Tangled Allure: A Forbidden Affair's Journey

Chapter 4

"He left this morning much to my dismay, then when I got here he was in the lift, I got in and tried to talk to him, I told him we couldn't keep on having s*x since he was married and it was definitely wrong to be boning your employee." I rub my wrist remembering what happened next.

"Then he kind of threatened me not to ever do it again." I mumble lowly. "He what?!" I nod and try calm Murdock from his outburst. "Yeah that's what happened." "Cookie what is your life turning into?" I had no idea. "Not a clue Doc."

He sighs knowing I was yet again in deep s**t. "Murdock I feel like if I can talk to him he'll let this all go." He quirks an eyebrow.

"Yes I know it sounds stupid, but he's married, and my boss, I can't exactly have an affair with him, though I like him being possessive, I can't help feel like I'm the second choice, and also that I'm about to ruin a marriage." He chuckles rolling his eyes.

"Babe there is nothing holding you back from being with him as far as I can see, you're already defernding him for his odd behavior and liking how he handled you." The issue remained the same.

I could be with him just not when his wife is around. "Are you telling me that their marriage doesn't count when it comes to my relationship with Kol." He nods with a smile. "Are you high?, have you forgotten you're the one who said I'd be brandeda homewrecker." He sighs.

"Honey you're getting branded a homewrecker, either way, what I want you to do is talk to Kol, and get him to see that he can't have the best of two things, he needs to get rid of one." Murdock was right that's what I had to do.

"I really should ask how he feels about me, about all this." I spoke and Murdock looks at me with a baffled expression and I didn't understand why.

"Are you crazy, asking a man about his feelings is like setting yourself on fire." It was, I knew that but I was going crazy because I didn't know what he wanted. All this sneaking around and s*x, what was it all for.

"But I'm out here looking like an i***t who went to a formal dinner in Swimwear, I need answers Murdock, even if I get hurt whilst getting them."

We both sigh. "You're right, you need answers so best ask whenever you see him next." I nod knowing I hada lot to do on my plate.

"Let me get on that restraining order, and figure out what Kol wants including the planning of the fashion

I wasn't going to get any peace this whole week.

"You can handle it, you're Cookie Marle Lake you can handle anything.'" We both laugh sitting in the storage room. "Thank you for listening to my never ending problems." He chuckles. "That's what best friends are for, so after work, we get back to my apartment and you sleepover." I was on board with it.

"Im so down for that." I reply a little enthusiastic. "Great." Talking to Murdock cleared a lot that was going on in my head, I now had a better understanding of what I had to do with both my situations, I just hope they worked out the way I wanted.

I didn't want to be the headline of a lot of tabloids so I had to keep my head low and focus on my job the one thing I did best.

I walked out of the storage room to my table on the design lab floor. "Uh oh, who got the new boss mad." One of the irrelevants spoke up walking into the design lab. We all waited for him to talk and that's when the private elevator open.

Kol walked in, his face ferocious and angry. The six foot something man walks to me and yanks me from my table. "Kol, uh boss what's wrong?"I ask calmly.

"Follow me." Oh s**t. I plead with my eyes for any of my friends to save me but no luck. So like a lamb I followed.

Cookie pov...

Silently I followed Kol to the private elevator, my nerves and emotions were all a jumbled up mess. "Kol what's wWrong?" He pinched the bridge of his nose but did not say anything.

It made me even more anxious as he led me to his office, when we arrived on the top floor. The anger across his face was still evident as the person I assumed was his secretary scurried off.

"Now will you tell me?" I argued and he sighs sitting down. "I couldn't get the deal with Sterling, I f****d it over and the stakeholders are threatening to take action if I don't step up, I'm so angry for failing, for not doing enough and at those pompous idiots who think it's easy doing this job." I sighed walking over to him.

"Kol this is business, you need to keep a level head, if you burst out because of anger you'll lose, now I'm sure there is a solution to get the deal with Sterling, set up another meeting and try again." He groans looking outside.

"No one said being CEO of this company was a cakewalk, only you can make it better by rising to the occasion, now take off your blazer let me help." He did as told and I crouched down removed his shoes as well.

"Stress is a bad thing." I spoke massaging his feet. He smiled in contentment as I worked on the knots in his muscles, I work my way to his back and shoulders. "That feels so good." He moaned as I popped his shoulder.

"You're too stiff, it's bad for you."

He chuckles lightly. "I know, thanks Cookie ." I respond with a smile. "I best get to work and you work on that meeting with Sterling." He yanks me back and I try not to fall as I stumble back into his hold.

"Don't forget we're still on for lunch which is in an hour and also have dinner with me, I already made the reservation." I had already made plans with Doc, I contemplated how I was going to tell him.

"-Tonight I planned to have a sleepover with Doc, we haven't had one in a while." I tried to speak with as much control and confidence I could muster up. "Cancel then, you can always do it on another day." That wasn't fair to me though.

