All Chapters of The Blackwell Claim: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Timothy’s pulse thrashed against the hollow of his throat. It was a physical thing, a jagged rhythm connecting him to the man currently draining his life. The bond wasn't some soft, ethereal thing; it was a heavy iron door slamming shut, locking them into the same cage. He didn't have access to Kan’s private vault of secrets, but the raw data was there—bleeding through the connection. Terror. A cold, paralyzing fear that Timothy would vanish into the Saati Town fog. A surge of jagged joy at the heat of his skin.Kan’s teeth finally retracted, the sharp pressure vanishing. He didn't pull away immediately, instead wrapping his heavy arms around Timothy, bracing him against the chair. He buried his face in Timothy’s neck, his breathing a wrecked, uneven mess. After an eternity, Kan pulled back. His mouth was stained, a dark smear across his lips that made Timothy’s stomach flip. He licked the wound on Timothy’s throat once, a slow, rough swipe, before lifting Timothy off his lap and sett

"I'm not running from anyone," Timothy snapped.But the words felt hollow even as they hit the air. He’d never dodged a fight in his life, but discovering he was bonded to two high-ranking mafia enforcers—both from rival circles—left a cold, jagged knot in his gut."You’re running from yourself, Gal. And they’ve got too much skewed honor to lock you in a cellar until you admit it." Gam made a sharp, mocking sound in the back of his throat. "You can have all the street-cred in the world, but letting fear pull your strings? What a waste."Timothy didn't stick around for the lecture. He snatched the blueprints off the marble island, spun on his heel, and marched out. He felt Gam’s smirk burning into his shoulder blades until the kitchen door swung shut.Back in the Sopttyi District, no one dared look at him with that kind of pity. At least, not to his face. But as much as he felt a phantom ache for the familiar grime of his own territory, he realized he didn't miss the isolation. He’d sp

"He’s their tech guy and he works for free. In my world, that’s a subordinate." Timothy shifted his gaze to Gam, who was leaning against the counter. "Eleanor, I have a play that might rattle Lucius enough to make him slip. But you have to hold off on the confrontation. I can't give you the details because if your shock isn't real, he’ll smell the setup. And the tech stays with me to pull the strings."The Empress gave a short, clinical nod. "Approved.""Nobody said anything about Gam being on the front lines." Kan shook his head, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the island. Putting their brother in the line of fire wasn't part of the deal."Too bad." Timothy’s smile was as flat and cold as a winter morning. "The tech tags along, or none of you set foot in the District.""Have the pieces in place within the hour. I’ll be in the war room," Eleanor said. She tapped a sequence on her wrist-comm, and a hidden door in the oak paneling hissed open. She vanished into the

Eleanor stared at Gideon, who let out a low, vibrating rumble that made the surrounding capos pull back. She let out a dry, sharp laugh. "You always did have a taste for the dangerous, Timothy.""They fit the collection. Right next to the Dobermans and the clean-up crew.""Clearly." She tapped a finger against Gam’s skull. "Dinner in three hours, Gal. Bring the new property. We’ll go over the intel you’ve scraped then."Timothy inclined his head, a smooth, practiced bow. As he straightened, Eleanor’s eyes sharpened. "Capturing the leader of that cell proves why you’re my lead strategist. Your account will be heavy tonight.""Your dominance is the only pay I need." Timothy turned, leading the men toward the exit. He felt the weight of the room’s stares, the hissed whispers of the high-ranking families. At least one of Lucius’s dogs was watching, already calculating the threat.The walk to his private quarters was short. His rooms were a fortress within the fortress, positioned right ne

"Half the congregation had a finger on a trigger just looking at you," Gideon growled, his voice a low vibration against Timothy's neck. "My instincts don't lie. I counted at least twenty soldiers who watched us leave with blood in their eyes. You're walking around with a bullseye on your back.""You want to tell me why they’d risk a move if Eleanor is the untouchable Queen of the District?" Kan’s voice was rough, the words jagged as he spoke around the tension in his jaw."She’s the head of the family, but she’s not the most dangerous person in the room." Timothy tried to shift, but the two men hemmed him in.Gideon moved Timothy’s hair aside, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of his ear. "Let me guess. You are.""Yes," Timothy whispered. The heat from Gideon’s mouth sent a shiver straight to his knees."Which makes you the heir apparent if Eleanor takes a bullet." Gideon’s logic was cold, surgical. "And the first person they need to bury to clear the path. You’re the shield. They