Page 182 of Tangled In Lies

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.”

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