All Chapters of BOUGHT,TAMED AND TAKEN : Chapter 181 - Chapter 190

The dock was darker than I expected. Only a few weak lights flickered above the water, casting pale gold streaks over the waves. My breaths came fast, loud in my own ears. Every sound felt magnified — the slap of water against wood, my coat rustling, footsteps somewhere far off.I crouched lower, pressing myself against the crates. My pistol felt heavy in my hand, every muscle in my body taut with fear. Somewhere nearby, footsteps moved closer.A shadow shifted, and my stomach dropped.I had no idea if it was Luciano’s men… or worse, my father’s.Every step echoed louder now. My mind raced. I could run, but there was nowhere safe. The docks were a maze, and I didn’t know it well. Every alley, every shadow could hide another enemy.I swallowed my fear and stood. My shoulder burned where the bullet had grazed me. The pain was sharp, but I ignored it. This was no time to stop.⸻They were close now. I could hear their breathing — slow, methodical, like predators closing in. My hand tight

The sound of rain hitting the roof was loud, sharp, like small stones falling. The warehouse smelled of rust and wet wood. I stepped carefully over puddles as Luciano led me inside, his hand gripping my wrist firmly. My skin still burned where his fingers dug in earlier, but I stayed quiet.The air felt tense, charged. Every shadow seemed alive. I could hear footsteps somewhere behind us. They were getting closer. I didn’t want to look back. I didn’t want to see who was coming.“Why are we here?” I whispered, my voice low.Luciano glanced at me, his eyes hard. “We need to hide. We need to talk.”I frowned. “Talk? You’ve been hiding things for months. First Isadora, now this. Why should I trust you?”He didn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightened, and his eyes searched mine like he was deciding how much to tell me. “Because there’s no time left.”I looked away, watching the dim light bounce off puddles on the floor. My thoughts kept returning to his words earlier—that my father had so

The air smelled of wet metal and smoke. Rain still poured down, but it had slowed to a steady drizzle. Luciano kept me pressed close to his side as we moved quietly through the narrow streets. Every step felt heavier now. My legs ached, and my mind was spinning with questions I couldn’t force myself to speak aloud.We didn’t stop until we reached an old building at the edge of the city — a place that looked abandoned. The front door hung crooked on its hinges, water dripping from its frame. Luciano pushed it open slowly and stepped inside, pulling me after him.The inside was dark and musty. Broken furniture lay scattered, and the floor creaked under our weight. Rainwater pooled in corners. The silence was thick, broken only by the sound of rain hitting the roof.Luciano dropped to his knees beside a small crate, pulling out a bag and rifle. “We’re safe for now,” he said, loading it with quiet precision. His eyes didn’t leave me, but he said no more.I sank to the floor against the wa

The room smelled of smoke and steel. My legs felt heavy as I stepped inside, but it wasn’t exhaustion that weighed me down — it was the tension that seemed to cling to every shadow. Luciano stood in the far corner, leaning against the wall. His suit was torn, his sleeve shredded. A dark stain ran along his collar, and his jaw was tight, his eyes fixed somewhere beyond me.“You shouldn’t be here,” he said quietly, but there was steel in his tone.“I shouldn’t?” I asked, my voice breaking. “Or you don’t want me to hear what’s happening?” I stepped closer, ignoring the ache in my body. “Luciano… tonight I heard things. About my father. About you.”He flinched slightly. His hand moved to his side where the fabric was torn, brushing over it absently.“You don’t understand,” he said finally. “What you heard changes everything. If you knew the whole truth, it could destroy you. Destroy us.”I laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in it. “Destroy us? Luciano, you keep saying that. But w

The night air bit into my skin as I ran. My boots made soft thuds against the wet pavement. Behind me, the sound of the alley faded. Luciano’s promise echoed in my mind — “I’ll come for you.” But right now, I wasn’t sure if that was hope or a lie meant to keep me moving.The city felt strange in the darkness. Every street was unfamiliar. My bag weighed heavily at my side, not because of its size, but because of what was inside — the truth Luciano had given me. Papers. A small packet of cash. And a folded note, with his handwriting curling along the page: “Trust no one. They are everywhere.”My hands shook as I read it again. My heart felt heavy. He had risked so much for me tonight, and yet… he sent me away. I couldn’t understand why.I ducked into a small cafe, its lights dim and tables scattered. No one noticed me slip in. I ordered coffee, hoping it would warm me up and quiet my thoughts, but neither happened. My mind kept drifting back to him — to the look in his eyes before he ha