Page 1 of Ensnared
Chapter 1
I ducked down in my cubicle as Vaughn trolled the floor. My heart raced, knowing he was here for me. Again. Always for me. Ten years of this, and still my palms grew clammy at the thought of another encounter.
"Has anyone seen Josephine?" I heard him ask, his voice carrying that edge of entitlement I'd come to loathe.
I snatched the folder from my desk, my fingers trembling slightly. The irony wasn't lost on me - living on the Ashworth Estate had given me the right to attend Windmere High, but it had also put me squarely in Vaughn's crosshairs.
As I crept along the edge of the office, memories flooded back. The sneers of wealthy classmates, the whispers. And Vaughn, always Vaughn, his attention shifting from boyish taunts to something far more predatory as we'd grown older.
I ducked as I passed the reception desk, praying he wouldn't spot me. The copy room beckoned - a sanctuary of whirring machines and solitude. I slipped inside, letting out a shaky breath as the door clicked shut behind me.
The steady hum of the copier soothed my frayed nerves as I began my task. I was so focused on the monotonous rhythm that I didn't hear the door open. Didn't sense his presence until his hands slid around my waist.
I stiffened, my blood turning to ice. "You look beautiful today," Vaughn purred, his breath hot against my ear.
Every instinct screamed at me to fight, to run. But I knew better. Struggling only excited him more. I swallowed hard, keeping my voice steady. "I have work to do," I said curtly.
He ignored me, brushing my hair aside to plant a kiss on my neck. My skin crawled at his touch. "You can take a few minutes," he murmured. "Let me take you to dinner."
A humorless laugh escaped me. "So I can end up another notch in your bedpost?"
His teeth grazed my earlobe, sending a shudder of revulsion through me. "You're the only woman to deny me."
Something snapped inside me. I dug my nails into his hands, relishing his yelp of pain as he released me. I spun around, shoving him hard in the chest. "For good reason," I spat, my eyes blazing with a decade of pent-up fury.
For a moment, Vaughn looked genuinely shocked. Then his lips curved into a predatory smile, making my blood cold. "Oh, Joey,” he said softly. "You know I love a challenge."
I winced as Vaughn used my nickname. Joey was reserved for family and close friends - a circle he'd never be part of. "Go find someone else," I snapped, trying to inject venom into my voice to mask the tremor of fear.
Vaughn's hand shot out, grasping my chin. His citrusy cologne assaulted my senses, turning my stomach. "There is no one else," he growled, his eyes dark with obsession. "You're the only one who denies me, and I don't like it."
My mind raced back to that night when I was fifteen—young, naive, and desperate to fit in. The Ashworths were away, and Vaughn's party seemed like my chance to finally belong. I swallowed hard, pushing away the memory of his experienced hands, the heat of his lips against mine, and the way his fingers had teased my inexperienced body.
It had been my first kiss. Intoxicating. Terrifying. A moment of weakness I'd spent years regretting.
With a jerk of my head, I wrenched my chin from his grasp. "You should be used to it by now," I hissed, slipping away from him. "Because it won't change."
Vaughn's eyes flashed dangerously. He lunged forward, grabbing my arm and yanking me against his chest. "Why?" he growled, his breath hot on my face. "What makes you so special?"
I met his gaze defiantly, even as my heart hammered in my chest. "I'm not special, Vaughn," I said, my voice low and steady. "But I don't have meaningless sex like you do, trying to prove God knows what."
Memories of Yale flooded back - my scholarship, my brother's protective presence, and Vaughn's notorious reputation that seemed to follow him everywhere. Women threw themselves at him, and rumors of his conquests ran rampant. I'd heard whispers about an economics professor and office hours that made my skin crawl.
"You can't resist me forever, Joey," Vaughn murmured, his lips brushing my ear. "We both know how good it could be."
I planted my hands on his chest and shoved with all my might. "That ship sailed long ago, Vaughn," I spat. "Now get out of my way. Unlike you, I actually have work to do."
As I stormed past him, my shoulder colliding with his, I felt his eyes burning into my back. This game of cat and mouse had gone on far too long. Something had to give - and I was terrified of what that might mean.
I slid into the café chair across from Logan, my shoulders tense. The lobby bustled with lunchtime activity, but I could only focus on my brother's piercing gaze.
"Where the hell were you?" Logan demanded, his voice low but sharp.
I averted my eyes, fidgeting with my napkin. "Nowhere," I mumbled, knowing how unconvincing I sounded.
Logan's eyes narrowed as he pushed my requested turkey wrap across the table. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Did that bastard put his hands on you?"
My stomach churned. Logan knew about Vaughn's obsession, but I'd always downplayed the extent of it. I forced a weak smile. "No, he's all bark and no bite."
