Page 67 of Entwined (Monarch)

“Why?”

“I’m royally fucked, Mos.” I leaned into my hand and pulled at my hair.

“Okay, calm down. What’d you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

She laughed. “Of course, you didn’t.” She was probably rolling her eyes at me like she always did. “Is this about work? Or a chick?”

I dragged my hands over my face. “What do you think?”

She laughed again. “Knowing you, a chick.”

“Not a chick. A woman.”

“Ooh, okay. I’m gonna need my coffee. Keep talking.”

“So, it’s Moretti. Siena Moretti.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I told you about her the other day.”

“Mm-hmm.” I heard her keys clacking on her keyboard. Fucking multitasking like usual.

“Something happened.”

“What the hell, Michael? I told you not to go there!” She was right. She had warned me to stay away. She had advised me not to get mixed up with her. The winery situation was super sticky, and my father’s obsession with getting it had not subsided.

I got up and paced back and forth in the small space. “I know, I know. I couldn’t help it. There’s just something about her.”

“She has a pussy and a pulse.” I heard Mosby’s throaty laugh come through.

“Stop it. Jesus. You sound like Jax.” I was going to run this carpet through to the floor if I didn’t sit down. I turned my work chair around and sat.

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re not wrong,” I admitted guiltily. “She does have a pussy. And a pulse. But it’s not as crass as that. It’s more than that.”

“Isn’t it always? You’re sick and twisted, a glutton for punishment.”

“Don’t be like that. I need you.”

She sighed through the line.

“Help me, Mos. I need your brain. Mine has gone to shit since meeting her.”

“Ugh.”

“Come on. Be a pal. I always have your back when you need it.”

“Fine. All right. What happened?” I heard her chair squeak through the line, and I could imagine her leaning back now with her feet propped up on the desk.

I started at the beginning, taking her back through how I had met Siena. How her gorgeous, earthy eyes had struck me down. How I’d been surprised she was the granddaughter of the winery owner next to our new property. And how we’d spoken, sparred, and flirted every single time we’d seen one another since. And finally, to the kiss. The kiss that had my head turned around ass-backward.

“Okay, so let me get this straight. You keep figuring out ways to get ahold of her. Not, vice versa.”

“Yeah. I know. I’m a pussy, aren’t I?”

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