All Chapters of CLAIMED IN THE DARK : Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

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

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

 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