Page 43 of Entrapped
My heart stopped. This wasn’t Colson.
I tensed, a surge of panic coursing through me. Without thinking, I drove my elbow into the ribs of the man behind me. He gasped, the sound of his breath catching as he momentarily loosened his hold. I seized the opportunity, shoving him away with all my strength and darting around the kitchen island, putting distance between us.
Colson entered the kitchen just as I stumbled back, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. His sharp gaze immediately took in the scene—me, disheveled and wide-eyed, and Vaughn clutching his side where I’d struck him.
Colson’s frown deepened, his voice laced with controlled anger as he spoke. “What’s going on here?”
Vaughn rubbed his chin, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Nothing. I was just asking Josephine where you were.”
“Well, I’m here now,” Colson said, his tone cold. “Is there a reason you are?”
Vaughn shrugged, the nonchalance in his demeanor making my skin crawl. “Just wanted to check in. But it seems like I’m interrupting.”
Colson’s eyes flicked between us, suspicion simmering just beneath the surface. “Then I suggest you leave.”
Vaughn lingered a moment longer, his gaze fixed on me, a silent challenge in his eyes. Then, with a slight nod, he turned and sauntered out of the kitchen, leaving an icy tension in his wake.
As his footfalls faded, Colson turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Are you okay?” His voice softened, a stark contrast to the hard edge he’d used with Vaughn.
I nodded, still trying to steady my racing heart. “I’m fine… now.”
But the truth was, I wasn’t. Vaughn had crossed a line… again, and the threat he posed was becoming more real with each passing day. And yet, as I met Colson’s eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him what had just happened. The bond between father and son was complicated, and the last thing I wanted was to ignite a fire that could burn us all.
Chapter 18
I had done everything in my power to avoid Vaughn, but the holiday season was impossible to escape. The thought of spending Christmas with both our families under one roof filled me with dread. It wasn’t just the awkwardness of being near him—it was the unspoken tension that had been building for weeks.
But avoiding Vaughn was becoming more difficult, especially when we had to face each other in meetings. And it all came to a head during one of those dreaded gatherings.
We were in a conference room with a few of the company’s top executives. The meeting was supposed to be about the upcoming merger, but Vaughn seemed intent on pushing my buttons. Every comment he made, every sly look he threw my way, felt like a direct challenge. I could feel my patience wearing thin, and I knew I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
"Josephine, I think you're missing the point," Vaughn said, his tone dripping with condescension. "The strategy we're discussing is to protect our interests, not to indulge your idealistic fantasies."
I shot him a glare. "My idealistic fantasies are about securing the future of this company, something you seem to have forgotten."
Vaughn smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe if you focused more on the company and less on…"
I knew exactly what he was referring to. Jealousy oozed from his every pore especially when I was with his father.
"Enough!" Colson’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. He stood up, his eyes cold and stern. The room fell silent, and I realized just how far we’d let things go.
"This meeting is over," Colson announced, not bothering to hide his displeasure. "Everyone else, you’re dismissed."
The executives quickly gathered their things and left, casting curious glances our way. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, a mix of anger and embarrassment. Vaughn and I remained seated, avoiding each other’s gaze.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Colson turned his attention to us. "What the hell was that?" he demanded, his voice low but furious. "Do you have any idea how unprofessional you both just looked?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up a hand. "Save it. I don't care who started it or why. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. If you have issues, you sort them out privately. Understood?"
Vaughn and I both nodded, the tension between us still palpable. Colson sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "I expect better from both of you. Now get out of my office and figure out how to work together without tearing each other apart."
I stood up, feeling a weight settle in my chest. As I walked out of Colson’s office, I could feel Vaughn’s presence behind me, a constant reminder of the mess we were in. But there was no escaping it now. Christmas was coming, and so was another round of this torturous dance.
I went back to my office, sinking to my chair and feeling weary. In the couple of weeks since I started working with Colson, Vaughn had been picking at me. It was little digs here and there, like I wasn’t capable of being his father’s protégé. I put my head on the desk as Vaughn slipped into my office.
"Joey."
I looked up, and there he was, striding toward my desk with that infuriating confidence. My body tensed, every muscle coiled tight, ready for a confrontation I wasn’t in the mood to have.
