All Chapters of Trapped by the CEO: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The penthouse was bathed in the sinister red glow of the emergency lights, but the cold that gripped Julian Thorne had nothing to do with the temperature.She is gone.The words echoed in his mind, drowning out the wail of the distant sirens and the chaotic shouting of his security team. Julian looked at the bleeding guard, then down at his own hands. His hands were shaking.For five years, he had convinced himself that the woman from the hotel was a master manipulator, a thief who had played him for a fool. But as the truth crashed over him, the reality was far more devastating. Maya had not been playing a game. She had been surviving. She had kept the master key hidden not to sell it, but to keep the world safe from the monsters who created it.And Julian had just handed her right to them.Lock down the perimeter! Julian roared, his voice snapping the paralyzed guards to attention. Seal the tunnels. Pull every piece of CCTV footage from a ten-mile radius. If a rat leaves this grid,

The drive back to Manhattan was a blur of rain and roaring engines.Julian gripped the steering wheel of the SUV so hard his knuckles were white. He had dismissed his driver, taking control of the massive vehicle himself, weaving through the slick city streets at terrifying speeds. Maya sat in the passenger seat, shivering despite the blast of the heater.We left them, Maya whispered, her voice cracking. We left them alone in a glass box.They are not alone, Julian said, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. They are in the most secure fortress in this city. And Leo has control of the mainframe.But the mercenaries...They do not want the children, Maya. They want the chip. They know Leo hacked the system, which means they think the boy knows where the master key is hidden.Maya touched her chest, feeling the hard outline of the chip still securely tucked inside her undergarments. She had almost lost everything to keep it safe, and now it was the very thing drawing the wolves to her babie

Six months later.The tropical sun of the private Bahamian island filtered through the sheer white curtains of the overwater villa, casting a warm, golden glow across the polished mahogany floor.Maya stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror, staring at her reflection. She was no longer the exhausted, terrified assistant hiding in drab grey suits and thick glasses. The woman looking back at her was radiant. She wore a custom silk wedding gown that clung perfectly to every curve, the delicate lace detailing trailing down her back.The heavy oak door of the master suite clicked open.Maya gasped, spinning around, her hands flying to her hips. Julian, you are not supposed to be in here! It is bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony.Julian Thorne stepped into the room, closing and locking the door behind him with a decisive click. He was already dressed in a sharp, midnight-blue tuxedo that fit his broad shoulders flawlessly. He looked every inch the ruthless billionaire CEO,

The Gulfstream G650 touched down on the private airstrip outside New York City with a landing so smooth it wouldn't have rippled a glass of water.Maya unbuckled her seatbelt, reaching for her carry-on bag. "That was fast. I barely finished my...""Do not touch that," Julian said instantly, his hand shooting out to stop hers.Maya blinked. "It is a Kindle, Julian. It weighs six ounces.""You are pregnant," Julian stated, as if this medical fact precluded her from lifting e-readers. "I will carry it."He unbuckled his own belt and stood up, buttoning his suit jacket. He looked impeccable as always, but there was a new, frantic energy vibrating under his calm exterior. He grabbed her Kindle, her purse, his briefcase, and—before she could protest—scooped Maya herself up into his arms."Julian!" Maya laughed, swatting his chest. "I can walk! I am pregnant, not broken.""The doctor said to avoid stress," Julian said, marching toward the exit ramp. "Walking is stress. Stairs are stress. Grav

The mahogany table in the Thorne Tech boardroom was long enough to land a small aircraft, but today, it felt suffocatingly small.Julian sat at the head of the table, radiating a cold, impenetrable authority. He wore a charcoal suit that looked like armor. To his immediate right sat Maya. She was no longer hiding in oversized, drab clothing. She wore a sleek, tailored navy dress that hinted at the tiny, growing bump at her waist. She looked every inch the billionaire's wife, but her hands were clasped tightly in her lap.The quarterly earnings report had just concluded, but none of the twelve board members were packing up their briefcases. The air was thick with tension.Richard Sterling, the oldest and most vocal member of the board, cleared his throat. He was a man who smelled of expensive cigars and old money, and he had hated Julian since the day Julian took over the company.Before we adjourn, Richard said, steepling his fingers, there is the matter of corporate stability to addr