Page 22 of Ensnared
Colson’s hand clamped down on mine, his grip firm as he tucked my arm against his side, leading me into the building. The lobby was vast and impressive, a testament to the power and wealth of the Ashworth family. But as we walked through the marble halls, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease settling in the pit of my stomach.
I was stepping into a world where I didn’t belong, a world where every move I made would be scrutinized, every word I spoke dissected. And with Colson by my side, I couldn’t afford to make a single mistake.
Colson didn’t waste any time once we were inside his office. The door clicked shut, and the Ashworth mask fell away. Before I could react, he curled his arm around my waist, pulling me against him, and kissed me hard. His lips were insistent, smearing my lip gloss and leaving me breathless when he finally pulled back.
Instinctively, I reached up to wipe the gloss from his lips, but he caught my hand, sucking my finger into his mouth. My breath hitched as his tongue slid around the pad of my finger, sending a jolt of heat through my body.
My nipples hardened beneath my blouse, and I fought the urge to close my eyes, to lose myself in the sensation. But I couldn’t let myself forget who he was. Colson wasn’t nice, kind, or even decent, but there was something about him that was hard to resist.
With a soft pop, he released my finger, his eyes dark with intent. “I can’t wait to have you in my bed, Josephine,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerously seductive.
A wave of anxiety crashed over me. I knew this was inevitable, that we would eventually end up in bed together, but the thought of being so vulnerable to him, of the power he would hold over me once I was beneath him, terrified me. I bit my lip, trying to steady myself, but he reached out and gently dislodged it with his thumb.
“You’re nervous,” he observed, backing away slightly, giving me space to breathe. The scent of his expensive cologne lingered in the air, dizzying. “But you shouldn’t be.” He gestured toward a chair in front of his desk. “Please, sit, my bride. We need to discuss your schedule.”
“My schedule?” I echoed, confused as I sat down.
“Yes,” he confirmed, his tone matter-of-fact. “You’ll work half a day here at the office, and then you’ll be transported back to the mansion where you’ll focus on your studies.”
I swallowed hard, trying to process the information. “Oh.”
“Don’t be intimidated,” he said, leaning back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips. “If you have questions, I’ll help you when I come home.”
I nodded, still trying to wrap my head around the idea of this dual life I was about to lead. Colson’s eyes softened slightly as he continued, “I see you have a good relationship with Easton.”
“Since we were children,” I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips as I thought of Easton. “He taught me backgammon.”
Colson’s expression shifted, a hint of something wicked flickering in his eyes. “I seem to remember you two swimming in the pool late at night during your teenage years.”
My grip tightened on the arms of the chair, and I quirked an eyebrow, surprised. “You knew?”
“I did,” he admitted, his voice calm. “I allowed it because on the nights you spent with Easton, he had no nightmares.”
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. “He has nightmares? He never told me.”
Colson’s gaze softened, and he nodded. “He has, ever since Poppy’s accident. He was with her when it happened, asleep in the back seat. It’s probably why he survived.”
My eyes welled with tears, the weight of his words sinking in. I had no idea Easton was in the car with his mother when shedied. I was only eleven at the time, and all I knew was that Poppy had passed away. The details had been kept from me.
Colson continued, his voice steady, “The car she was driving had recently had a brake job at the dealership. She ran errands with Easton for a few hours after that.” He paused, a bittersweet smile on his lips. “She liked to take him with her. The entire time, the brake fluid was leaking, and by the time she set out for home… you know the rest.”
“I’m so sorry, Colson,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
He didn’t respond right away, lost in his thoughts. The silence stretched between us, heavy and unspoken, as I waited, unsure if I should say anything more or let him find his way back to the present.
"Anyway, you have your schedule."
Colson’s voice was clipped, the Ashworth mask firmly back in place. But I wasn’t fooled anymore. Since he proposed, I had glimpsed the man behind the façade, and I knew there was more beneath that cold exterior. I rose from my chair, my mind still buzzing with everything we’d just discussed, and headed for the door, deciding to take the elevator to the forty-third floor instead of the stairs.
When I arrived at my usual floor, a strange sense of unease washed over me. My cubicle was empty. The desk that had been my little corner of the world for the past year was bare, as if I’d never even been there. I opened the drawers, only to find them completely barren. Confusion settled in. Colson had said I would be working half a day, so where was I supposed to sit?
I needed answers. Without wasting another moment, I headed back upstairs, my thoughts racing. As soon as the elevator doorsslid open on the forty-fifth floor, Vaughn was there, leaning casually against the wall, his expression dark.
“Congratulations,” he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You made it to the forty-fifth floor without hard work.”
“What are you talking about?” I hissed, my patience wearing thin.
He smirked and gestured toward an office door down the hall, right next to his. My eyes followed his motion, and I froze when I saw the nameplate: Josephine Shaw, Private Equity Associate.
