Page 45 of Ensnared
I nodded, feeling tears threatening to spill over. With a deep breath, I forced them back. I refused to cry in front of Vaughn, not when our relationship was already so complicated.
His grip on my arms tightened slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You don't have to go through with this, you know. It's not too late to change your mind."
I met his gaze, seeing the mixture of concern and something else – something I didn't want to name – in his eyes. Our encounters always seemed to end this way, with Vaughn pleading for me to reconsider marrying his father.
"I can't," I whispered, gently extricating myself from his grasp. "You know I can't."
As I continued down the hallway towards the library, I could feel Vaughn's eyes on my back. The weight of expectations, secrets, and unspoken words hung heavy in the air, reminding me once again of the precarious situation I found myself in.
Reaching the library door, I paused, my hand on the handle. In this moment of solitude, I allowed myself a single, shaky breath. The game I was playing was dangerous, and I was beginning to wonder if I was in over my head. But there was no turning back now. I had made my choice, and I would see it through – no matter the cost.
I curled up on the couch, my mind reeling from the chaos of the past twenty-four hours. The fight with Simone, Colson's aggression, and the wedding drama swirled in my thoughts, making my stomach churn with anxiety. I knew there would be consequences for my actions, both from this morning and just now.
There was no real hiding place in the mansion. Colson would check the video feeds and find me easily. At this point, I almost didn't care. Let him do what he wanted. I was just a façade, after all. It made no sense why he insisted on marrying me when heclearly didn't need a wife. He had the world at his fingertips already.
I drifted into an uneasy sleep, my dreams filled with memories of life before Colson chose me as his bride. Our last Christmas together was so happy. Logan had given me a set of leather-bound classics I'd admired in the bookstore – an extravagant gift I'd considered too expensive to buy for myself.
I was jolted awake by the gentle brush of knuckles against my cheek. In the dim light, I saw Colson's face, but his expression wasn't the furious one I'd expected. Instead, his smile was soft, barely perceptible.
"I realize I've been harsh with you," he said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.
Wary of his sudden shift in demeanor, I replied cautiously, "What do you mean?"
"I haven't given you the consideration you deserve," he continued, "but you haven't given me what I deserve either."
Confusion and fear mingled in my chest. "I don't understand."
Colson's grip on my chin tightened ever so slightly. "Do you think you're fulfilling your obligations to me as a fiancée?"
I frowned, indignation rising within me. "What haven't I done? I've done everything you've asked – the training, the evening visits, being the perfect employee."
His forehead creased, eyes darkening. "You've denied me. Remember, I can take everything away."
The threat hung heavy in the air. I knew he wasn't just talking about me – he could ruin my entire family. Logan's career, my mother's dreams, my father's business – all gone in an instant.
"I've given you everything you've asked for," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly.
Colson's voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "Not everything. I've been so patient."
As his meaning sank in, a chill ran down my spine. The gentle caress of his knuckles against my cheek now felt like a threat. I realized with growing dread that the game had changed, and the stakes were higher than ever. In that moment, trapped between Colson's expectations and my own desires, I wondered just how much more I would have to sacrifice to keep my family safe.
My heart pounded in my chest as Colson's words echoed in my ears, the weight of his threat sinking in with every passing second. This wasn’t just about the wedding anymore—it was about manipulation, about power, and he was making it clear that I was nothing more than a pawn in his game.
The realization hit me like a freight train. I had been so focused on the wedding, on the dresses and the details, that I hadn’t seen the darkness lurking beneath the surface. Colson was demanding the one thing I had wanted to keep for myself, the one piece of me that I had hoped to protect until I became an Ashworth in name. But now, that hope was slipping away, replaced by a sickening dread.
“Please, Colson,” I begged, my voice trembling. I didn’t care about pride or dignity at that moment. All I wanted was for him to stop, to show some semblance of the man I had once thought he could be.
But when he looked at me, it was as if he wasn’t even there. His eyes were dark, empty, and the seductive way he licked his lips sent a shiver down my spine. This wasn’t a man who cared about love or tenderness—this was a man who was consumed by his own desires, by the need to conquer.
“You will come to me tonight, and I will have my way with you,” he stated, his voice cold and final.
I felt a surge of panic, my body reacting instinctively as I shoved myself up with my feet until my back was pressed against the arm of the couch. I wanted to put as much distance between us as possible, but there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide from the man who held all the power.
“No,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. It was all I could manage, but it felt like a feeble protest in the face of the storm that was Colson.
He rose from his seat, his movements slow and deliberate as he rubbed his crotch, the evidence of his arousal clear. He was enjoying this—my fear, my helplessness. It was twisted, perverse, and it made me sick to my stomach.
“You will, Josephine,” he said, his tone darkening as he loomed over me. “Or you will suffer the worst consequences of your life. You will freely give yourself to me without struggle.”
