All Chapters of OWNED IN THE DARK: Chapter 181 - Chapter 190

MATHEW The temporary private clinic in Mayfair smelled of disinfectant, old floor polish, and medicine. It was clean, quiet, and far too peaceful for my liking. Every heartbeat sent another wave of pain through my shoulder, but the silence bothered me more than the injury.I wasn't staying.One of the surgeons had barely finished checking the stitches across my left shoulder when I ripped the monitoring pads off my chest. The machine behind me erupted into angry beeps as the wires snapped free and dangled from the side of the bed."Sir…""I said I'm leaving."The moment I swung my legs to the floor, agony exploded through my collarbone. White-hot pain shot down my arm, stealing my breath for a second. Ciara's bullets had done their job well.I gritted my teeth until my jaw ached.Pain could wait.She couldn't.I shrugged into my overcoat, ignoring the fresh blood beginning to soak through the bandages beneath my shirt."Mathew."Carlista stood in the doorway with her arms folded. She

MATHEW The Zurich headquarters of Imperial Trust looked nothing like the scene of a billion-dollar theft. It stood in the heart of the city like an old European cathedral, built to protect wealth that had survived generations. Polished marble floors reflected the warm glow of crystal chandeliers, while towering limestone pillars stretched toward vaulted ceilings. Every door was reinforced, every window bulletproof. I sat in the executive lounge, leaning back against a leather chair that did little to ease the ache in my body. My left shoulder and right collarbone were wrapped tightly beneath my heavy wool coat, each movement reminding me of the bullets Ciara had put into me. The doctors had patched me together, but healing wasn't as simple as stitching flesh. Every breath sent a dull burn through my chest.Oddly enough, the pain barely registered anymore.For the first time in two days, my mind wasn't consumed by fear.Louis had called less than an hour earlier with news that had dr

MATHEW The federal courtroom in Zurich felt cold, dark mahogany walls surrounded the room, swallowing every sound until even breathing seemed too loud. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, muted by thick gray clouds, painting everything in shades of silver. It wasn't warm or comforting. It made the entire room feel like a place where hope came to die.I sat in the front row without moving.The wooden bench dug into my back, but compared to everything else, it barely registered. My left shoulder and right collarbone were still wrapped beneath my tailored charcoal suit. Every breath reminded me they hadn't healed. A sharp ache settled deep into the fractures whenever I inhaled too deeply, forcing me to breathe slowly.Ciara had done that.Two weeks later, my body still carried her mark.Beside me, Carlista sat with perfect posture, her silver hair pulled into a neat knot. She looked as intimidating as ever, but every few minutes her hand drifted unconsciously to her stomach.Eve

MATHEW ​I walked calmly into the strip club. ​I didn’t leave my coat at the door. The heavy, armored wool jacket stayed slung over my shoulders as I moved past the front podium. The bouncer took one look at my face and immediately stepped out of my way.​I hadn’t called Louis. I hadn't tipped off Collins. When the tracking array on my dashboard showed her getting into this place.​"Back corridor," a gravelly voice muttered to my left. It was the manager, a former dock foreman who still owed his maritime security clearance to the Diamond estate. He didn't look me in the eye. He just pointed a scarred finger toward a heavy, padded door marked Private Lounge 4. "She told the girls to clear out. She’s alone, Mathew. She’s been in there twenty minutes."​I didn't thank him. My leather boots left damp, dark tracks on the industrial carpet as I strode down the narrow hallway. The muffled, rhythmic thumping of the main stage music grew more distorted, turning into a dull, aggressive heartbe

MATHEW The leather couch in that rundown club felt stiff beneath my back when I opened my eyes.For a second, I didn't know where I was.The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the neon sign outside. The red light spilled through the frosted window, painting everything in tired shades of red. My head pounded, my muscles ached, and the smell of Ciara still clung to my skin..rain, whiskey, eucalyptus, and something that had always belonged only to her.I sat up.Her jacket lay on the floor.The spare shirt she'd packed was gone.So was she."Damn it."I scrubbed both hands over my face before standing. Every joint protested. My shoulder was stiff where she'd slammed me into the mirror earlier, and fresh scratches burned across my neck.She had waited until I finally relaxed.Then she disappeared without waking me.I couldn't even decide whether to be furious or impressed.Probably both.By the time I reached the security wing of the North Shore estate nearly forty minutes later,