Page 39 of Ensnared
I nodded, unable to find my voice. Our eyes met in the mirror, and I found myself captivated by the intensity of his gaze.
"I think... this is the one," I whispered, the words barely audible.
Colson's hands slid around my waist, fingers lacing just below my belly button. The dominating gesture sent a thrill through me that I couldn't quite explain.
"You'll look beautiful on our wedding day," he said, his voice low and intimate. "But I can't wait for our wedding night."
My breath hitched as he latched onto the junction where my neck met my shoulder, trailing kisses up to my ear. His tongue traced the rim, eliciting a shudder from me.
"I'd like to play tonight," he whispered, his words full of promise and danger.
I felt my body respond, nipples puckering as I remembered our encounter from the previous night. A war raged within me – desire battling with uncertainty and a lingering sense of unease.
As much as I wanted to give in, to lose myself in the pleasure Colson offered, I wasn't sure I could last until our wedding night. It was disconcerting how he was growing on me, despite – or perhaps because of – his quirks and flashes of cruelty.
I met his gaze in the mirror once more, seeing the hunger there. "Colson…" I began, unsure of what I even wanted to say.
His grip tightened slightly, a reminder of who was in control. "Shh," he soothed, though there was an edge to his voice. "We have all the time in the world, my dear. And I intend to savor every moment."
As he pressed another kiss to my neck, I closed my eyes, torn between anticipation and a nagging sense of foreboding. What kind of game were we really playing, and at what cost?
I walked my mother out to her old, battered station wagon, savoring these last few moments together. Colson had been unexpectedly accommodating, allowing her to join us for dinner. I sensed a connection between them other than former employer to employee, I always had. But both my parents spoke little of their past and I never asked.
Neither Vaughn nor Simone had made an appearance, and Colson himself had excused himself halfway through to take abusiness call. It had given me a rare opportunity to be alone with my mother.
As we reached her car, she paused, her hand on the door handle. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked, her eyes searching my face.
I forced a smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Easton has been sweet, and I'm learning to deal with Vaughn and Simone."
She sighed, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. Her touch was so gentle, so familiar, it made my heart ache. "And Colson?" she pressed. "He can be a bit... much at times. And Simone, she’s had it rough since Poppy died. She’s not all bad."
If she only knew how bad she really was. I hardly ever mentioned what was done to me by the Queen Bee when we were in high school. I didn’t want to add any tension to her job.
I hugged her tightly, inhaling her comforting scent. "He's not always the way you see him," I murmured. "In private, he's different."
She pulled back slightly, her gaze locking with mine. "In private?" The concern in her voice was palpable.
"No, Mom," I rushed to clarify. "I haven't slept with him, and I won't until we're married. He knows this."
I would never tell her the other things we’d done in his bedroom and how much pleasure he gave me.
She nodded slightly and her arms tightened around me once more. "I want you to keep your guard up," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I still don't understand why Colson chose you."
"I'm safe," I assured her, though the words felt hollow even to my own ears.
With a final kiss on my cheek, my mother slipped into her car. I stood in the driveway, watching until her taillights disappeared down the long, winding drive. The night seemed to close in around me as I turned back to the house.
As soon as I stepped into the darkened foyer, a sharp slap came out of nowhere, the sound echoing in the quiet space.
"You bitch!" Simone's shrill voice pierced the darkness. "If you think you can take my mother's place, it will never happen!"
My hand flew to my stinging cheek, shock and anger coursing through me. "Your father chose me," I shot back, my voice rising. "I didn't ask for this!"
Simone's arm rose again, but before she could land another blow, a large hand shot out of the shadows, gripping her wrist. Vaughn materialized beside us, his face a mask of barely contained fury.
"Go find something else to do other than assaulting Josephine," he hissed, shoving Simone away.
She stumbled back, her eyes blazing with hatred. "You know it's true," she spat. "She'll use her pussy and tits to charm him and get what she wants. But all she'll ever be is the poor trash who lived in the shack at the end of the property."
