidence. There was no such thing as coincidence, not when it came to her father.

  Her stomach heaved, her heart thudded painfully, and her lungs…her lungs forgot how to work.

  Why? Why would her father do this to her?

  Why would Colton do this to her?

  Money. With her father, the answer always came back to money, or the things that money could buy. Influence, power, connections…

  She continued to stare at the phone long after the ringing stopped, well after the notification popped up that Colton had missed a call from her father’s number.

  She kept staring until the puzzle pieces shifted into place.

  Money. Of course it was about money. A memory sifted to the surface—Gina’s comment about how Colton was starting up a security business. A business he’d failed to mention to her when she’d point-blank asked him about that very topic.

  Why would he evade that topic unless…unless…

  Her chest squeezed so tight, her lungs couldn’t expand. She couldn’t draw in air, and she felt for all the world like someone had landed a sucker punch in her gut.

  Of course. It all made sense now. He needed money for his new business, he was a security expert…it fit so nicely it was hard to believe she hadn’t guessed it straight away.

  Her father wasn’t a complicated man—he wasn’t difficult to figure out. He wanted to protect her. He always had. Nothing frustrated him more than when he couldn’t ensure her safety—whether it be from illness, from being hurt by her mother, or from her own crippling shyness.

  Over the years he’d gone to great lengths to save her from all of the above. She let out a short exhale that would have been amusement if she wasn’t so stunned…and hurt.

  Had she really thought he would let her come to a strange place without any sort of protection?

  Was that what Colton was?

  Her bodyguard?

  She clapped a hand over her mouth.

  Oh no, she couldn’t throw up. Not here, not now.

  How could her father do this to her?

  How could Colton do this to her?

  The back of her eyes stung with unshed tears. No way. She would not cry.

  Not now, at least.

  Now that her mind was working again, it wouldn’t stop. Her breathing turned shallow as her mind flashed back on the past couple weeks here in Cyrano—from her very first run-in with Colton outside of the post office. A run-in that had been so fortuitous on her very first day. The way he’d seemed to notice her.

  Ha! Imagine that. The first man since her high school ex to look in her direction twice and it happened to be the most handsome man she’d ever seen on her very first day in a new town. Almost like a fairytale.

  Almost like it was too good to be true.

  She should have known right then and there that something was off. Pain twisted her belly as she screwed her eyes shut to keep the tears at bay. So stupid. She’d been so incredibly stupid not to see it from the start.

  Hindsight was twenty-twenty, right?

  Yeah. Right.

  Hindsight was a jerk.

  She focused on her breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

  So her new…what? Boyfriend? Hardly. So her new crush had been paid by her father. So what? No big deal. She’d gotten over infatuations before, she could do it again.

  He’d just been doing a job, right? There was no need to feel such intense betrayal. It wasn’t like he’d made any promises to her.

  It was no wonder he’d run from that kiss.

  That kiss.

  She groaned, her head dropping into her hands at the humiliating memory of that kiss.

  How he must have laughed at her—the pathetic, lonely new girl who’d thrown herself at him just because he’d shown her some kindness.

  Ugh. She bent over the table, leaning on her elbows as if that might assuage the churning pit in her belly—a toxic blend of humiliation, pain, and anger.

  Anger. She took a deep breath. She should focus on anger.

  She lifted her head. Anger was good. Anger made her feel strong.

  She clutched that fury with both hands, forcing herself to remember every flirtatious smile, every teasing remark, every wicked glimmer when he looked at her, every brutally tender gaze when they were alone.

  Her throat constricted at the memories but she swallowed down the tears and focused on the anger. How dare he? Her father might have paid him to watch her—a fact she would absolutely be discussing with her dad—but how dare Colton treat her like that? How dare he make her think…make her feel…make her fall for him?

  She’d actually started to believe that he cared about her, as something more than a friend, more than a volunteer buddy…she’d actually believed he might have been falling for her like she was falling for him.

  Idiot.

  Yes, she was clearly an idiot, but he was worse. He was cruel. She hadn’t been imagining it all, not the flirting and definitely not the way he’d responded to her kiss.