"But Kol." I argued and his hold around me tightened. "I said cancel them, I don't like repeating myself Cookie and you know better than to disagree, you wouldn't want me angry with you." His fingers caressed my cheek.

As much as I wanted to feel repulsed by the action I wasn't, I welcomed the gesture and it terrified me. "No I wouldn't, then I will cancel and get ready for dinner with you." He smiled as if he hadn't made me choose him Over my friend.

My stomach was an uneven balance of flutter and sadness, those so-called butterflies were confused. This relationship with Kol was definitely making me lose my mind, if even I could call it that.

"Kol what are we, I mean what exactly is this if not an affair." I mumbled lowly hoping I wasn't forced to lookbat him. "We are whatever the term we decide and personally I'd conside the two of us in our dating stages, soon everything will fall in place."

I wondered what he meant by that. What it meant for me. "Cookie , a man came to your apartment last night before I did, I know who he is and I don't want to see him anywhere near you." He asserts and my mind couldn't grasp how he knew that.

"How did y-?" I tried to ask. "Doesn't matter, just do as I say." I nodded not knowing what else to do. "I was already planning to get a restraining order against him, so you don't have to worry." I assured Kol but I knew that wasn't enough.

"Good, I will file it for you." I didn't want to anger Kol he was already unstable and also the fact that he knew who came to my place without me telling him meant someone was reporting to him about any and every detail of my day, which was scary and creepy.

"I have to go." I murmured and his arms untangled themselves from my body, before I let go he placed a kiss on my forehead. A knock on the door alerts us both of the person at the door.

Kol took his seat and I began to walk toward the door but the boss I was having an affair with told me to stay put with a single look. A woman with platinum blonde hair which was turning a darker shade at the roots walked in.

Her eyes met mine, she scrutinized every inch of me, her judgment laid out to be visible, I knew that in her head she was cursing me. "Kol darling, I came to see your new office, didn't expect to see this in with you thought." I had appreciated her ignorance but her statement made my skin crawl.

"Mother, Cookie is the best designer we have on the fashion department, you wore something she designed three days ago." Kol argued making me feel better.

"I don't seem to recall." She replied Kol who shrugs. "Cookie this is my mother Meredith Tempest, mother, Cookie Lake." I wasn't surprised he knew my name, he had probably looked through human resources for it.

"Pleasure is mine." She replied looking at me as if I was the scum of tbs earth and I hated it. "Mr. Tempest I will be going." Confidently I spoke making my way toward the door.

"Cookie stay." Kol argued and I sigh.

"Why does he have to stay those chemical infused curls are making me feel awful and honey your desk wasn't supposed to be black, you can never really trust it." I was ready to give her a piece of my mind, fight her if she wanted to.

"I have work to get to." I mumbled and with success, I made it out the door for a much needed breath. Kol's mother was a b***h and I wanted nothing other than wringing her neck or hugging her to death.

I wondered how I was turning into some robotic person or a person with a life planned by another because he had issues with possession. I didn't want to stay on Kol's floor along with the rich snobs who worked here, so to avoid any more racist comments from Kol's mother, I hurriedly got into the lift tapping my foot impatiently.With the need for fresh air, I walked out of XALVIC and stood outside breathing in the air clearing my mind.

I had dealt with one issue hopefully now I wondered if I could deal with Kol.

Shawn and Hilda walked out of the company together. "Hey Cookie , what are you doing all alone here?" Hilda asked to which I replied with a small smile. "]ust needed air." She nods toward me.

"So what did the boss want?" She asked calmly waiting for my answer.

"I had sent him the wrong file for the expo." Shawn laughs as does Hilda. "You sure you didn't do it on purpose?" I roll my eyes as they continued laughing.

I couldn't tell them the real reason why Kol had called me up there to talk to him, and also his racist of a mother who I still wanted to murder.

"I didn't do it on purpose, why wOuld I? You know how I hate the upper floors." It was true for me and my friends, we hated being around Snobby pompous men and women.

"Heard he's doing as good as the old CEO." Shawn exclaimed and I couldn't deny, Kol was trying his best to fill in the shoes of his father, but it was taking its toll. I looked at my watch and realized it was lunchtime meaning Kol would be hunting for me.

"Sorry I've got to go, just found out I have a design and prototype needed." Both my friends laugh as I sped walk into the building.

Cookie pov...

There are times I wonder if anything I do for Kol is worth the endurance and humiliation I go through, I chose to keep sleeping with him and dating him despite the wedding ring on his finger.

I'm sure not believing in love has led me to this point, not believing the concept is actually real so, therefore, I've closed up the path to my heart or rather just avoid the hurt because I know it would come.

The dinner with Kol was underway, a beautiful setting with a bottle of wine, great food, anda conversation on my childhood and his deal with Sterling that he finally managed to pull off because he had stayed calm.

"This is amazing, thank you."I asserted and Kol looked up with a boyish grin that would make any man or woman swoon for him. "You're welcome Cookie , now eat but leave room for dessert, it's going to fill you up." He smirked knowing I got what he meant and it made me my skin tingle.

