Chapter: The Chase. Chapter Seventy Two: The Chase“He’s gone, Jules. Three days.”Peter’s voice broke as he stumbled into the room. He looked awful…pale, with dark circles under his eyes that told a story of no sleep. The bright, determined guy was gone, replaced by a hollowed-out shell. He didn’t say hello. He just collapsed into a chair, the words tumbling out like a confession.“Won’t answer my calls. Won’t answer his door. It’s like he just… vanished.”Julian slowly closed his laptop, his full attention on his best friend. He could feel the panic coming off Peter in waves.“Enzo’s not the vanishing type,” Julian said, keeping his voice steady. “He’s the ‘break down your door to yell at you’ type. He’s just hurt. And he’s stubborn.”“What if it’s not that?” Peter’s eyes were wide, shimmering with a fear that was eating him alive. His voice shook. “What if Ryan got to him? What if the people from those files… they found him because of me? To get to me?”The thought was a living nightmare, and Pete
Last Updated: 2025-12-09
Chapter: The Unwitting Pawn. Chapter Seventy One: The Unwitting PawnPeter rushed backstage, his heart hammering a frantic drum solo against his ribs. What was happening? What was Ryan doing?Two of Ryan’s stone-faced officers closed in on him, flanking him like prison guards. One leaned in, his breath hot and sour against Peter’s ear. “Smile, hero,” the man whispered, his voice a venomous sneer. “The Chief is giving you a promotion and a target on your back. Be grateful.”Ice flooded Peter’s veins. His eyes snapped to the stage, where Ryan was climbing the podium, the picture of somber authority. The Chief tapped the mic, and the noisy room fell into a dead, anticipatory hush.“For months,” Ryan began, his voice heavy with grave importance, “this department has been running its most sensitive investigation into the cancer of corruption at our city’s highest levels.”Peter’s blood ran cold. No. No, no, no.“The brave officer at the heart of this operation risked his life, his reputation, and his safety to brin
Last Updated: 2025-12-08
Chapter: Crossed Fire. Chapter Seventy: Crossed Fire The car tore away from Ryan's estate, engine roaring like it was trying to outrun the nightmare into the dark and the dirt road. Julian huddled in the back seat, body shaking so hard his teeth knocked together, fingers white-knuckled around the slim encrypted file pressed to his chest like a lifeline. He'd been seconds from disaster…hiding in that dark study, hearing footsteps creep closer, heart slamming against his ribs until he thought it'd burst. The fear clawed at him even now, cold sweat soaking his shirt, but underneath it burned this wild, reckless triumph that made him want to laugh or cry or both. Caesar's eyes never left him the whole drive, worry carving deep lines into his face, usual ice-cool mask cracking just for Julian. "Are you okay?" he asked, voice rough and thick, hand sliding over to grip Julian's thigh like he needed the contact to believe he was real. Julian nodded, shaky, but then that smile broke through…raw, victorious
Last Updated: 2025-12-07
Chapter: The Gala Gambit. Chapter Sixty Nine: The Gala GambitThe air in Ryan Graves’ mansion tasted like expensive champagne and lies. Every glittering gown, every polished smile felt like a weapon. And Peter felt completely exposed.Across the crowded room, Caesar and Julian held their spot near the staircase like royalty. They looked calm, sipping their drinks, but their eyes never stopped moving. Watching Ryan. Watching the exits. Watching him.Then Peter felt it…that crawling sensation on the back of his neck. Ryan was staring right at him.Before panic could fully take hold, a warm hand closed around his. Enzo’s thumb brushed softly over his knuckles, a silent promise. I’m right here. Peter’s shoulders relaxed just a little. He turned and gave Enzo a small, real smile.It was the worst thing he could have done.Ryan’s charming mask slipped. His jaw tightened, his eyes going dark with something ugly and possessive. Peter watched in slow-motion horror as Ryan excused himself from a group of politicia
Last Updated: 2025-12-06
