All Chapters of CLAIMED IN THE DARK : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Cove's jaw tightened. "How bad is it?" Lena stepped further into the room, glancing at Eli again. Her expression was hard to read—concern mixed with something sharper, like she was already calculating the odds. "Bad. Marco's been meeting with the old families. He's promising them territory if they help him take you down. He's saying you kidnapped his baby brother and he's coming to 'rescue' him." Eli sat up straighter. "He's lying. He gave me to you himself. I was there. I heard him." Lena raised an eyebrow. "Of course he's lying. But it's a good story. People are listening." Cove stood up, his posture shifting from the relaxed intimacy of moments before into something harder. "What else?" "He's gathering more guns," Lena said. "Not just his usual crew. He reached out to the Southside guys and even some of the guys who used to work for your dad. He's offering big money." Cove started pacing, his footsteps measured. "He doesn't have that kind of money right now. Where's he getting

Eli stared straight into his eyes. “Why did you really take me, Cove? Not the debt story. Not the ‘your brother offered’ story. The real reason?” Cove looked at him for a long moment, then stood up and walked to the window. He kept his back turned. “Cove,” Eli pressed. “Answer me.” Cove stayed quiet. Eli got up and followed him. “You can’t keep doing this. You tell me my brother wanted me dead, you hold me when I panic, you act like you care, but you won’t give me one straight answer?” Cove turned around slowly. “Some things are better left unsaid right now.” Eli crossed his arms. “That’s bullshit. I just found out my own brother planned to kill me. I deserve the truth from you.” Cove stepped closer. “I took you because I wanted you. That’s all you need to know.” Eli shook his head. “That’s not enough. You watched me for two years. You had photos, notes, everything. Why? Why me specifically?” Cove reached out and cupped Eli’s face with one hand. “Because from the first time I

Cove stood up fast. “I told you to leave it alone.” Eli kept staring at the screen. “Why are there files with my name on them? ‘Eli Reyes Protocol’? ‘Long-term Hold’? What the fuck is all this, Cove?” Cove walked around the desk and closed the laptop sharply. “It’s nothing you need to worry about right now.” Eli stood up too, heart racing. “Nothing? My name is all over your encrypted folders. You expect me to just ignore that?” Cove’s phone started ringing. He glanced at the screen and his face changed. “I have to take this. Stay here. Don’t touch anything.” Before Eli could argue, Cove stepped out of the office, phone to his ear. “Lena, talk to me. What happened?” The door stayed open just a crack. Eli could hear Cove’s voice fading down the hallway as he walked further away. Eli looked at the closed laptop, then at the door. His hands were shaking. “This is my chance,” he whispered to himself. “Don’t be stupid, Eli. Don’t be stupid.” He opened the laptop again quickly. The e

 Cove’s eyes were dark with want. “It’s the only answer you’re getting tonight.” Eli stared at him, lips still tingling from the rough kiss. His heart was beating way too fast. “Get off me,” Eli said, voice shaky. “I can’t think when you do that.” Cove stepped back slowly but stayed close. “You don’t need to think right now.” Eli touched his swollen lips. “That’s the problem. Every time I try to get answers, you kiss me or fuck me until I forget what I was asking. It’s not fair.” Cove crossed his arms. “Life isn’t fair.” Eli slid off the desk and moved away from him. “I’m serious, Cove. I feel… things I shouldn’t be feeling. And I hate it.” Cove watched him carefully. “Wh

Cove was breathing hard, staring at the broken monitor like he wanted to smash it again. “Cove!” Eli stepped back, shocked. “Stop! You’re going to break everything in here.” Cove ran a hand through his hair, still tense. “He threatened you. On camera. Laughed about killing you.” Eli looked at the mess on the floor. “Yeah, I heard him. But destroying your stuff isn’t going to fix it.” Cove turned to him. His eyes were still full of anger, but something else was there too. Something tired. Eli took a careful step closer. “Hey. Breathe. You’re scaring me a little.” Cove let out a long breath and sat down heavily in the office chair. “I don’t get scared easily. But when he talks about hurting you… I lose it.” Eli stayed standing. “You