Page 9 of Entangled with the Enemy

I swallow hard, shoving my hands into my pockets to keep from reaching for her again. "You're right," I say, my voice low and gravelly with regret. "Your father and I agreed to keep the details of the buyout quiet.”

Imogen scoffs. "Right, because lying to me was the better option?"

"That's not how I saw it then." I run a frustrated hand through my hair, struggling to find the right words. "Hindsight's twenty-twenty, I guess. We were just trying to do what we thought was best."

"Well, it wasn't." Her voice is laced with a bitterness that feels like a slap. You let me build my life on a lie, and now I have to face the truth that I've been living in ignorance."

"You're absolutely right," I murmur, holding her gaze with everything I have. "I made a mistake, and I'm sorry. Keeping you in the dark was wrong, no matter our intentions."

For a long moment, she stares at me, her expression unreadable. Then, almost imperceptibly, her rigid posture softens a fraction.

"I need... I need space to process all of this." Her voice is quiet but firm, and it lands like a lead weight in the pit of my stomach.

I nod slowly, my throat too tight to form words. She holds my gaze for a beat longer before turning and striding toward her waiting car, never once looking back.

I watch as she slips inside, as the sleek town car pulls away and disappears around the corner.

My mistakes weigh heavily on my shoulders as I stand alone on the deserted sidewalk. I've been called an asshole more times than I can count, but it's never felt as apt as it does at this moment. For the first time in a long time, I'm at a loss as to how to proceed.

One thing is certain—an apology alone won't be enough to make this right. I need to show her, through my actions, who I really am. I need to prove, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that my feelings for her are genuine.

Squaring my shoulders, I turn and head back toward the gala, already formulating a plan. I'll give Imogen the space she needs, but I'll be damned if I let this be the end for us.

No matter what it takes, I'll find a way to earn back her trust and show her that what we share is worth fighting for.

Chapter 7

Imogen

"Ijust think you're being too hard on the guy," Lilith's voice crackles through the phone's speaker. "He didn't even know you back then.”

I let out a heavy sigh, sinking deeper into the plush cushions of my couch. "I know, but it still stings that he kept me in the dark for so long."

"Well, you two certainly looked like one hell of a power couple at the gala last night," Lilith remarks with a hint of mischief. "The chemistry was off the charts."

My cheeks flush at the memory of Holden's heated gaze, the way his fingers had trailed along the bare skin of my back. Before I can respond, a sharp knock at the door breaks the silence.

"Hey, Lil, I've gotta go. Someone's at the door."

I set the phone down and cross the living room, my bare feet sinking into the soft carpet. Peering through the peephole, I feel a jolt of surprise mixed with apprehension.

It's Holden.

I take a deep, steadying breath before pulling open the door. He stands there, looking uncharacteristically nervous, his hands shoved into the pockets of his tailored slacks.

"Hi," he says, offering me a tentative smile.

"Hi." I keep my expression neutral as I lean against the doorframe. "What are you doing here?"

He clears his throat, squaring those broad shoulders. "I came to make things right." From behind his back, he produces a thick manila envelope and holds it out to me. "This is a proposal for Bowers Enterprises to partner with Lynch Consultants on a new initiative."

Curiosity piqued, I accept the envelope and flip it open, my eyes scanning the contents. It's a detailed plan to allocate a significant portion of Bowers' profits toward funding small business loans and providing consulting services—my consulting services.

"I want to use my resources to support the very businesses I once threatened," Holden explains, his voice low and earnest. "It's my way of making amends, of righting the wrongs of the past."

I look up at him, stunned into silence. This is... not at all what I expected.

Sensing my hesitation, he takes a step closer, his eyes holding mine with an intensity that steals my breath. "Please, Imogen. Let me show you how serious I am about this—about us."

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