Page 24 of Tangled in Vows

The middle-aged woman has been an absolute godsend for me, and Stormy adores her.

Holden’s eyebrows raise at my question. Is it because he’s surprised that was the first and only concern I brought up? Because I might have surprised myself a bit with it.

Not a second passes before he answers, “We’d get someone to stay with her at the house. Fully vetted.”

It sounds like he’s given this some thought. I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified at his thoughtfulness.

I decide to go with, “I’ll think about it,” because I need to do more of that when he’s not staring at me.

Naturally, he grins as if I just said yes. Ugh. I have to get away from him.

“What about the truce?”

I stare at my hands and shrug. “I’ll try to be nice to you in public. I don’t want to get in trouble with the label this close to the album release.”

“We definitely don’t want that.”

I can hear the smirk in his voice.

Since he doesn’t move to leave, I peek at him. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you not going to say you’ll be nice to me in public too, or is the truce only one-sided?”

This time, his lips tilt up farther, turning the smirk into one of his devastatingly handsome smiles. This man shouldn’t be allowed to smile. Ever.

“No, Hurricane, I’m not going to say that.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Why? You don’t want to play nice with me?”

His smile drops a fraction. “Because I’d rather plunge a knife into my heart than ever hurt you again.”

I suck in a sharp breath. Unable to form words, I watch Holden as he finally gets off the bed.

My traitorous heart screams at me to call him back, to forgive him. To curl up on his lap and finally feel those arms around me again. To feel even a fraction of the comfort and bliss I used to.

But I don’t say anything and watch him walk toward the door, where he taps his knuckles twice against the frame and says, “Be ready in ten.”

He slips out of the room, leaving me alone with the brain explosion he just caused.

Chapter 8

Olivia

Where are you? Will you come back? Are you okay?

“Olivia, meet Jax. Jax, Olivia.” Holden gestures between us.

“Hey, Jax. It’s nice to meet you.”

We’re outside my trailer with the busy New York City streets just feet away. My team has set up camp at the end of a large side alley. Brick buildings line both sides with metal fire escapes for the ultimate downtown vibe. A few dozen people are hustling around me, a constant stream of chatter, setting things up or moving them around.

The mood is buzzing, probably because of the news about my marriage and that Holden is here with me. I swear, he stepped out of the SUV and opened my door, and everyone stopped what they were doing to gawk at us.

I try to zone out all the hushed whispers and stares to focus on the job I’m here for. Today’s photo shoot is urban glam, and I’m excited to put on the stunning red floor-length number thestylist showed me when we got here. It’s an off-the-shoulder dress fitted throughout my hips and flares at the bottom. I’m just not in the mood for peopling today.

It’ll be over before you know it, and you can return to your hidey-hole at home.

---