Tangled In Lies (Tangled & Torn #1)

Tangled in Lies - Epilogue Two

**HOLDEN**

Day 1: I killed someone for you, and I have no regrets.

(subject to change)

THE YEAR AFTER THE FIRST EPILOGUE

"Threaten my wife one more time, I dare you."

There's an edge to Phoenix’s voice I know all too well. He’s about to lose his cool. And while I’m not opposed to a little brawl with him, I know today is not the day for it.

I slowly turn around and point a finger at him. "Maybe you should teach your wife some manners then."

He glares at me before peeking at the perpetrator. "Angel, I told you to leave him alone."

Evie throws her hands in the air and sighs. "Oh, come on. I just asked a simple question. That’s it. It's not my fault he's getting his panties in a twist."

I poke Phoenix in the chest. "See, I told you. I didn’t know it was possible to turn into bridezilla when you're renewing your vows, but she's been a little shit all day."

Evie walks around me and wraps her arms around my bicep. "I'm sorry, Hold. I'll stop now."

She blinks her eyelashes at me, but there's no hiding the mischief in her irises.

Good thing this little shit is my best friend. Well, one of them. Phoenix and Evie come as a package deal after all.

Still, I lean closer and narrow my eyes at her. "I’ll believe it when I see it, Princess."

"Evie? Are you in here?" A female voice comes from the hallway, and a moment later, a woman enters the room.

But not just any woman. Olivia Parker. World famous singer. Evie’s friend. My hurricane.

She stops when she sees us, and Evie and I jump apart as if we just got caught doing something naughty. We didn’t, of course, but not everyone would see this moment for what it is: Our version of a friendly tug-of-war of wills.

“Olivia, hey.” Evie’s voice goes up an octave as she approaches the singer, but not until she sends me a meaningful glance over her shoulder.

She just can’t help herself. Like I said, little shit.

Olivia manages to brush a strand of her blond hair out of her face while also staring daggers at me. Her expression softens as she focuses on her friend. “Listen, I’m so sorry about this, but could I borrow one of your cars? Luke just called from the hospital. He got into an accident on the way to pick me up.”

Luke. Her personal bodyguard and driver. Who should have been here tonight with Olivia, but she told him she didn’t need him.

My phone burns a hole in my pocket, and I’m itching to check my messages. There better be a message about this situation waiting for me. If not, someone will be in trouble.

Evie’s eyes widen. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. That’s awful. Is he okay?”

Olivia swallows. “He said he broke his leg in several spots, but other than that, he seemed fine.”

Phoenix steps around me to walk to the two women. “Take whatever?—”

“I’ll drive you.” The words are out of my mouth before my brain has time to fully process them.

But after Luke told me about some weird fan behavior, and Evie let it slip someone has been sending inappropriate gifts to Olivia’s place, there’s no way she’s leaving on her own. And since Luke’s out of the picture, I’m the lucky winner.

It’s not that I don’t want to help Olivia, but I know she avoids me as much as possible. If it were up to her, she’d probably knee me in the balls whenever she sees me, like last year when I arranged backstage passes for her New York concert for Evie’s birthday. Just because the two of them have been close ever since doesn’t mean she likes having me around any more than before.

Much to Evie’s detriment.

But I guess that’s on me and my big mouth. If I hadn’t let it slip to Evie that I knew Olivia, she wouldn’t have been able to talk me into going with her to the concert. Now I have Evie on my ass, and the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife whenever Olivia and I are in the same room. I get that Evie wants to fix things between Olivia and me. It’s awkward for her when her friends don’t get along. But she doesn’t know our past, and for good reason. That Pandora’s box must stay closed, unless I feel like spilling my dark secrets alongside the rest.

Olivia eyes me with the same suspicious gleam I’ve gotten used to, but it’s easy to tell she’s affected by what happened to Luke. Although their relationship is purely business—or at least, it should be—he’s still a big part of her life. Probably one of the people she’s around the most.

I take a step forward. “I don’t think you should get behind the wheel right now. You’re shaking like a leaf.”

She glares at me until her eyes glisten and she averts her gaze.

“I’m not trying to be an asshole. But I don’t think you want to end up at the hospital too.” And the words just keep coming out of my mouth.

Phoenix closes his eyes and shakes his head.

Evie looks back and forth between us and chuckles nervously. “Listen. I’d drive you in a heartbeat, but I already had a few drinks, and so did Phoenix. I can try to get you a cab, but it’s Saturday night, and getting one out here will take a while. I’m sure Holden will be on his best behavior.”

She glances at me like a mother scolding her young.

Olivia blows out a breath but nods. “Okay, fine. Thank you.”

Evie puts an arm around her. “Let’s get your things, and we’ll meet the guys in the garage.”

The two women disappear, and Phoenix lets out a loud breath.

I immediately throw my arms up in defeat. “What did I do now?”

