Tangled in Vows (Tangled & Torn #2)

43. Holden

Chapter 43

Holden

Day 1578 without you: You’re living the life I wanted for you. I just wish I could be by your side for it.

L yndsay did it. She really did it.

Her parting gift.

Not only did she leak her untrue sob story to the press, but she also unearthed records of my arrest and prison sentence. Archer was ready to take down as much as possible, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Lyndsay executed her plan perfectly, having scheduled the news to hit all major outlets and magazines, and within several hours, the coverage was everywhere. Not even Archer could make something of this magnitude disappear.

All we could do was deal with the aftermath, which we’ve been trying to do for the past few weeks. Together .

Olivia would stay locked away and out of the public eye for the rest of eternity if it were up to me, but of course, I know she would never stand for that. Not that I could truly do that to her. At least not forever.

It didn’t take long for Nisha to inform us that the execs aren’t happy with our news, but they decided to use it to their advantage as much as possible and spin it in a way that suits them—and their pockets—by making me the story’s hero instead of the villain.

In light of Lyndsay Kauffman’s recent allegations, we feel it necessary to address and be transparent about the situation. We want to start by saying Lyndsay lied to Olivia and the entire team and was hired under the name Heather Maxfield, disguising herself and purposely misleading everyone.

We want to emphasize that Miss Kauffman’s statements are entirely false and baseless. Although none of the allegations are true, they deeply harm Olivia and her husband.

Detective O’Neal has confirmed Miss Kauffman’s struggles to differentiate between reality and her distorted perception of it. It led her to incriminate herself with several offenses against Olivia over the past years, which escalated in a tragic accident shortly before her false accusations hit the news.

Miss Kaufmann is currently receiving treatment before facing legal consequences for the crimes she committed, including a murder attempt on Olivia’s husband.

Furthermore, Detective O’Neal also confirmed Mr. Roth attacked Mr. Donahue first, and Mr. Donahue merely defended himself and his wife since Mr. Roth shared plans of taking her against her will.

Olivia is in shock and heartbroken. She asks for privacy and understanding as she processes this unexpected and tragic turn of events.

I should have been relieved. And in a way, I was. But I also couldn’t forget that Olivia was scrutinized now more than ever because of it.

Hence, the caveman attitude.

Archer has been helping change the narrative online, diving into it headfirst. I think he was happy to be of help somehow. As usual, Archer is plagued by guilt because he thinks he should have known about Lyndsay. No matter how often we tell him it wasn’t his fault, it doesn’t make a difference. He’s too hard on himself, but I’m also grateful for his help in ensuring that people understand Olivia is the victim in this story. She never did anything wrong.

Of course, not all feedback has been positive. I know she sometimes sees the despicable comments people leave online, even if I wish she didn’t. Her exhaustion is more prominent on those days, especially on days she does the interviews Nisha arranged for her. And they never seem to end.

I’m tired of watching Olivia’s fake smiles as yet another interviewer asks about her former assistant and expert predictions that Lyndsay will face a life-long prison sentence at the end of her trial.

Yup. Lyndsay survived. Not easily. And not without a ton of damage to her body, but she’s still among us.

My gaze never wavers from Olivia. When the video interview finally ends, she chuckles.

My eyebrows pull together. “What’s so funny?”

Amid this mess, my silver lining is the compromise we fought for: Olivia will only do online interviews for now. It will probably take a while before we’re ready to be around strangers again without twitching or overreacting.

Since I’m on the other side of the couch to stay out of the frame, Olivia closes the distance between us and pokes her finger into my chest. “You are.”

“I’m funny? Why?”

Another laugh leaves her lips, the sound music to my ears.

“You’re sitting there all overprotective and growly.” Her eyes shine with glee. “I could feel you glaring at the interviewer the entire time.”

I huff. I wasn’t aware I was doing that. “Well, I won’t apologize for questioning people’s motives, not after what happened. Not even online.”

She bites her lip. “It’s kinda hot.”

I open my mouth to explain myself further when her words register. “Hot?”

She climbs on my lap and whispers, “Super hot.”

I nudge her nose with mine and talk against her warm lips. “Oh yeah?”

