“Thanks for watching the baby,” Addy said. She looked tired and a little off balance.
“What happened with you two?”
Something big, because Solene could all but see the confusion stamped on her friend’s face. She loved Addy, but her friend had the tendency to overthinkthings. Noel, the man who rarely smiled or laughed, had rolled his eyes at her friend. He’d been caring, attentive, and from all Addy had said, he never acted that way.
“Addy,” she prodded. “Tell me.”
She wasn’t prepared for her friend to burst into tears.
“Oh sweetie. Are you okay?” She hurried to get Addy seated with her on the couch and hugged her. Then she drew a box oftissues close and handed her one.
Addy blew her nose.
“Did he hurt you? Was he out of line?” Her imagination worked overtime. “Do you want me to call the police?”
“No.No police.” Addy started laughing, a little bit of hysteria, Solene thought. “You would not believe my day.”
“Start at the beginning.”
Addy groaned. “I was crazy to go out with him. We both knowhe’s not the stick-around kind of guy. But I’ve had this, I don’t know, crush on him for years. Our date was awesome. We had dinner, saw a play… It was weird how well we got along. We like a lot of the same things, and he’s fun to debate with.”
Solene kept quiet, hearing the joy in Addy’s words. So she wouldn’t go over to Noel’s house and clobber him—yet.
“Then we went back to thehotel. It was beautiful, romantic. And we played cards.”
Solene frowned. “Cards?”
“Yes. See, the first time we were together—”
“Had sex, you mean.”
Addy huffed. “Had sex, it was so out of control and wild, neither of us were prepared. It hit Noel as hard as it hit me. So this time he rented a suite and I got the bedroom. He said he’d leave it up to me whether or notwe had sex, since I was obviously ga-ga for him.”
“He said that?”
“Not in so many words, but that’s what he meant.” Addy paused. “And I am ga-ga for him, which makes this so much worse. I’m the one who initiated sex. The night wasso muchbetter than anything I could have imagined.” Addy sighed. “He was so amazing, and he made me feel so good. Not just physically either. He was tenderand caring and…” She tapered off into a sniffle. “So this morning I wanted to do something nice for him. I went out to get us some pastries and coffee. Then Deacon texted me.”
Solene stiffened. “Deacon?” That creep! Making moves on Addy right after she’d been with his friend? And after flirting withher?
“He said something about an emergency with the baby. So I met him at this emptyrestaurant and was attacked.” She swallowed. “But not by Deacon.”
“Oh no.” Solene put a hand on Addy’s knee. “What happened?”
“It was all so fast. This stranger put his hands around my throat and threatened to kill me. Then Noel was there. He—” Addy took a deep breath and whispered “—hekilleda man, Solene. And he hurt the other man with him. Then we left.”
“You just left?”This sounded crazy. “I’m calling the police.”
“No.” Addy grabbed her hand. “You can’t.” She drew in a breath and let it out. “Noel isn’t an investment banker. He works for the government. He called someone to clean up after we left. Solene,Icalled the police after it happened, and they said there was nothing there. His people made it disappear. Who does that?”
“Holy shit. So ishe a spy or something?” Solene looked around her, wondering if even now she was being monitored. She had to stop watching all those crime shows. But seriously. Noel? A spy?
“Not a spy. He said he takes care of problems around the world. I think… I think he’s someone who gets rid of the bad guys. Permanently.”
“Like a hitman or something? An assassin?” Noel, a killer? Was she wrongfor being fascinated instead of scared out of her mind? Okay, so a little part of her was freaked out. But…Noel? A man who ironed his freakin’ jeans?
“I didn’t say hitman.”
“No, but we’re both thinking it. Wow. Just…wow.” A thought struck her. “Deacon? Is he one too?”