  He’d led her on. He’d let her believe…

  She straightened in her seat, tensing at the sound of Colton and Gina’s voices as they came out of the back room. Her muscles stiffened even further as she heard Colton’s footsteps drawing near.

  Run away!

  Adrenaline flooded her veins and everything in her screamed for her to run. To hide.

  She gripped the edge of the table harder.

  No way. She was done running, and there was no way she would hide. She might have been humiliated, but she’d done nothing wrong.

  He had.

  Her father had. But she’d deal with her dad later, right now…

  “Hey,” Colton said as he slid into the seat across from her. “Where were we?”

  She met his gaze evenly.

  Right now she had an undercover bodyguard to fire.

  15

  Colton jerked back in surprise at the expression on Addison’s face when he returned to his seat.

  Hard. That was the only word he could think of. Gone was the sweet, open look in her eyes that seemed to always be there, unguarded and vulnerable in a way that made him jealous in a weird sort of way. It was her strength. Her openness, her sincerity…they’d seemed like weakness at first, but now he knew better. They were what made her so special. So brave.

  Guilt threatened to choke him again so he shoved it aside. This brave woman deserved courage in return. Being honest was the least he could do. There was a chance he’d lose her by telling her everything, but it was a risk he had to take.

  Kind of funny to think that the big, bad deputy was learning lessons in courage from a girl he’d thought was so meek. Heck, he’d thought she was afraid of her own shadow, but he’d been wrong. She did have her fears, but she was strong enough to overcome them. He watched her battle her insecurities and trust issues every day, and she just kept getting stronger for it.

  He drew in a deep breath and studied her, trying to pinpoint exactly what had shifted since he’d been gone.

  It was her eyes. They were shuttered, and it was…unnerving.

  He passed over the fresh coffee that Gina had given him to give to her. “You need another? It’s on the house.”

  She took it from him without a word, clutching it between her hands as she met his gaze levelly.

  “Where were we?” he said again, wiping his clammy palms on his jeans as he shifted in his seat. He took a deep breath. He knew exactly where they were at this point in the conversation.

  He was about to come clean. About everything.

  Addison’s gaze raked over him and then, as if a switch was flipped, she suddenly came to life, her lips curving up in an unfamiliar smile as she leaned forward slightly. “You were just about to tell me all about your new security company.”

  He froze. “Excuse me?”

  How did she know about that? Had he mentioned it? His mind raced to recall any
conversation they might have had about his new enterprise with Trent.

  Her smile widened but it didn’t reach her eyes. They were still shuttered, the warmth gone as she met his gaze evenly. “Gina mentioned it the other day,” she said before lifting the cup to her lips. Her brows arched slightly as she held his gaze while sipping the hot drink.

  He had the uncomfortable sensation that she was watching him closely…watching his reactions. Guilt was making him paranoid. The sooner he got this confession over with the better.

  “It must take a lot of money to get a business off the ground.” Her voice was too mild as she set the drink down. Her movements were too gentle, almost like she was controlling every muscle in her body.

  “Uh, yeah, it does,” he said.

  “Probably more than you make as a deputy,” she said.

  She knows. He stilled as he watched her watching him. His heart sank into his gut as his certainty grew. She knew that her father had hired him.

  But how?

  She crossed her legs, her eyes growing colder, which he hadn’t thought possible. “Tell me, Colton. How much is my father paying you?”

  “I—Addie, it’s not—”

  “Addison,” she said sharply. With a shrug, she added, “Or Miss Reginald, if you’re old school like that. My father’s head of security insisted on formalities but I personally never liked that—”

  “Addison, please, let me explain.” He didn’t even try to hide the desperation in his voice. She was scaring him—that steely tone, so unlike her normal, gentle voice; the coldness in her eyes; the way she was staring at him like he was a stranger. He couldn’t take it. Panic had him scrambling to explain, trying to remember the rationale that had prompted him to take this assignment in the first place and failing miserably.

  He couldn’t think of her as an assignment, not now. Not anymore. And right at this moment it was impossible to remember how he’d ever seen her that way.

  She arched her brows higher. “I’m waiting.”

  He opened his mouth and shut it, a weird croaking noise the only sound to escape. Any skills he might have had with sweet talking the ladies vanished into thin air. Cool, confident…that was him, right?