Chapter 22 Tangled Lies

• Noah hadn’t seen Elias in two days. He spent his time alone, pacing the penthouse like a caged animal, haunted by the events that had unfolded. Elias’s words echoed in his mind, each repetition burning deeper into his soul. “You’re mine.” The phrase didn’t just linger; it had rooted itself in him, spreading like wildfire through his veins. He wanted to ignore it, wanted to fight back, but something about the way Elias said it—so calm, so assured—had taken away any semblance of resistance.
• But today, Noah couldn’t escape the feeling that something was about to change. The air felt charged, thick with anticipation. He was sitting on the edge of the couch, nervously tapping his fingers against the armrest when the elevator dinged. His heart skipped, and he stood up too quickly, his pulse racing. He knew it was Elias.
• The door opened, and there he was. Elias stepped inside with his usual confident stride, the sharp scent of his cologne filling the room. He wore his usual suit, but there was something different about him today. His jaw was clenched, his eyes narrowed with a storm of emotions Noah couldn’t quite decipher.
• “Elias…” Noah breathed, barely able to find his voice. He hadn’t expected to see him so soon, and the sudden surge of emotions was almost overwhelming. Part of him wanted to turn away, to shut him out, but another part—one he couldn’t ignore—yearned for his presence.
• Elias’s eyes locked onto him, his gaze sharp, calculating. “We need to talk.”
• Noah’s heart raced in his chest. His mind was already preparing for the worst. Elias had never come to him with good news, and the cold, dangerous edge in his voice only confirmed that something was about to happen.
• “Talk about what?” Noah asked, trying to keep his voice steady, even though his insides were a mess of nerves and doubt.
• “You’ve been avoiding me,” Elias said, his voice laced with a coldness that made Noah shiver. “You think you can shut me out, but that’s not how this works, Noah.”
• “I’m not avoiding you,” Noah snapped back before he could stop himself. His hands balled into fists at his sides, his chest tightening with frustration. “You don’t get to just—”
• “You’re mine, Noah,” Elias interrupted, his voice low but commanding. “And you will never get away from me. Not now, not ever.”
• The words sent a chill down Noah’s spine. He wanted to deny it, to argue, but something in Elias’s eyes silenced him. There was a certainty there that left no room for doubt. It was as if Noah had already been claimed, marked in a way he couldn’t erase.
• “Stop it,” Noah whispered, his voice breaking slightly. He hated how weak he sounded, how helpless he felt. “Just stop. I don’t want this.”
• Elias took a step forward, his eyes softening just a fraction. “You don’t want this?” He reached out, his fingers brushing against Noah’s cheek in a slow, deliberate motion. “But you need me, Noah. You always have.”
• Noah’s breath caught in his throat as Elias’s touch sent a shock of warmth through his body. He couldn’t deny the way his skin reacted to Elias, how his pulse quickened every time their bodies were near. He hated that it felt so natural, so consuming. But it also terrified him.
• “You don’t get it,” Noah muttered, pulling away from Elias’s touch. His heart was pounding, his thoughts jumbled. “You’ve… you’ve turned everything into a game. You’re manipulating me.”
• Elias’s lips curled into a smirk, his eyes darkening with amusement. “You still think it’s a game?” he asked, his voice tinged with an edge of mockery. “This isn’t a game, Noah. It’s reality. And you’re mine. Every piece of you belongs to me.”
• “No,” Noah spat, his frustration boiling over. “I don’t belong to anyone. Not you.”
• The words hung in the air between them, thick with tension. Elias stood still for a moment, watching him with an unreadable expression. Then, without a word, he closed the distance between them, his hand gripping the back of Noah’s neck in a firm hold.
• “You say that now,” Elias murmured, his voice low and dangerous, “but I can see it in your eyes. You want me, Noah. You crave me. You always have.”
• Noah felt his breath catch in his throat as Elias’s lips brushed against his ear, his warm breath sending shivers down his spine. He wanted to pull away, to fight back, but the pull between them was undeniable. Every part of him was screaming to escape, but at the same time, every part of him wanted to give in, to surrender to the heat, the need, that Elias had ignited in him.
• “You’re mine,” Elias repeated, his voice soft but laced with a possessive certainty that left no room for argument.
• Noah closed his eyes, his body trembling under Elias’s grip. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his thoughts scattered, unable to focus. He hated this feeling—the helplessness, the need that was consuming him.
• “Why do you do this to me?” Noah whispered, his voice barely audible. “Why do you make me want you?”
• Elias’s fingers tightened slightly, pulling Noah closer. His eyes glimmered with something dark and dangerous. “Because I know you better than anyone, Noah,” he said, his voice low and steady. “I know what you need, even if you don’t. And you need me.”
• Noah’s world seemed to shift with those words, and for a moment, everything went silent. He felt as if he were drowning in Elias’s presence, consumed by the weight of his touch, the intensity of his words. The need for escape was still there, but now it felt far away, replaced by something far more dangerous—desire.
• Elias’s hand slid down to Noah’s waist, his thumb brushing against the fabric of his shirt in a slow, deliberate motion. “You’re mine,” Elias repeated, his voice like a promise, a claim.
• Noah’s mind screamed to break free, to fight back, but his body betrayed him. He could feel his heart racing, his body responding to Elias in ways he couldn’t control. And in that moment, Noah knew: no matter how much he fought it, no matter how much he wanted to run, Elias had already won.
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