All Chapters of OWNED IN THE DARK: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

70 Chapters

CHAPTER 31: NEGOTIATION

MATHEW "Why the hell is she doing this again looking all gorgeous in a yellow dress with flawless skin while meeting a stranger?" I complainLouis chuckled "She's meeting with one of her company's investors who happens to be a billionaire and investigating her uncle's influence within the company."To anyone else in the room, I was just the quiet, brooding head of security, keeping an ear communication line open to Louis in the lobby. To the woman sitting at Table Four, I was the ghost who held her in the dark when the lights were out. She smiled at the man across from her.That man was Kenneth Wane—no relation to her uncle’s side, but a billionaire venture capitalist from the Swiss faction. He was the golden key to her company's technology funding. He was laughing at something she had just said, his hands gesturing smoothly over a plate of truffle tartlets."Oh I feel so bad for him," Louis’s voice crackled softly through my hidden earpiece. "Kenneth’s internal servers just cleare

CHAPTER 32: SHOWDOWN

MATHEWThe underground gym in Bethnal Green smelled like faint dust. The fluorescent tubes overhead flashed like a nest of hornets, casting a flickering, yellow light over the rusted chain-link fence that served as our ring.I stood in the corner, my bare back pressed against the turnbuckle, slowly wrapping the black linen tape around my left knuckles. My three cracked ribs from the Shoreditch fight flared sharp every time I took a deep breath, but the physical sting was a dull, rhythmic reminder that I was still alive. It was predictable. It followed the rules of impact and recovery."You're not focused, mate," Louis’s voice muttered from the apron. He was leaning against the steel post, his crisp Mayfair suit completely out of place among the grease and the grease-monkeys. He was cutting a strip of adhesive tape with his teeth, his sharp eyes scanning my face. "Your alignment is off by two inches on the left stance. If you let this giant catch you on the liver, the Swiss trip is ca

CHAPTER 33: INTERVIEW

CIARAThe following morning, I buried myself in work.It was either that or spend the entire day thinking about Mathew then overthinking things and I refused to do that."You're glaring at your laptop again."I looked up to find Carlista standing in my office doorway with a tablet tucked under her arm."I'm not glaring.""You absolutely are.""I'm reviewing reports.""With murder in your eyes."I sighed.Carlista smirked.That woman enjoyed irritating me far too much."The interviews start in ten minutes," she said."Oh..thank goodness.""Thank goodness?" she repeated. "You've rejected twenty-three candidates.""Twenty-one.""Twenty-three.""Two withdrew.""They withdrew because you terrified them."I shrugged."If they can't survive an interview, they can't survive this company or me."Carlista laughed."Come on, dictator. The next victim is waiting."I stood and grabbed my notebook."Let's go."The conference room was already prepared when we arrived.A long glass table dominated th

CHAPTER 34: SECRETARY FROM HELL

MATHEWI had broken men's jaws for less than what this woman was doing to me at this very moment."Move."The woman standing in front of the private elevator didn't even blink."No."I stared at her.She stared right back.For a brief moment, I wondered if Ciara had secretly started hiring retired assassins.The woman folded her arms.I checked the plaque on the reception desk.Mary Thompson.The new secretary.Louis had mentioned her during the drive over.Apparently, Ciara had hired her less than an hour ago.That should have been my first warning."You're standing in front of my elevator," I said."No."My eye twitched."No?""No."She pointed toward the brass plaque beside the elevator."That elevator belongs to Horizon Holdings which is Miss Ciara’s property."I looked at the plaque.I looked back at her.Then I smiled."Correct.""Ciara belongs to me."Mary's expression didn't change.Not even slightly."That's not how ownership works."I laughed.The receptionist behind the des

CHAPTER 35: THE RIDE

CIARAThe silence in the elevator is uncomfortable and bothersome. The transaction logs were clear: the syndicate was closing in on our son’s home location despite all we did to keep him safe.My son.... Our son.The world thought Mathew was just the stoic, brooding fighter and billionaire playboy then they thought he was an asset I threw at corporate disputes. Nobody knew about his crazy obsession tò the woman I became, nobody knew that the child with Mathew’s dark, hyper-vigilant eyes was currently tucked away behind a triple-layered security detail because his existence would tear the lots of empires to pieces."We need to move him," I said, my voice dropping into that flat, icy register as I stared out the floor-to-ceiling glass at the London skyline. My reading glasses were gripped tightly in my right hand. "If the Swiss faction has the encryption keys, Richmond isn't safe past midnight. We move him to the safehouse in Shoreditch.""The Shoreditch house isn't ready, Ciara and why

