Tangled Up Hearts Read Online Free

in a manner of one taking a solemn vow. “Peace will reign or I’ll put us all out of misery and dispose of her.” He grinned when he said it but Alyssa took offense just the same.
    “You see it's going to be a problem for him. He doesn’t even understand the meaning of the word let alone how to act on it.” She shot him a look full of the scorn she couldn’t keep hidden. “A true truce means no pot shots either.”
    “Oh for heaven sake.” Cole stood and threw her an impatient look as he raked a hand through his thick, dark hair. “It was just a joke. I swear you have to be the prickliest person I have ever met.” He cocked a brow at Trisha. “Are you sure this friend of yours didn’t spring from a cactus bush?”
    Alyssa’s eyes narrowed to slits as she too rose to a stand. If only she could summon a laser beam right now, she’d burn him to a crisp and mash his ashes into the ground. “Are you sure you didn’t spring up from the bowels of the earth?”
    Trisha gave a small hiss and pressed her hands to her stomach. Both Cole and Alyssa immediately abandoned their stand-off to look at her.
    “Trish, what is it?”
    “Sis, are you all right?”
    She heaved a defeated sigh. “You two can’t last five minutes without being at each other’s throats.” Shaking her head with resignation, her bottom lip trembling enough for them to notice, she spoke with a mutter of barely veiled disgust. “This is just not going to work.”
    “But it will, Trish,” Alyssa insisted. She turned in earnest to look at Cole. “Won’t it?”
    “Yes it will.” He reached down and gently cupped Trisha’s face. “I’d go through hell for you, sis, you've got to know that.”
    His words sent a spear of hurt into Alyssa's heart. Did he really think it was going to be hell having to be nice to her? Was it really that much of an ordeal for him? Why? What was so God-awful about her that he couldn't stand the thought of leaving her in peace? He was so good with his sister. Very loving and concerned. But with her he was completely impossible. This constant waging of war was getting tiring and she didn't even understand why they engaged in it in the first place. Cole just couldn’t seem to let it go. Whatever "it" was. If only she understood why he hated her so much then maybe she could figure out a way to appease him enough to get him to leave her the hell alone.
    Trisha smiled sweetly at her brother. “That’s great, Cole. Now I want you both to kiss on it and seal the deal.”
    Alyssa’s jaw droppedin disbelief.
    Cole went as rigid as stone. Then his eyes narrowed, ruining the effect. “I don’t think it’s necessary for us to do that.”
    Trisha’s features hardened into stubborn determination. “But I do. If the two of you can come down off your high horses enough to kiss each other into a pact of peace then maybe I can truly believe that this will work.” Her eyes filled with tears. "I really want a nice wedding but I am very serious about eloping if I can’t trust either of you to behave.”
    “An elopement is definitely not going to be necessary.” Alyssa turned to Cole and swallowed her pride. Although it sat like a loathsome lump in her throat, she'd choke on it before she did anything to disappoint her friend. “I can set my feelings aside if you can.”
    Cole’s light blue eyes met hers and Alyssa’s stomach dipped in response, the sensation making her breath stall in her throat. They very rarely met each other’s eyes and when they did it was for just fleeting moments at best. This prolonged contact was disconcerting, throwing her equilibrium out of whack.
    It was a relief when he finally spoke for it put an end to the awkward silence. “I think a month or so of peace would be good for all of us.”
    A twinge of disgust flitted through her but she let it go. No matter how much it galled her that his latest, spiteful stint was to receive no repercussions, it couldn't be helped. Trisha needed them to