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Chapter 18
Huling Na-update:
2024-12-04 16:55:17
Kaugnay na kabanata
Gold & Sand Chapter 19
The beer bottles on the table formed a neat little graveyard, each one marking another step into Matthew’s unraveling night. Masahiro was sitting beside him, arms crossed, his piercing gaze locked on the man before him. He wasn’t drinking, wasn’t even pretending to enjoy himself. Instead, he was watching Matthew with an expression that hovered somewhere between anger and disdain. “You’re a mess,” Masahiro finally said, his voice clipped. “You lost focus, and now we’re wasting time.”Matthew chuckled, low and humorless, tipping his beer bottle toward Masahiro in mock salute. “Relax, Detective. Cassidy’s spilling his guts tomorrow. Mission accomplished.” “That’s not the point.” Masahiro’s voice dropped, cold and sharp. “You’re reckless, and you’re dragging me down with you. You don’t care about anything except whatever feels good in the moment.” Matthew turned in his seat, leaning lazily on the table as he regarded Masahiro with a crooked grin. “You make it sound like such a bad thin
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-04Gold & Sand Chapter 20
It was a bright and cheerful day, an entirely unwelcome to Matthew, who groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. His skull throbbed with the aftermath of a night he'd sooner forget… too many drinks.He rolled onto his stomach, burying his face into the pillow and trying to shut out the world."Morning, sunshine," came Masahiro's unmistakable voice, low and sarcastic. Matthew cracked one eye open and turned his head just enough to see Masahiro sitting at the table. He had a steaming mug of coffee in one hand, and a paperback novel in the other. "Ugh, kill me," Matthew muttered, his voice muffled by the pillow.Masahiro didn't even look up from his book. "I would but cleaning up the mess would ruin my morning."Matthew groaned louder, forcing himself into a semi-upright position."You could at least pretend to care about my suffering.”"I do care. I care that you inflicted this on yourself." Masahiro finally looked at him, his face the perfect balance of amusement and exasperatio
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-05Gold & Sand Chapter 21
Matthew pushed open the door to Whisky and Whimsy; a soft chime of a bell above announced his entrance. It was warm inside, with the mingling scents of coffee and freshly baked pastries, while sunlight streamed in from the large windows to throw golden rays on the rustic wooden furniture.Matthew was the embodiment of cool. Every move he made oozed confidence, though there was a flicker of hesitation in the sharp blue eyes as they scanned the room.Sitting in the corner of the café at a small table, Cassidy lounged as if he owned the place. He had a sly smirk tugged at his lips as he watched Matthew approach."Matthew," Cassidy greeted, rising from his chair.He crossed the space between them in mere strides, moving with fluid grace and silent command. The words died on Matthew's lips as Cassidy reached out, tugging him close."Cass—" Matthew began, but Cassidy hushed him with a kiss, firm and unapologetically possessive.Matthew froze for a split second before melting into it, his mi
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-06Gold & Sand Chapter 22
The door to Masahiro's apartment shut with a finality that echoed through the space that was immaculately clean.Clyde sprang from Matthew´s arms to the couch, stretched out in languid fashion, and promptly made residence with a soft purring noise.“Tsk!” Masahiro saw Clyde sprang onto his spotless couch, fur scattered about like some sort of invading army.The soft purring grated on his nerves, each sound an affront to the spotless sanctuary he called home. His sharp gaze fell to Matthew slouched on the couch, lazily scratching behind the cat's ears as if nothing mattered.´Typical" Masahiro thought, ´…he can't even control his own pet, let alone his life. ´Matthew caught the look and grinned, unaffected. "Relax," he said, his tone oozing false nonchalance. "He won't ruin your shrine to boredom."Masahiro didn't dignify that with a response. His eyes lingered on Clyde a moment longer, as if the cat were a stain on his otherwise pristine world, then he turned on his heel and disappea
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-06Gold & Sand Chapter 23
Masahiro turned his desktop on, the monitor flickered, sending a soft glow around the place. Booming on, Masahiro leaned over and started to go through the stack of papers.Reed's notes were complete: the profile of Damon Callahan, bank transactions, possible crypto angle, all there, methodically laid out. Masahiro's eyes settled on repeated cash withdrawals, irregular amounts, lack of corresponding expenditures. It screamed secrecy, yet the missing pieces gnawed at him.He cast the papers aside and logged in. The screen popped open almost in an instant, and his fingers flew to type the name "Ridley" on the internal police database.The results populated fast, but as Masahiro tried to click into the file, a bright red banner flashed across the top: CONFIDENTIAL. ACCESS RESTRICTED. HUMAN TRAFFICKING DEPARTMENT.Masahiro's brows knitted. "Great," he muttered, leaning back in his chair, and running a hand through his hair. His fingers pressed against his tem
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-07Gold & Sand Chapter 24