CHAPTER 36: BAT SHIT

CIARAThe underground garage was unusually quiet and altogether weird the next day.The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped out first, scanning the concrete levels with concern.I adjusted my blazer and followed."Where's Carlista?" I asked."She's somewhere around." Mary responded.Her phone was halfway to her ear when it rang.She frowned."Carlista."A pause.Then her expression hardened."Repeat that."I immediately stopped walking."What is it?"Mary listened for another few seconds.Then she lowered the phone."We have a problem."I laughed humorlessly."That's becoming the slogan of my life.""Maggie is somewhere here.""Why?"“I have no idea."My stomach tightened."Now?""Now."I hated the answer before she even finished speaking."We leave together maam just ignore her.""Let's hope she behaves.""Hopefully.""Ciara—""No."Before either of us could continue, another elevator opened.Carlista stepped out carrying three folders and a coffee she probably forgot existed.Sh

CHAPTER 37: PSYCHO ON THE LOSE

MATHEWBy the time Louis and I reached Ciara's company underground garage, I already knew something had gone wrong.The security team wasn't moving normally.Half the employees were standing around pretending not to stare.The other half were staring openly."Why is everyone gathered?" Louis asked.I loosened my tie."Because Ciara is involved.""Fair point."We rounded the concrete corner.Then I stopped."What the hell..."Louis looked beside me.Then burst out laughing."Don't.""I'm trying.""Louis.""I'm trying very hard."The red luxury car in front of us looked like it had lost a fight against a demolition crew.The windshield was gone.The mirrors were gone.The hood looked folded.Glass covered half the garage floor."What happened?" I asked.Carlista raised her coffee."Good afternoon.""What happened?"She pointed toward Ciara."My bestie, your babymama is batshit crazy"I looked at Ciara.She stood beside Mary with her arms folded.Completely composed.The woman looked lik

CHAPTER 38: BANG

CIARA"The safehouse was burnt to the ground with people still in it."Louis's words echoed through the garage.I tightened my hold on Adam."No," I whispered.Adam immediately sensed my distress.His little arms wrapped around my neck."Mama?"My heart shattered.I kissed his forehead."It's okay, baby."It wasn't okay.Nothing was okay.Mathew's face had gone completely blank.That terrified me more than anger ever could.When Mathew got angry, he shouted.When Mathew got scared, he became silent and right now he looked terrifyingly silent."Who was inside?" he asked.Louis shook his head."We don't know yet.""Find out.""I'm already trying."Thomas looked pale.Even Maggie had stopped talking.The gravity of the situation had finally penetrated her drama-filled bubble.Then I heard it.A metallic clang somewhere behind us.Mary heard it too.Her entire body stiffened."Everybody down."The command came so suddenly that several people jumped."What?" Carlista asked.Mary was alread

CHAPTER 39: NEW HOME

CIARAThe drive to Mathew's mansion was unusually quiet.Adam sat between Mathew and me in the armored SUV.His small hands clutched a stuffed dinosaur.For once, he wasn't talking.That scared me more than anything.Normally, Adam asked a thousand questions an hour.Now he sat quietly staring out the tinted window.Finally, after twenty minutes, he spoke."Mama?""Yes, baby?""Are bad men real?"The question hit me like a punch.Mathew looked away.I swallowed."Sometimes."Adam frowned."Like in cartoons?""No.""Worse?"I brushed my fingers through his hair."Sometimes."He thought about that.Then he looked at Mathew."Dada?"Mathew immediately softened."Yeah, buddy?""Did the bad men want to hurt Mama?"The vehicle became silent.Mathew answered carefully."They won't get the chance."Adam seemed to consider that."You'll stop them?""Every time."Adam nodded.Apparently satisfied.I wasn't but he was five. He believed in superman.He deserved certainty.Even if the adults aroun

CHAPTER 40: BREAK

CIARA"Mathew," I said softly, my voice losing every bit of its tone.He turned around slowly. The stoic, unreadable mask he wore for the guards, the staff, and the board members was entirely gone. His dark eyes were soft, completely exposed, and fixed on me with a fierce, quiet warmth that always made my chest ache. He rubbed my back softly."You're still shaking," he murmured, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly rasp that was reserved only for me when the doors were locked.He didn't grab me possessively this time. He reached up, his large, calloused thumbs gently wiping away a stray tear I hadn't even realized had escaped my eyes. His touch was incredibly tender, a complete contrast to the fighting champion the world saw."I'm just tired," I whispered, leaning my cheek into his palm, letting myself finally rest against his strength. "I spent the whole day dodging bullets.”"I know," he breathed, his forehead coming down to rest against mine. His breath was warm, smelling fa

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