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8

Author: Mira Lyra
last update Last Updated: 2025-07-09 12:52:22

Three weeks later.

Celeste had almost finished packing when the notification came through—encrypted, timestamped, marked PRIORITY.

She glanced at it with mild curiosity, expecting another dry log from Dom: Julian at his office, Julian at his favorite café, Julian back home for dinner with Vivienne. That had been the rhythm for weeks.

Predictable. Flat.

But this one was different.

Dom’s message read:

“Need your eyes on this. Cross met someone tonight—man in his late fifties, not part of his usual orbit. Quiet interaction in a park near his building. No tech, no paper trail. Julian dropped something. Other man pocketed it. No handshake. No words. Just silence. No one’s supposed to know he was even outside tonight. I double-checked the calendar. Nothing scheduled.”

Celeste’s brows furrowed, the edge of her focus snapping into clarity.

She pulled the attached photos up on her laptop. Grainy, low light, but Dom’s lens was good. Julian stood slightly hunched, talking—or not talking—to a st
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  • The Seduction Clause   43

    Nate returned with a stack of fresh towels and some of his own clothes—a pair of soft gray sweatpants and a worn-out t-shirt. He set them on the edge of the bed and gestured to the adjoining bathroom. "The shower's all yours. Take your time."He then offered her his bed, a gesture that was both simple and profound. Celeste looked at him and said, "You can stay in here, Nate. We've shared a bed before."He shook his head gently. "I know. But I'll take the couch tonight. You need as much space as you can get to heal." His words were soft but firm, and she knew he was talking about more than just her physical injuries.They agreed to table everything else for the night. The confessions, the questions, the danger—all of it could wait until morning. They would figure out a game plan then. As Nate turned to leave, Celeste said one last time, "Nate, this could be dangerous for you."He only nodded, a quiet understanding in his eyes. "I know," he said, and left her to sleep.Celeste sank into

  • The Seduction Clause   42

    Celeste stepped into the warm, fragrant apartment, the scent of a simmering marinara sauce filling the air. Nate quickly tapped a message out on his phone, then placed it face-down on the kitchen island. He had been getting ready for a date, and the smell of the delicious food, the lit candles, and the table set for two twisted a knot of guilt in her stomach.He turned his full attention to her, his gaze sweeping over her bruised face, his eyes sad, his posture radiating a mix of anger and concern."It's not as bad as it looks," she said, the lie feeling hollow as it left her lips.Nate shook his head. "I don't think that's true, Celeste," he said, his voice gentle. "But I'm not going to force you to tell me anything you don't want to."Celeste nodded, a small wave of gratitude washing over her. There was so much she didn't want to tell him, even more that she didn't know the answers to, but if she was possibly putting him in danger just by being here, he deserved to know. He had to b

  • The Seduction Clause   41

    The fear was still there, a cold knot in the pit of her stomach, but it was no longer paralyzing. It had been replaced by a hardened, chilling resolve. The attempted assassination in her hospital room had made one thing brutally clear: she couldn't rely on anyone for her safety. The police, the FBI, even Julian—they were all a step behind Elias. His reach was too long, his methods too cruel.She was going to need to take the matter into her own hands. She wasn't going to wait to be discharged. She ripped the IV from her arm, ignoring the sting of the needle and the fresh blood welling up. When a nurse rushed in, Celeste was already on her feet, pulling on the hospital gown over her bruised body. She firmly informed the staff that she was leaving against medical advice, signing the necessary forms with a steady hand.She didn't have her phone, so her first stop was a payphone outside the hospital. She had to hope her old contact numbers still worked. She put in a call to Dom, using a s

  • The Seduction Clause   40

    Celeste drifted in and out of a medicated haze, her body sore but her mind still on high alert. A nurse had checked on her less than fifteen minutes ago, and she was just now beginning to feel herself slip into sleep when her door cracked open. A different nurse, her face obscured by a surgical mask, slipped inside. Celeste's unease flared. The nurse busied herself at the sink, her back to Celeste, and then walked over to the chart at the foot of the bed. She missed a beat, failing to jot down Celeste's vitals and pain medication dose."This is a different medication," the nurse said, her voice muffled, as she approached with a syringe.Celeste instantly knew this was wrong. Her panic mounted, but before she could even cry out, the nurse lunged at her, covering her mouth with a surprisingly strong hand. Celeste tried to push her off, but she was too weak from her injuries. The nurse leaned in, whispering, "Don't make this harder than it needs to be. This is merciful compared to what E

  • The Seduction Clause   39

    The hospital room was sterile and silent, a stark contrast to the concrete dungeon she had just escaped. Everything hurt. Every muscle ached, and her face felt tight and bruised, a constant reminder of the last few days. The exhaustion was a heavy, persistent weight in her bones, but beneath it all, she felt a profound sense of relief.She had asked about the women and children and had only received clipped, professional responses from the agents and nurses, but they had confirmed one thing: they were all safe. A fragile sigh of relief escaped her lips. At least her trauma had not been for nothing.The process that followed was another form of violation. She was questioned by police, her story documented in detail. Medical staff performed an extensive exam of her injuries, taking pictures as evidence. She felt like a specimen, a case number, her pain a piece of a larger investigation. All the while, she ached to call home, to hear her mom's voice, to know her sister was okay. But she

  • The Seduction Clause   38

    Shouts from other parts of the building, the slam of doors, and the heavy pounding of footsteps in the hall shattered the suffocating silence. "Clear!" a male voice yelled from the doorway. The sounds of a raid were unmistakable. Celeste, cowering next to the wall, had her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly over her head. She was no longer a detective or a captive; she was just a terrified woman waiting for the next blow.Footsteps approached slowly, then stopped near her. "You're safe," the voice said, calm and steady amidst the chaos.Slowly, Celeste lowered her arms and peaked at the man standing over her. Confusion flooded over her. The man was muscular, hard-faced, and lethal—she knew him instantly. It was Royce Tilman, the same man Dom had captured photos of exchanging something late at night. She had been led to believe he was involved in something with Julian, not Elias. So why was he here?Royce seemed to recognize the fear and confusion warring in her eyes

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