Chapter 16 The Depths Of Desire

• Noah’s mind felt like a tangled mess of confusion and chaos. Every time he thought he had a grip on himself, every time he told himself that he could escape Elias’s hold, his emotions betrayed him. It was a cycle that was beginning to wear him down, leaving him exhausted and lost in a labyrinth of his own desires and fears.
• Elias was always there, lurking in the background, watching him with that predatory gaze. Every time they spoke, every time they crossed paths, Noah could feel the magnetic pull between them. It was a force he couldn’t explain, couldn’t understand. And it was this uncertainty that drove him mad. Because deep down, despite all the anger and fear he felt toward Elias, there was something else—a dangerous, undeniable attraction that he couldn’t shake.
• That attraction had only grown stronger the longer he spent in Elias’s presence. He hated it. He hated that every time Elias touched him, every time their eyes locked, his body reacted in ways that he didn’t want it to. He had told himself time and again that this wasn’t love, that it wasn’t even lust. It was a power struggle. It was possession. But there was something more to it, something darker.
• Noah had been avoiding Elias for the past few days, keeping to himself, staying away from places where they might meet. He knew it wouldn’t last, but he tried to hold onto some semblance of control over his life. He knew that the longer he stayed away from Elias, the more he could convince himself that this was just a fleeting moment. That it would pass. But it never did.
• It was late one evening when his resolve finally shattered. He had been working late at a nearby coffee shop, trying to distract himself from everything else in his life. His hands shook as he scrolled through his phone, the screen lighting up with yet another text from Elias. It was the same as always—short, to the point, and impossible to ignore.
• “I know where you are. Come to me.”
• Noah’s heart pounded as he stared at the message. He wanted to ignore it. He wanted to throw his phone across the room and forget that Elias ever existed. But there was a part of him, a weak and desperate part, that wanted to give in. Wanted to feel the heat of Elias’s touch again, wanted to drown in the depths of the intensity that he brought. He knew that it would destroy him, but that thought only fueled the fire inside him.
• He grabbed his jacket and left the coffee shop without a second thought. He didn’t even know where he was going, but his feet moved as if on their own, driven by the need to be near Elias. He tried to tell himself that this was a mistake, that he was only making things worse for himself, but he couldn’t stop. He was already too far gone.
• The streets were empty, the quiet of the city echoing in his ears. The cool air hit him as he walked, but it did nothing to ease the tension coiled tightly in his chest. He finally reached the building where Elias’s office was, the same towering structure that had once intimidated him, but now it felt oddly familiar. He pressed the button to the elevator, his palms sweating as he waited for it to arrive.
• When the doors opened, Elias was standing there, waiting. The moment their eyes met, Noah felt a rush of heat flood his body. He wanted to turn away, to walk back out, but Elias’s gaze held him captive. There was no escape.
• “I knew you’d come,” Elias said softly, his voice like velvet, smooth and dangerous.
• Noah didn’t respond. His mouth was dry, his heart racing. He stepped inside the elevator, standing as far away from Elias as he could, but it didn’t matter. The space between them felt nonexistent. Every inch of the elevator was filled with the magnetic tension that always existed between them.
• The doors closed, and the elevator began its ascent to the top floor. The silence was suffocating, but it was the kind of silence that only made the anticipation heavier, the pressure building between them.
• As the elevator reached the top, Elias turned to Noah, his gaze dark and intense. “I’ve been patient with you, Noah. But I’m done waiting.”
• Noah’s breath caught in his throat. He could feel the weight of Elias’s words settling over him, and despite every instinct telling him to run, he stood frozen, unable to move. Elias was too close. Too overpowering.
• “I’m not here for you to punish me,” Noah said, his voice barely a whisper.
• Elias’s lips curved into a dark smile, his eyes flickering with something predatory. He reached out, his hand brushing against Noah’s cheek. “You don’t have to be punished, Noah,” he murmured. “You just have to submit. And I’ll take care of the rest.”
• Noah flinched at the touch, but the reaction only seemed to amuse Elias. He closed the distance between them, his body pressing against Noah’s. The heat from Elias’s body was overwhelming, sending a rush of blood to Noah’s head.
• “I’ve wanted this for so long,” Elias whispered, his breath warm against Noah’s ear. “You’ve been running, Noah. But we both know that you can’t hide from me forever. You’ll never be free of me.”
• Noah’s breath hitched as Elias’s hand slid lower, his fingers brushing against the waistband of Noah’s jeans. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through his body, and despite himself, Noah found his pulse quickening, his body betraying him.
• “No...” Noah tried to protest, but the words faltered. Elias’s touch was too intoxicating, too powerful. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. His thoughts were a blur as Elias’s hand continued its slow descent.
• “You’ll learn, Noah,” Elias said, his voice thick with desire. “You’ll learn that the more you fight, the more you’ll want this. And when you give in, when you finally let go, I’ll be right here, waiting for you.”
• Noah’s body was on fire, his mind spinning, but he couldn’t tear himself away. Elias was right. The more he resisted, the more he needed him. It was a dangerous game, one that Noah knew he couldn’t win.
• Elias’s lips met his in a searing kiss, and Noah’s thoughts scattered. There was no going back now.
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