Chapter 18 The Price Of Power

• Noah couldn’t remember the last time he had felt truly in control. His life, his choices, everything seemed to slip through his fingers the moment Elias entered it. Even as he tried to justify his actions to himself, there was a gnawing emptiness inside him, a hollowness that spread every time he thought about the man who now owned a part of him.
• He tried to push away the truth, but it clung to him like a shadow—he was trapped. There was no denying it anymore. Each encounter with Elias, each fleeting moment of passion and possessiveness, only served to tighten the chains around his heart. The bond between them had become something he couldn’t escape, no matter how much he wanted to.
• It was the following evening when Noah was summoned once again. The message was simple: “Meet me at the penthouse. Now.”
• A part of him wanted to ignore it, wanted to run and disappear into the world where Elias couldn’t reach him. But that part was small, weak, and buried deep down. The truth was, Noah had learned something in the time they’d spent together—something he feared to admit but couldn’t ignore. He was drawn to Elias in ways that terrified him.
• Every part of him wanted to break free, but Elias’s presence, his power, it overwhelmed Noah like a drug. It consumed him.
• Noah arrived at Elias’s penthouse just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the city. The moment he stepped inside, he could feel the change in the air—the weight of Elias’s gaze, the quiet tension that hung between them like a living thing. It was different this time. There was something darker, something more possessive in the air than before.
• Elias was waiting for him by the large windows, staring out at the city below. His silhouette was framed by the dim light of the evening, his figure tall and imposing. He didn’t turn around as Noah entered, but Noah could feel his eyes on him even without looking.
• “Close the door,” Elias commanded, his voice low and commanding.
• Noah obeyed without thinking, the sound of the door clicking shut louder than it should’ve been. He felt as if he were walking into a trap, and he couldn’t help but feel that he was willingly stepping into it.
• When Elias finally turned to face him, there was no warmth in his eyes, no tenderness. Just raw, intense focus.
• “Come here,” he said, his voice brokering no argument.
• Noah hesitated for only a moment, but the fear in his chest kept him from turning away. He moved forward, slowly, as if each step were a silent admission of defeat.
• As he closed the distance between them, Elias took a step forward, towering over him with that signature, overwhelming presence. He reached out, his fingers tracing Noah’s jawline with delicate precision, but the power behind the touch was undeniable. It was as if he were branding Noah with every caress.
• “You’ve been avoiding me,” Elias said quietly, his voice tinged with something dangerous. “But you can’t escape me, Noah. Not anymore. Not after everything we’ve shared.”
• Noah swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. He didn’t know how to respond, didn’t know how to voice the truth he had been too afraid to admit. He had tried to keep a distance, tried to fight it, but it was hopeless. His body responded to Elias’s every move, every touch, as if it were out of his control.
• “I can’t stop thinking about you,” Noah confessed, the words slipping from his lips before he could stop them. He could feel his chest tightening with a mixture of shame and desire. “I hate it, but I can’t stop.”
• Elias’s lips curved into a predatory smile, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. “Good,” he said simply. “Because you won’t be able to stop.”
• Before Noah could respond, Elias’s hands were on him, pulling him closer with an almost inhuman strength. His lips crashed against Noah’s in a kiss that was far from gentle. It was desperate, hungry, as if Elias were trying to consume him whole.
• Noah couldn’t resist. He didn’t want to resist. Every part of him, every instinct screamed for more, for the touch, for the power that Elias had over him. He felt himself melting under Elias’s control, drowning in the feeling of being wanted, of being needed in such a raw, powerful way.
• Elias pulled back for a brief moment, his breath heavy, his eyes dark with desire. “You belong to me now,” he whispered, his voice rough and filled with authority. “And I will make sure you never forget that.”
• Noah’s heart raced, his pulse hammering in his ears. He should’ve been afraid. He should’ve run. But instead, all he could think about was the way Elias made him feel—alive, desired, like nothing else in the world mattered.
• “You have no idea what you’ve done to me,” Noah whispered, his voice raw with emotion. “I can’t… I can’t think straight anymore.”
• Elias’s smile deepened, his hand tracing the line of Noah’s jaw again, his touch sending a shiver down his spine. “That’s the point,” he murmured. “You don’t need to think. Just feel. Just surrender.”
• Noah closed his eyes, fighting the overwhelming wave of emotion and desire that threatened to drown him. Every moment with Elias felt like an addiction—something he couldn’t quit, no matter how much he tried.
• But the price of this power, this passion, was becoming clear. And Noah knew, deep down, that there was no way out. Elias had claimed him in ways that went beyond the physical. He had broken down Noah’s walls, piece by piece, until there was nothing left but the raw need between them. And now, Noah didn’t know who he was anymore. He wasn’t sure if he could even remember who he had been before Elias.
• “Stay with me,” Elias murmured, his voice low and dangerous. “Don’t ever try to leave. You’re mine now, Noah. And you’ll never be free of me.”
• Noah’s body trembled as Elias pulled him closer, his lips trailing down his neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Every inch of his skin felt alive, burning with a need that Noah couldn’t escape.
• He didn’t know what to feel anymore. But one thing was clear: he was drowning in Elias’s world, and there was no going back.
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