Chapter: Games and Mask. Chapter Sixty-Eight: Games & Masks Peter’s blood turned to ice in his veins. His fists clenched so hard his nails cut half-moons into his palms. One more step and he would’ve swung, consequences be damned. “If you ever…”Ryan threw his head back and laughed, loud, rich, cruel, like the whole thing was the funniest joke he’d heard all year. “Relax, Davis,” he said, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. “It was just a joke. You’re wound way too tight.” But the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Those stayed cold, promising, ‘I meant every word.‘ Peter swallowed fire. “Anyway,” Ryan continued, straightening his tie like he hadn’t just threatened the love of Peter’s life. “…epartmental gala in two weeks. Formal. Bring your boyfriend.” He flashed teeth. “I’m dying to meet the man who’s got you so… protective.” Peter’s stomach dropped. “I—I’ll have to check our schedules, sir. He’s a very busy—” “Make it work,” Ryan cut in, voice velvet over steel. “I insist.” Peter nodded st
Last Updated: 2025-11-19
Chapter: Crossed Lines. Chapter Sixty-Seven: Crossed LinesThe warm, garlic-scented air of the little Italian restaurant was a welcome cocoon. For the first time in what felt like forever, Peter felt the heavy weight on his shoulders lift just a little. Across the small table, Enzo grinned, twirling a forkful of spaghetti."See? The world won't end if you take one night off," Enzo said, his voice soft and his eyes full of warmth. He held the fork out. "I like seeing you like this... just Peter."Peter laughed, a real, genuine sound, and leaned forward to take the bite. "I forget what this feels like sometimes," he admitted, his smile easy. "Just being with you without... you know. The rest of it."It was perfect. And like all perfect things in Peter's life, it was shattered in an instant.His smile vanished, wiped clean from his face. Over Enzo's shoulder, he saw him. Ryan Graves, being led to a table across the room, shaking hands with a city official like he owned the place. Peter’s blood ran cold."He
Last Updated: 2025-10-29
How To Love A Murderer.
He promised to protect him from a killer. He never said he was one.
When journalist Ian Parker witnesses a brutal murder, he should have been the killer's next victim. Instead, he wakes up in the hospital, saved by Zhedya Hunter…a brilliant forensic pathologist, a reclusive CEO, and a man with chilling grey eyes that feel hauntingly familiar.
Charismatic and dangerously possessive, Zhedya offers Ian shelter in his opulent penthouse, a gilded cage where every comfort is a chain.
As Zhedya's obsession deepens, Ian's career skyrockets, with damning evidence against the city's most wanted criminals mysteriously falling into his hands. But each exclusive story comes with a price: a fractured memory, a drugged haze, and a growing pile of bodies connected to anyone who threatens their twisted paradise.
Now, Ian is trapped in a nightmare of luxury and lies, unraveling a truth more terrifying than any headline: his savior is a predator, his sanctuary is a crime scene, and the man who claims to love him is the most prolific murderer he will ever interview.
Learning how to love a murderer is easy. Surviving him is the real story.
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Chapter: The Puppet’s Strings. Chapter Sixty Four: The Puppet's Strings Elijah stared at the message glowing on his laptop screen. His stomach dropped, twisting into a cold, hard knot. He was here. “Babe, I’ve gotta run out for a bit!” Elijah called, his voice a little too high, a little too tight. He forced a smile as he grabbed his keys, phone, and wallet, moving too quickly. “A friend’s in town. Last-minute thing!” John poked his head into the room, his brow furrowed with worry. “At this hour? Everything okay?” “Fine, fine!” Elijah chirped, the lie tasting like ash in his mouth. He couldn’t meet John’s eyes. “Just boring family stuff! Back soon!” He was out the door in a flash, the click of the lock sounding like a prison gate slamming shut behind him. John sighed, shaking his head. “Forgot to shut down again,” he muttered to the empty room, moving to the coffee table to power off Elijah’s laptop. Just as his finger hovered over the trackpad, a new message notification popped up on the screen. Cousin
Last Updated: 2025-12-08
Chapter: Cracks in the Glass. Chapter Sixty Three: Cracks in the GlassIan tossed the little blue pill into his mouth, chasing it with a gulp of water. The familiar routine was supposed to bring calm, but lately, it just felt... automatic.The sound of footsteps made him look up. Linnea walked into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee machine. Her eyes, sharp and trained from years as a pharmaceutical researcher, flickered to the small, unlabeled metal container in his hand. She stopped dead."Ian," she said, her voice cutting through the quiet morning. "What is that?"He felt oddly caught, like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. "Oh, this?" he said, trying to sound casual. "It's just my medication. For my nerves, you know? After... everything.""Let me see." It wasn't a request. Before he could react, she plucked the container from his grasp. She popped it open, poured one of the distinctive pills into her palm, and brought it close to her face, her brow furrowed in concentration. She even crushe