His lips form a thin line. “Sometimes I feel it would be smarter if you didn’t talk around her. I know things are rocky between you, but you aren’t making it any better.”

I brush a few strands of hair that have come loose out of my face, pushing them behind my ear in frustration. “I swear, I’m not trying to be a jerk. I thought I’d never see her again, and now I have to be around her constantly. It screws with my head.”

“I know it does. I’ll talk to Eve about it again.” He jerks his chin in the direction of the door. “Let’s go before I get in trouble tonight too. That’s the last thing I need on my wedding night.”

“It’s not your?—”

Phoenix shoots me a glare, and I hold up my hands again and leave the room.

I know they deserve this night, this celebration of their union after everything that happened at their first wedding. And I wish them nothing but the best. But I wasn’t kidding. Having Olivia around seriously fucks with my head. How am I supposed to avoid her when she and Evie hang out every chance they get? It’s pretty much impossible.

Phoenix catches up with me and swings his arm over my shoulders. “I can find someone else to drive her if it’s too much for you.”

“I can handle it.”

“Spoken like the true grump you turn into whenever she’s around.”

A grumbling sound reverberates through my chest. “It’s?—”

“Complicated. I know, I know.”

Phoenix claps me on the shoulder. It's harder than necessary, but I don’t blame him. At first, I thought it would get better with time, but it seems it’s only made things worse.

We pass the door to the large sunroom, where the hardcore partygoers remain. If it weren’t for Evie losing one of her earrings, I’d still be in there too.

Instead, I’m about to get into a car with the ghost of my past.

Evie and Olivia get there just as we do, and I open the garage door for them to walk through.

Evie heads toward the blacked-out armored SUV toward the end, and a burst of appreciation for my friend spreads through my chest.

No, we don’t see eye to eye when it comes to Olivia, but keeping her friend safe is still her priority number one, while she tries to do what she thinks is best for me. It’s not her fault she doesn’t know the whole story.

Evie helps Olivia into the passenger seat, and the two talk quietly before Evie hugs her friend once more and shuts the door. Irritation courses through me at the need to know what they were talking about.

I stand with Phoenix as Evie walks over to us.

She stares at me as if she’s trying to get a look inside my brain. She’s always trying to figure me out, always trying to help. That’s the only reason I’m usually able to keep my cool about her meddling. I know she means well.

“Please make sure she’s okay. I think this hit her a lot harder than she lets on.”

I nod. “I will, Princess. Promise.”

“Okay.” She leans against Phoenix’s side, who immediately wraps an arm around her. “Keep me updated?”

“You know it.” I spin my keys around my finger. “But don’t worry about her. She’ll be safe with me. You two should kick everyone out and call it a night though.”

Phoenix sighs. I know he’s had enough of the party. Neither of us has been keen on large crowds since our time in prison. And while Evie doesn’t understand that part of our lives, she isn’t a big party person either. None of us are anymore. Hell, Evie’s best friends, Mason and Ruby, already left several hours ago. At this point, I’m not even sure who’s still here.

Evie looks up at Phoenix. “I think Hold might be right. I’m good with calling it a night if you are.”

I clap Phoenix on the back and mouth, “You’re welcome,” before pressing a kiss to Evie’s temple. “Happy wedding re-do day, lovebirds. Enjoy your night without me.”

They both groan as I saunter off. I feel Olivia’s gaze on me as I walk around the front of the SUV and get into the driver’s seat.

We’re both silent as we wait for the garage door to open. I reverse out of it and head toward the edge of the property, where my security guards open the gate for me with a nod and a “Have a good night, boss.”

At a stop sign, I turn to Olivia. “To the hospital or your place?”

“My place.” She waits for a moment before she says, “Do you want me to enter the address into the GPS or give you dire?—”

“I know where you live, Hurricane.”

I want to say I know everything there is to know about you, but I don’t. She already hates me enough as it is. If she knew I’ve had eyes on her since I left, she might throw herself out of the car mid-drive. And I don’t need to deal with that mess tonight.

It’s been almost five years since I disappeared from her life without an explanation, and I’m sure if she knew where I spent most of that time, and why I left in the first place, she never would have agreed to be alone with me.

So I leave her be, and we spend the rest of the drive in silence.

When we arrive at her apartment building in the city, she hands me her key card to gain access to the garage. She uses it again when we step into the elevator, where she pushes the button to the top floor.

My gaze flicks to the corners where I know the cameras are, and my brain details every aspect of the building and its security measures, as if I haven’t done it a million times before via the security footage.

At her apartment, Olivia uses the card once more.

I expect this to be the moment when she’ll slam the door in my face.

But instead of walking inside and doing just that, she stands here like she’s waiting for something.

Just when I’m about to ask what’s going on, she whispers, “Something’s wrong.”

Thank you so very much for reading Phoenix and Eve’s story!