Início / Romance / CLAIMED IN THE DARK / Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

Todos os capítulos de CLAIMED IN THE DARK : Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

102 Capítulos

Chapter 1

The first thing Eli noticed was the taste of blood in his mouth.His head throbbed like someone had taken a sledgehammer to his skull. He tried to move, but thick zip ties bit into his wrists behind his back, and his ankles were bound so tightly his feet had gone numb. A rough cloth blindfold pressed against his eyes, soaking up the cold sweat on his face. The floor beneath him vibrated metal, rumbling. A van.*Fuck.*Memory slammed into him in fragments. The meeting with Marco. The warehouse. His brother’s cold smile right before everything went black.“Relax, little brother. This is for the family.”Eli’s stomach twisted. Marco had sold him out. His own blood. The realization burned hotter than the pain in his ribs where someone had clearly kicked him while he was unconscious.He tested the restraints again, twisting his wrists until the plastic cut into his skin. No give. The van hit a pothole and his shoulder slammed against the ridged floor, drawing a sharp hiss from between his

Chapter 2

Eli couldn’t look away.Cove Voss stood barely three feet in front of him, larger than life and twice as terrifying in person. The penthouse lights cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the ruthless cut of his jaw and the storm-gray eyes that seemed to strip Eli bare without mercy. Up close, the man was even more imposing broad chest straining against the black dress shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal powerful forearms corded with muscle and faint scars. His presence filled the enormous room like smoke, heavy and inescapable.Eli’s wrists ached behind his back, the zip ties digging deeper every time he instinctively pulled against them. His bare feet pressed into the cool marble floor, grounding him even as his mind spun. He forced his breathing to stay even, refusing to let the fear show on his face. But inside, his thoughts were a whirlwind.*This is Cove Voss. The Cove Voss.*He had researched the man for months late nights spent digging through encrypted files, followin

Chapter 3

Eli’s world had vanished.The darkness was absolute no faint glow from the city skyline through the windows, no sliver of light beneath a door, nothing. It pressed against his eyes like a living thing, thick and suffocating. His chest heaved as panic clawed its way up his throat, raw and primal. The zip ties around his wrists dug painfully into his skin as he twisted, trying to find some orientation, some escape from the void.“Cove!” His voice cracked, echoing strangely in the vast penthouse. “Turn the fucking lights on!”Only silence answered at first. Then came the slow, deliberate sound of footsteps. They moved with predatory patience first to his left, then behind him, then vanishing completely. Eli spun toward the last place he’d heard them, his bare feet sliding on the cool marble. Without sight, every sound was amplified: the frantic thud of his own heartbeat, the ragged pull of his breathing, the faint rustle of his torn hoodie.“You’re hyperventilating,” Cove’s voice slid th

Chapter 4

Eli woke to sunlight.For one disorienting moment, he thought the entire nightmare had been just that a nightmare. But the ache in his wrists, the soreness in his shoulders, and the faint bruises blooming across his skin told a different story. He bolted upright in the massive bed, heart hammering, eyes darting wildly around the room.This wasn’t his apartment. This wasn’t anywhere he recognized.The bedroom was enormous and obscenely luxurious. Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated one wall, revealing a breathtaking view of the city skyline glittering under the morning sun. The bed beneath him was king-sized, draped in black silk sheets that felt sinfully soft against his bare skin. He was still wearing his torn hoodie and jeans from the night before, but someone had removed his socks and cleaned the blood from his face and hands.Cove.The name sent a fresh spike of adrenaline through Eli’s veins. Memories from the darkness crashed over him the blindfold coming off, those storm-gray ey