Last Updated: 2025-11-29
Chapter: A Birthday Winter. Chapter Sixty-Two: A Birthday WinterThe crisp Swedish air bit at their cheeks as the men returned from the hunt, their breaths puffing out in white clouds. Ian’s laughter rang out, clear and bright, as Mr. Vinter clapped him on the back, telling some story about Zhedya’s first clumsy attempt with a rifle.From the warmth of the window, Zhedya watched. A slow, deep satisfaction settled in his chest. Seeing Ian here, in his childhood home, laughing with his family… it was the final piece of the puzzle. He had fought, lied, and bled to have this man, and now Ian was here, looking like he belonged. A soft, possessive smile touched Zhedya’s lips. Mine.Later, by the crackling fireplace, Zhedya found Ian, his fingers still cold from outside. He took Ian’s hand, lacing their fingers together.“See?” Zhedya’s voice was a low, earnest murmur. “I told you I was trying. This… being here with them, with you… it’s everything. I’d do anything to prove I’ve changed. To be the man you deserve.
Last Updated: 2025-11-26
Chapter: Shattered. Chapter Sixty One: Shattered For a heart-stopping second, Ian was frozen in the doorway. Then he rushed to the bedside, his world narrowing to the man in the bed. "Zhedya?" he whispered, his voice cracking with a desperate hope. But the hope died as quickly as it had flared. Zhedya lay perfectly still, his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling in a slow, artificial rhythm. He looked exactly as he had for the past weeks…a beautiful, broken statue. 'Did I imagine it?' Ian's exhausted mind screamed. 'Am I finally losing it? Hearing his voice because I want to so badly?' He was so lost in his own turmoil that he completely ignored the other man in the room, who was calmly slipping an empty syringe back into his pocket. "You must be Ian." The smooth voice snapped Ian back to reality. He turned to see a man with a sharp, handsome face and a grin that didn't quite reach his cold, assessing eyes. He looked Ian up and down like he was judging a prize horse. "I'm Ryan. An old
Last Updated: 2025-11-24
Chapter: Checkmate. Chapter Sixty: Checkmate The steady, quiet beep of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room. It had become the soundtrack to Ian’s life for the past two weeks. He was slumped in the chair next to Zhedya’s bed, his head resting on his arms, fast asleep. His face was pale, shadows under his eyes telling the story of long, worried nights. One of his hands was stretched out, his fingers just barely brushing Zhedya’s still one, as if he could will some life back into him. A gentle tap on his shoulder made him jolt awake. "Mr. Parker? A word?" a doctor asked softly. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Ian nodded and followed him into the bright, sterile hallway. A man in a sharp suit was waiting for them…the investigator on Zhedya's case. "The investigation is conclusive, Mr. Parker," the man said, his voice grave. "Mr. Hunter's car was tampered with. The brake lines were deliberately cut. This wasn't an accident. It was an attempted murder." The world seem
Last Updated: 2025-11-24
Chapter: The Stage is Set. Chapter Fifty Nine: The Stage is Set Zhedya stood in Callista Monroe's office, his posture relaxed but his words were like carefully thrown knives. "Your methods are sloppy, Detective. You're so focused on chasing ghosts you're missing what's right in front of you." He gave a cold, dismissive smile. "Maybe if you spent less time harassing innocent people and more time doing your job, you'd have caught the Trunk Killer by now." That was the final straw. Callista slammed her hands on her desk, shooting to her feet. Her face was flushed with fury. "That's it! I'm done with you, Hunter! You're a civilian who keeps sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. You're a liability." She pointed a trembling finger at the door. "Get out! You are officially banned from my crime scenes. If I see you near one again, I'll have you arrested. Do you understand me?" A flicker of satisfaction crossed Zhedya's eyes before he masked it with a look of pure outrage. “This is a huge mistake, Mon
Last Updated: 2025-11-22
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