Page 92 of Tangled In Lies

Evangeline lets go of my hand, and I instantly miss the contact.

We’re only a few feet away from the car, and the nurse stops. Evangeline takes that as a green light, gets up, and speed-walks to Holden.

The two of them embrace like long-lost friends, and even though I logically understand there’s nothing between them, and we’ve all just gone through some trauma, I still don’t like seeing her in another man’s arms.

I huff an annoyed breath and shoot daggers in my best friend’s direction.

Holden sees it and rolls his eyes, whispering something to Evangeline. He opens the car door for her, but she hesitates, staring at the car like she’s never seen one before.

I step up behind her, shoving Holden out of the way. Not so subtly either.

Evangeline shoots me a glare over her shoulder but doesn’t comment. Holden brought her one of my shirts and the smallest sweats he could find in my closet. I don’t think that’s what she had in mind when she asked for something comfortable and baggy, but she didn’t complain either. Neither did I, because for some strange reason, I like seeing her in my clothes.

I put my hand on her arm. “You can get in. I promise it’s safe.”

“It’s the best armored vehicle on the market right now. We would never risk your life,” Holden chimes in.

She flinches and nods, staring atthe ground.

Holden and I exchange a look.

Did we say something wrong?

Without another word, she steps up to the car, ducks her head, and slowly slides into the back seat, just like the doctor told her to.

Too bad, I have zero patience for it.

Something I have to deal with somehow.

I get in after her and shut the door while Holden slides into the front.

Our gazes meet in the rearview mirror.

“Is everything ready?” I ask.

He nods. “Yup. Just like we talked about.”

A glance at Evangeline confirms she’s buckled in. “Perfect. Let’s go then.”

Focusing on something other than Evangeline is nearly impossible. Her presence alone is a distraction, but now we also have the recent events hanging over us like a dark cloud. It’s enormous and depressing, and hiding so many secrets it will inevitably hit us with a storm.

Evangeline and I are like that: two lives intermingled across so many paths, our lives could never be entirely disentangled.

Movement draws my attention to her fingers as she taps them rhythmically on her right leg. The motion is soft but fast until it stops.

What I wouldn’t give to hear her play again.

“Hold,” Evangeline sits up straighter in her seat, “did you bring my phone by any chance? Phoenix said you got a new one for me.”

He clears his throat and gazes at me for a second, glancing her way when he’s at a red light. “It’s in your room.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders slump.

“Sorry, Princess. I wanted to bring it but then forgot.”

The light turns green, and he focuses back on the road.

She waves him off. “No worries. Thanks for taking care of it for me, I appreciate it.”

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