CHAPTER 22
“There’s no way to hold back when your body can’t think about anything else…”
ISABELLE CAMPBELL
Before Colin stepped into his private office, I decided to talk to him for a bit—or tease him, depending on how you looked at it.
“See? That wasn’t so hard.”
“What are you talking about?” He frowned.
“Getting out a little. Breathing fresh air. You know, normal-people stuff.” I nudged him, but he just shook his head in disapproval.
“Ridiculous.” He kept walking, and I followed.
“When was the last time you did something like this? Had fun, I mean…”
“I didn’t have fun, if that’s what you’re asking. I spent the whole time making sure you were safe.”
“You’re such a complicated man, you know that?” I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at him. I wasn’t nervous about the way he talked to me—if anything, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Teasing Colin Adams had become my favorite pastime.
“I’m complicated because I care about you?”
We were in the “forbidden” hallway, right in front of one of the doors. I hadn’t realized I’d crossed into restricted territory until then.
“Sorry for being here.”
“No.”
“No?”
“Why are you doing this to me?” His voice came out tight, almost strained.
“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.”
“Why do you keep provoking me? Why can’t you stay away from me—and why the hell can’t I stay away from you? Answer me!”
His words caught me completely off guard. I had no idea what he wanted me to say. Worse—I didn’t even know the answer myself.
“I don’t know… maybe we just like each other.”
Yeah, I know. Worst possible answer—and childish, too.
“I don’t have feelings for you.”
He grabbed me, one hand sliding into my hair, his gaze never leaving mine.
“Really?”
“Dead serious.”
Then his other hand traced over my skin near my stomach, slowly moving upward…
“What you’re doing right now seems a little contradictory, don’t you think?”
He stared at me, exhaling deeply.
“You’re right. Better stop. Good work today.”
And just like that, he walked away—leaving me talking to myself.
Colin Adams, you son of a…
My work hadn’t gone particularly well after what Colin did to me.
I couldn’t stop replaying that scene in my head—and wondering how the hell I’d let something like that happen inside his mansion. The shame hit me only now.
I was sitting in the kitchen, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought about what awaited me.
“You seem deep in thought.”
I jumped in my chair when I realized Colin was standing there, watching me.
“Just… stuff.”
“I see.”
It was hard to look him in the eye. I wanted to start a conversation, but hesitation got the best of me.
“How was your workday?”
“Good,” he said. “Made good progress on the design for James’s mansion.”
“I see. So… what exactly do you do every two weeks when you leave this place?” It was a random question—and a risky one. But honestly, I didn’t care. Every time he came back from those absences, he seemed like a different man.
“What kind of answer do you want? The normal one or the patient one?”
“The patient one.”
“I deal with a few things from my past.”
“And what would the normal version sound like?”
“Something along the lines of: it’s none of your business what I do or don’t do; you work for me, not the other way around; I don’t owe you any explanations.” He said it calmly, without anger.
“I don’t even need to say which one I prefer.”
“Then don’t push your luck. You’ve been here long enough to know I don’t have much patience to begin with.”
I shook my head and stepped back, but not before saying, “You’ll get better—and I’ll make sure of it.”
“Good luck with that. You’re gonna need it.”
“Can I ask you something, Isabelle?”
“Of course.”
“What happened to your house?” Joshua and I were on our way to his school.
“It was destroyed when we got there,” I said, trying not to think about it—though that was nearly impossible, since the image of my ruined home kept flashing through my mind.
“My dad said you’re gonna stay at our place for a while.”
I still didn’t know how that news affected Joshua, considering how often Colin talked about his tendency to isolate himself.
Honestly, they both did it—and with each other, which made things worse.
Even so, I could tell they were starting to connect again, and I hoped to help them along as the days went by.
“Yeah. Just until I can get everything sorted out.”
That was the real problem—I had no idea when that would be. The cost of repairing the house would be enormous, and I knew I couldn’t afford it. Not now.
We had just reached the school gates. After we said goodbye, I heard Joshua call out to me, saying something that caught me completely off guard:
“I don’t mind if you stay at my house. Bye, Isabelle.”
I didn’t realize it then, but that moment was a big step forward—not just in my life, but in Colin’s too.
Colin was calling me. Nothing unusual about that—except for where he was calling me from: his bedroom.
I’d never dared to set foot in there before. The fear of getting fired was stronger than my curiosity. But now… I felt a little calmer. Still, even though he’d asked me to come, I couldn’t shake the nervousness creeping in. It was his room, after all.
“Come in! I’m right next door.”
In a matter of minutes, I stepped into a room that could only be accessed through his bedroom—a space I quickly realized was where Colin brought his projects to life.
It was fairly large, with several items spread across one of the tables: an A3 folder, a few rolled-up blueprints, a hard case, a portable drafting board, and other tools of his trade.
“Do you need something?” I asked, my voice cautious when I saw he was working.
And my mind—of course—went straight to something else. Or maybe… that was what he wanted?
Stop fantasizing about the man, Isabelle.
“Yes.”
“What do you need?”
“To pay off a promise.”
“What?”
At first, I didn’t quite understand what he meant.
Colin stood up and came closer. For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me—and, deep down, I wanted him to. There was something about Colin that made me addicted to him. Dangerous as it was, I couldn’t control it.
“James Sullivan,” he said. “Remember that thing he said about learning from a certain architect?”
I smiled.
“That won’t work. I don’t have a degree or anything.”
Colin stopped just inches from me, and my mouth went dry. The way he looked at me—steady, focused—made me lose all sense of composure. Acting normal around him was almost impossible.
“I know.”
“Then what’s the point?”
“You know what your problem is, Isabelle?”
“Oh, I’ve got plenty,” I muttered. “Don’t even ask me to list them.”
“I won’t. I’m giving you the chance to find out if this is really what you want for your life.”
This, meaning architecture… or him? My brain, of course, went straight to the second option.
“I like it.”
“The idea?”
“Not that. Well… what you’re becoming. As a man.”
Colin narrowed his eyes but didn’t say a word. For a moment, I couldn’t quite read what was behind that expression. I wasn’t about to test his patience, though—he’d been surprisingly good to me and my family, despite everything.
“Tell me more…” He stepped closer, and I instinctively backed up.
“It’s just that… I like how you’ve been treating people. Your son, especially,” I blurted out, stumbling over my words.
“I see.”
He took another step, and when I backed away again, my shoulders hit the wall.
“So… what’s the first lesson?”
God, I’m such an idiot.
“Am I really that scary, Isabelle?”
“Not at all,” I said quickly.
“Do I kiss that badly that you shrink every time I get close?”
Quite the opposite.
“Why so many questions?” I whispered.
“I’m testing you. That’s all.”
“And… did I pass the test of the great Colin Adams?”
He smiled faintly.
“Yes. The moment you walked into this room.”