Page 104 of Twisted Knight

“Yes, in the bathroom.”

“Men’s or women’s?” Victoria asks.

“Men’s,” I say.

Caroline just gives me a knowing smile. “So you were in the men’s bathroom. Door locked. Arguing.”

“Yes. It was—”

“Arguing with your tongues, no doubt,” Victoria snorts.

When I look at my wineglass and don’t respond, Sloane points a finger at me. “Aha. I knew it.”

“It was—we were—” What do I even say?

“He’s fucking hot,” Caroline says and the other two nod emphatically.

“So…” I say.

“So, you should act on it.” Sloane shrugs. “Well, more than I’m pretty sure you already have.”

“Whatever you say here stays between us, you know,” Victoria says. “Like it always has.”

I look from Sloane to Victoria to Caroline, close my eyes, and sigh. “It just kind of happened.”

Why does it feel so good getting that off my shoulders?

I appreciate the fact that as much as the three of them want to gloat, they bite back their grins.

“Of course it did,” Sloane says, keeping her focus on her wineglass as she twists her lips.

“We were arguing. He grabbed me and kissed me to shut me up. I fought against it. Wholeheartedly.”

“Even better,” Victoria says.

“Make sure you add that ‘wholeheartedly’ in there so we know there was absolutely zero enjoyment on your part,” Sloane says.

“Exactly,” I deadpan.

“Angry kissing leads to hate fucking.” Caroline mock shivers and I hold back on rolling my eyes. Clearly she and Holden should be best buds with their hate-kissing and hate-fucking thoughts. “It’s just a given, and girl, that is the best, especially with a man who looks as dark and dangerous as he does.”

Am I lying to my best friends? Of course. But honesty isn’t something I’m ready for yet. Why? Because I haven’t wrapped my brain around this myself.

The problem? When I’m not thinking about Holden or wanting him again, my stomach is twisted in knots. I’m confused. My head is messed up. I’m starting to feel valued by the one person who is trying to actively ruin my life. And possibly ruin it in more ways than one.

“You do realize the man is taking my company from me.”

Sloane shrugs. “Rowan, darling?”

“He’s the enemy,” I assert … and yet I still want him.

“Exactly,” Caroline says. “Ever heard the phrase ‘sleeping with the enemy’?”

“We are not going to sleep together,” I lie and avert my eyes. If this keeps up, I’m going to need another glass of wine.

“You want the man. He wants you. Why not?” Caroline asks.

“It’s not that easy,” I say.