Chapter 5

Cove leaned back in his chair, watching Eli with those sharp gray eyes. The breakfast tray sat between them like some twisted peace offering. Eli picked up the fork but didn’t eat. He wasn’t about to play along that easily. “These rules,” Eli said, voice flat. “You really think I’m just going to follow them?” Cove’s expression didn’t change. “You don’t have a choice. Rule one: you stay inside this penthouse. No leaving. No trying to contact anyone. The whole place is locked down. Phones, internet, everything goes through me.” Eli let out a bitter laugh. “So I’m your prisoner. Nice. Real original.” “You’re mine,” Cove corrected calmly. “There’s a difference. Rule two: you speak to me with respect. I won’t tolerate constant attitude.” &ld

Chapter 6

Cove’s grip on Eli’s jaw stayed firm, their faces so close that Eli could feel the other man’s steady breath against his skin. The wall pressed cold and hard into Eli’s back. “You’ve got a mouth on you,” Cove said quietly. “That’s going to get you in trouble.” Eli stared straight into those gray eyes, refusing to look away. “Let go of me. Now.” Cove held him there for a few more seconds, then slowly released his jaw. He stepped back just enough for Eli to breathe, but not enough to feel free. “You smell like fear and dried blood,” Cove said. “You’re going to shower.” Eli wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m not doing anything you tell me to do.” “You will,” Cove replied. “Or I’ll drag you in t

Chapter 7

Cove reached for the shower door handle and pulled it open. Eli clutched the towel tighter around his waist. “Don’t you dare come in here.” “I’m not,” Cove said. “But you’re done hiding. Dry off and get dressed. Dinner is ready.” Eli stared at him. “I’m not eating with you.” “You are,” Cove replied, voice flat. “Put on the clothes I left on the bed. I’ll wait outside.” Eli didn’t move. “This is crazy. You can’t just order me around like I’m your damn servant.” Cove turned and walked out of the bathroom. “Five minutes. If you’re not at the table, I’ll come back and carry you there. Naked.” Eli cursed under his breath. He dried off quickly and went into the bedroom. Fresh b

Chapter 8

Eli’s heart stopped. “You’re a hacker, Eli. A damn good one. You’ve been digging into my systems for the last four months.” Eli dropped his fork. It clattered loudly on the plate. “What did you just say?” Cove leaned back in his chair, calm as ever. “You heard me. Don’t bother lying. I know everything.” Eli’s mouth went dry. “You’re wrong. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cove shook his head slowly. “Four months ago you started poking around my offshore accounts. Then you tried the encrypted files on the weapons shipments. You’re careful, but not careful enough. I let you dig because it amused me.” Eli pushed his chair back. “This is crazy. You’re making shit up so you can justify keeping me here.”&n

Chapter 9

Cove stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching Eli sob into the pillow. Eli looked up, his face wet with tears, breathing fast and broken. “Cove…?” Cove didn’t move at first. He just stared. “Please,” Eli choked out. “The light… I can’t… I can’t breathe.” Cove let out a long breath and finally stepped inside. “Calm down. You’re making this worse.” “I can’t calm down!” Eli cried. “It’s too dark. The lamp broke and everything went dark again. I keep seeing the closet. Marco locked me in when I was a kid. I hate it. I hate the dark so much.” Cove walked closer to the bed. “It’s just a room, Eli. There’s nothing here that can hurt you.” “You don’t get it,” E

Chapter 10

“Don’t leave,” Eli whispered. Cove stopped halfway to the door. He stood there for a long moment, back still turned. “Please,” Eli added, voice rough from crying. “Just a little longer. I’m still shaking.” Cove turned around slowly. “I’m not your babysitter, Eli.” “I know,” Eli said. “But right now you’re all I’ve got. Stay until I fall asleep. That’s it.” Cove rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re asking for a lot after calling me every name in the book earlier.” “I was scared,” Eli replied. “Still am. Just… sit down. Please.” Cove hesitated, then walked back to the bed and sat on the edge again. “Five minutes. That’s all.” “T

ANTERIOR

...

PRÓXIMO

ESCANEIE O CÓDIGO PARA LER NO APP

DMCA.com Protection Status