Page 1 of Spiral Lies

Prologue

Seraphina

One Drunken Night…

"This was a great idea." I grin across the table at Ava, who looks like she's ready to vomit. "My future is safe."

"What? Let me see that." Nova snatches the paper from my hands, her eyes narrowing as they scan across it. "You're going to live in a mansion, have one kid, work as a doctor, and marry a guy named Ashton?" She peers at me over the top of the paper. "Who the fuck is Ashton?"

"No clue," I say, beaming at her. "But he isn't my boss, so I don't care." That isn't disappointment, not even an inkling. Nope. At this point, I'd take a swamp troll over Stone Warden. The man is sex on legs. He's also the biggest grouch in existence.

It doesn't matter what I do; in his book, I'm doing it wrong. He spends most days growling at me. The rest of the week, he ignores my existence. When I first started, I thought maybe I'd done something to offend him, but no, that's not it. He just doesn't like me, at least not anywhere except in the fantasies I'll never admit to having.

Honestly, it's his loss. I'm very likable.

If I could strangle him with his whistle, I would. I bet the entire football team would thank me for it. Hell, they'd probably erect a statue in my honor.

"So I'm the only one not getting laid," Ava says, sighing dramatically. "Whoever came up with these games was lame."

"Uh, that was you," Emelia reminds her, glaring at her cootie catcher like she wants to set it on fire. "And I am not getting laid. My vagina isn't going anywhere near Royce Elliot, thank you very much."

"Uh-huh," Nova says, smirking. "We'll see."

I have a feeling we will. She's definitely going to sleep with Royce. And it doesn't matter what Nova decides about Hux. Sooner or later, she'll sleep with him, too. And Ava has lost it if she thinks Dawson isn't in love with her.

But guess what? I won't be sleeping with Stone Warden. Never ever. Ever.

I'm not disappointed. Really, I'm not.

Chapter One

Seraphina

Ten Days Later…

"Seraphina!" Stone shouts through his closed office door. "Get in here."

I stab the save button on my keyboard like it's his eye, sighing heavily. "I need to quit my job."

It's a pervasive fantasy. I march into his office, choke him out with his whistle, and while he's gasping for breath on the floor, I step over his twitching body and peace out. Forever.

Best. Fantasy. Ever.

It's even better than the ones where I march into his office, he bends me over his desk, and then works out all that frustration with his tongue. Let's be honest, though. The statistical odds of me getting murdered by a serial killer are higher than the odds of my boss trying to sleep with me.

They're also probably higher than the odds of me actually quitting. I actually love my job, even if Stone does drive me nuts some days. Everyone here feels like family.

"Now!" he growls.

I swear, even with the door closed between us, I can see the way his jaw pulses with irritation beneath the stubble because I'm not moving fast enough to please him. The man has no chill. I'm not sure he even knows the definition of the word.

I haul myself out of my seat, snatch his schedule off the edge of my desk, smooth down my skirt, and march into his office.

"What the fuck?"

He's naked. Half-naked. Whatever. Where there should be a starched shirt, there's a wall of rippling, golden muscle and wiry hair.

Sweet merciful Jesus.