She hums, and I devour her mouth, invading the familiar space with my tongue until we both breathe heavily.

I’ll never get tired of feeling this way, of experiencing this resounding warm sensation deep in my chest every time I look at her. Love and lust will always be center stage where she’s concerned, but I also savor the contentment and peace she brings me. My affection and devotion to this woman are so strong I’m almost impatient for our future—for the rest of our lives together.

Several times a week, I still wake up with a pounding heart, clammy hands, and this overwhelming sense of fear that is trying to crush my rib cage. But then I open my eyes, and Olivia is right there, the sight allowing oxygen to refill my lungs.

She’ll always be there because she truly is mine. Forever.

She presses her lips against mine and sighs heavily.

“You’ve been working too much,” I chastise her, hating that she’s this depleted.

“I already told Nisha to cut back.”

She snuggles closer, burying her face in the warm hollow above my collarbone, as if that space was made for her alone. A perfect fit. Her breath is soft as she settles there, and her hair spills over my chest.

I press my lips to her hair. “I’m glad you took care of it.”

“I did.”

We still don’t always see eye to eye regarding how much she’s been working in the last few weeks. As she said, I’ve been overprotective, but we’ve been finding a balance that works for us. Mostly, at least.

I move my hands slowly over her frame, gently massaging her exhausted limbs. “How does a bath sound?”

She moans, “Like heaven.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

Footsteps come our way as we leave the office—one set of heavy strides followed by quick paw steps.

The duo rounds the corner.

Stormy snorts happily when she sees us and bounds across the space. Thankfully, the rugs keep her from skidding, but I still step in her way to keep her from colliding with Olivia.

“You’re done with the interview.” Archer smiles widely. “This one was the last one for this week, right?”

Olivia crouches. “Yes, thank goodness. I’m ready for a few days off. This one went on forever.”

Archer rubs his hands. “Sounds like the perfect reason for a celebratory treat to me. What’s it going to be, Buttercup?”

Olivia rubs Stormy’s head, taking extra good care of the spot behind the left ear that Stormy loves before focusing back on Archer. “I’m not sure. Surprise me?”

“A challenge? I like it. Game on.” Archer tilts his head, his eyes glazing over until they widen almost comically. He probably just went through all the delicious options in his mind.

He’s always been enthusiastic about baking, but there’s been a lot of it lately, turning our kitchen into a bakery most days of the week. Apparently, he doesn’t just bake when he’s stressed but also guilty.

“I can’t wait.” She grins at him, fully supporting his particular way of therapy.

Dr. Johnson isn’t concerned about it, so neither am I. Phoenix, Evie, and I have been seeing her for a while, and now that Archer and Olivia have joined, I have started calling Dr. Johnson our family therapist.

The five of us definitely keep her busy, that’s for sure. I unpack everything with the doctor a few days a week, keeping my mind a less depressing place. Archer isn’t the only one carrying around guilt over how things went down with Olivia. And I’ve finally decided to talk about my sister with Dr. Johnson too. It’s good to have someone to talk to who’s not only a professional, but also a person who isn’t part of our inner circle.

We all need the extra help as we try to navigate the shitshow our lives have changed into. If it was a pain to go anywhere unnoticed before, it’s downright impossible now. Now, all eyes aren’t just on her but on me as well.

Since the county “fixed” their clerical errors in my court and prison documents after Lyndsay’s news, everyone knows about my time in prison. Surprisingly, many people have spoken up for me, saying my case should have been ruled self-defense instead of second-degree manslaughter. This was very unexpected but appreciated.

Olivia slips her hand into mine, squeezing it gently. I’m pretty sure she can tell I just went to a different place in my head, which means she isn’t the only one needing a distraction now.

Turning to Archer, I ask, “Do you mind keeping Stormy with you?”

Archer shakes his head. “Not at all. Come on, girl. Let’s have some fun.”

And just like that, I’m alone again with Olivia.

I pull her to me and nuzzle the side of her throat, gently nipping her soft skin. “Upstairs, now.”

“Okay, sir . Your wish is my command.”

I hum against her skin until goosebumps appear. “Tell me that again in a few minutes once I have you upstairs and naked.”