"Before the expo, there is a holiday what are you planning on doing?" I tried to avert the hanging topic of s*x which we constantly had. "I don't know yet, my mom usually holds a dinner for anything so might attend that, you?" I don't know why I had hoped his answer would be different.

I was obviously naive enough to think he would actually consider doing something with me and it stung.

"Work I guess." I mumbled downing the rest of my wine. Before he spoke a man came to our table. "Kol, it's been a while, hey man." The two bro hugged whilst I sat awkwardly.

"How's Kat?, haven't checked up on her lately." Kol beamed a smile toward the man he was talking about at the mention of the name which I assumed was his wife. "Great, she's doing good." Though he was smiling I could see the obvious anger that flashed on his face.

Kol could easily hide his emotions but you could see a flicker of them in the way he moved. They continued talking as if I didn't exist until I stood up. "Excuse me." I spoke fixing my jacket.

The man whom I hadn't caught his name looked at me quizzically, I knew he was wondering the same thing as I, who the hell I was. Kol only nods my way and began to converse with the man again.

I walked to the bathroom and sighed, I was the only one in there and it gave me a chance to gather my frail nerves and anxiety.

"It's alright, they're just long time buddies or family, Kol is not ashamed of you, It's okay." I mumbled to myself looking at the reflection in the mirror.

"It's okay, right? Right?" I knew nothing was okay.

I stepped out of the bathroom and walked to the table. "She's nobody, someone I'm just meeting." I heard Kol before turning.

"Thought you were swinging the other way now and ditching Kat." The male he was with spoke and I wondered why he was still there.

"What? I'm not cheating that's disgusting, I'm married to your sister if you haven't forgotten and for good reason." In that instant I was pulled back into reality, Kol had said all those words behind my back and it hurt to hear. My eyes stung with unshed tears.

I was glad I'd already worn my jacket, I slipped past the table and hurriedly went past the tables to the entrance.

I hoped he wouldn't ashamed of me or wouldn't say hurtful words to avoid people knowing about us, but his words hurt, they were reminders of what I couldn't have and it hurt even more.

I walked out and immediately a cab stopped in front of me. "DeGuisse after Pablo Square." I didn't want to be home or where he Could find me.I knew Murdock would be home and that's why I let the cab take me there.

I paid and got out, I was slightly calmer though I knew at some point I would cry. I walked into the building, punched in the floor where Murdock's apartment was in the lift.

When it opened I walked to the door and knocked, the door swung open to reveal a pissed of Doc, I knew he was mad at me for canceling our sleepover.

When he looked at me his features softened. "Marls." When he spoke I threw myself at him and cried, I didn't know how or what to say so I let it out, he just held me and closed the door, it hurt having to be hated by the rich and famous for your skin preference.

"It's okay, I'm here, I got you." I didn't say anything as Murdock sat us both down on the couch. I still had tears trailing down my cheeks. "His mom is racist, his family is homophobic and I think he's ashamed of me." I cried harder, it hurt having all that thrown on you.

"Im so sorry Cookie , I knowit hurts going through all that, I'm sorry if he's ashamed of you but promise me right now, you won't doubt yourself because of that." I nod because only sobs came from my mouth.

"He's a d**k, and tonight you're going to forget him." I sniffled wiping away stray tears. "I don't think I can." I mumbled my reply and Doc sighs. "Its never easy to just forget someone who made your world a little brighter, but try." I look and smile at Doc.

He was always there when you needed him, he never failed to show you that he was there to care and I appreciated him for it. "Thank you Doc." He grins getting up from the couch.

"How about chamomile to soothe your nerves and later ice cream to eat your feelings out." I pouted but obliged. When he left for the kitchen I walked to his spare bedroom.

Murdock always had some clothes in the closet which I left from time to time.

I stripped and wore blue track pants and a baggy t-shirt, tied my hair into a bun, and removed the little make up I had on my face. "It's ready come on."

I followed Murdock to the lounge and sat down to have the tea which would soothe me.

"What am I gonna do." I mumbled and Murdock scoffs. "You're Cookie Marles Lake, you can do anything, starting with telling Kol to f**k himself and his b***h mother." I laugh along with Murdock at his outburst.

"Thanks Doc, I needed this and I'm sorry for canceling our plans tonight, guess the universe still brought us together for the night." His fist lightly hits my bicep. "You damn right." We both laugh as we drank the tea.

I didn't know what I would be facing tomorrow because of what happened but I knew now, despite the lingering threats of disobeying Kol, I couldn't do this with him.

He was ashamed of me and himself, he had a wife he obviously loved that much I knew. I had no purpose in his life except being the girl he came to f**k in the night behind closed doors. I wasn't going to let myself be dragged down like that, something had to change or I would get hurt again.

"The Greatest showman or Love Simon?" Murdock asked, that's all I had to worry about, which movie to start first.