Page 178 of Tangled In Lies

I tilt her chin back and cover her lips with mine. “I love you more.”

We both have to sort through a lot of baggage that has accumulated over the last few years, probably most of our lives, but now that no one is trying to murder or ruin us, we can focus on writing the rest of our story the way it was always supposed to be written.

Together.

Forever.

Epilogue One

EVANGELINE

THE FOLLOWING YEAR

“Best early birthday present ever.” I throw myself at Holden, who catches me with a grunt.

He pulls back and shakes his head. “I think you already said that about ten times on the drive here.”

Hereis Madison Square Garden,where Olivia Parker performs tonight to a sold-out audience, just like every other concert on her tour. While the backstage passes are technically my present, Mason, Ruby, and I also use tonight to celebrate our bachelor degrees. It took a lot of studying and catching up, but somehow, we all managed with weekly study dates at Phoenix’s—no,our—house.

“And you’ll probably hear it another ten times before the day is over,” I squeal.

Holden sighs and shifts us around. “Dude, get your wife off me, please.”

I sense Phoenix’s presence behind me in the longbackstage tunnel before the breath of his chuckle hits my neck, and he presses a soft kiss to my nape.

Then he steps back. “Nope. Your idea. Your problem.”

I can’t see what’s happening behind my back, but since Phoenix chuckles again, I’m pretty sure Holden flipped him off or something equally theatric.

“Angel.”

Phoenix’s low rasp has the desired effect, and I let go of Holden, who exhales heavily like the drama queen he is.

The door to the men’s restroom behind Holden opens, and Mason exits.

Before I can signal anything to Mason, he takes one look at Holden and says, “Nice photo,” while patting his back.

Not two seconds later, Holden growls, “Princess,” when it clicks why I really attacked him like I did.

It’s entirely his fault though.

Phoenix is leaning against the brick wall, delicious in dark jeans and a fitted light-gray T-shirt. I’ve tried everything, but he refused to wear one of the Olivia Parker shirts I got us. Okay, maybe he bent me over his desk and fucked me so thoroughly that I agreed he didn’t need to wear one.

Anyway, his loss.

Ruby is standing a few feet away from us, sporting the same fan shirt as Mason and I do, and I’ve decided Holden isn’t getting out of it either. Hence, the large photo I just taped to his back.

I lean against Phoenix with my back to his front, releasing a happy sigh when he wraps his arms around my middle.

With my gaze on Holden, I raise both hands to the sideslike a scale. “Picture on your back, or Olivia T-shirt. You promised we’d be concert buddies. This is part of it.” I push my lower lip out, knowing I’m not playing fair, but the time for caring is over.

He growls at me. “Fine. Give me the damn shirt.”

I hurry to grab it from my bag just as a door opens a few feet away, and a tall, skinny guy rushes out, bringing a ton of noise from the backstage rooms with him. He freezes the second he sees all of us and turns bright red. He stares at us like a deer caught in the headlights, his knuckles white on the still-open door.

Loud voices filter out from behind him.

A woman says, “I can’t believe you think this is okay. Someone took photos of me in my underwear and posted them online. Without my permission.”

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