Masahiro was sitting at his desk, a sea of papers and case files surrounding him.The door creaked open, and a woman stepped inside.“Excuse me,” she said.Masahiro who was lost reading a file, looked up, seeing the woman getting close.There was something commanding about her presence-the long auburn hair cascading over her shoulders in soft waves, the green eyes alight with intelligence and determination framed by delicate lashes. She was clad in a fitted navy-blue blazer over crisp white blouse and dark trousers that outlined her slender figure. Subdued makeup highlighted her sharp features."You must be Ms. Hawthorne," Masahiro said in surprise. "I didn't expect you so soon."She nodded, "Yes, I was informed you needed assistance with the Ridley case," she replied, her British accent clear and confident. "I'm here to help."Masahiro nodded, intrigued by her swift arrival. "Let's get to it, then. The sooner we fin
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-07Gold & Sand Chapter 25
The car rumbled along the deserted road, heavy hum of the engine filling the silence. The driver, an older officer with gray hair and a calm demeanor, kept his focus on the road ahead. Masahiro sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed, eyes scanning the dark horizon with quiet intensity.Ms. Hawthorne sat in the back, her laptop balanced on her knees, scrolling through notes on Ridley's file, while Matthew sat beside her, fidgeting with the cuffs of his jacket. The silence between them was thick, with the only breaks the occasional tapping of Ms. Hawthorne's keys and the soft hiss of tires against asphalt."How much longer?" Matthew finally asked, his voice strained."Not far now," replied the driver, his tone professional, yet indifferent.Masahiro glanced back over his shoulder. "You okay back there?"Matthew gave a wry smile, but his eyes betrayed how nervous he was. "Define 'okay.'"Ms. Hawthorne lifted her gaze from her opened laptop, he
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-08Gold & Sand Chapter 26
The police briefing room was dimly lit, thick with tension as Masahiro, Matthew, Ms. Hawthorne, Evelyn Carter-head of Human Trafficking Unit, and officer Reed, all sat around a big table. Laid in the middle was the picture of Ridley's back. Under the fluorescent lights, the tattoo shone-an inked jumble of lines, symbols, and jagged shapes that seemed impossible to decipher.Masahiro leaned forward, his finger tracing the contours of the image. "We have to figure this out; if Ridley's back is a message, it's the key to finding the Spiced Cherry or the people behind it.”Evelyn peered closely at the photograph; her brows furrowed in concentration. "Would this really lead us to the Spiced Cherry? This doesn't even look like a map," she questioned, doubt beginning to seep into her tone.Ms. Hawthorne, arms crossed, leaned closer. "Boss, I think you might be right. It's too messy. Why would his friend etch something so crucial on his back? It doesn't make sense.”Matthew had been leaning si
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-08
Pinakabagong kabanata
Gold & Sand Chapter 266
The trial had ended.Not in fire, not in blood. The gallery emptied quickly—reporters scuttling off to feed headlines, spectators trickling out in whispers. The clack of heels and shoes echoed until the room was hollow.Clark didn’t move.He stood beside the defense table, hands flat, jaw tight, staring down at the stack of notes like they might rearrange themselves into something useful.Masahiro was the first to step closer. Matthew followed, quiet for once. Arthur hung back, uncertain."Clark," Masahiro said low. "It was a tough session, but—""You did everything you could," Matthew offered, unusually serious.Clark said nothing.Didn’t blink.Didn’t breathe.Then Adam moved.He stepped in without a word, placed a firm hand on Clark's shoulder. "We should go."Clark exhaled, just a fraction, and stepped away from the table.Adam glanced at the trio like he didn’t need to explain. Like this wasn’t the time.Masahiro unde
Gold & Sand Chapter 265
Two weeks later The courtroom was cold. Sterile. More like a morgue than a chamber of justice.Clark was sitting at the defense table. Navy suit pressed. Tie straight. Glasses low on his nose. The picture of control—except for the death grip on his notes.The courtroom was packed. Press, gallery, sketch artists. Arthur sat in the back, unreadable. Masahiro beside him, arms folded. Matthew leaned in the corner, watching Clark like he was the only thing holding the walls up.And Adam—silent, broad, near the exit—eyes locked on Clark."Court is now in session. The People versus Nathaniel Bishop."The judge’s voice echoed through the chamber, sharp as the crack of a gavel. The courtroom stilled.Across from him, the prosecutor, Diana Halvorsen, stood with calm, dangerous precision. Her heels clicked once on the hardwood as she stepped forward."Your Honor," she began, "the prosecution will revisit the timeline of the incident at the Crayfo
Gold & Sand Chapter 264
The front door clicked shut behind them.Clark walked in first, tossing his blazer over the back of the nearest chair and muttering something about how courtrooms smelled like wood polish and moral decay.Then the light blinked on.He slowed.Not completely—just enough to glance up at the hallway, blinking once. Frowned faintly.Another step.A second light flicked on—this one lower, softer, tracing the path toward the kitchen with a warm, almost deliberate glow.Clark stopped completely. “Okay.”Adam followed behind, setting his keys down. “What.”Clark turned. “That wasn’t there before.”Adam barely looked up. “Good eye.”Clark squinted. “When did this happen?”“While we were out.”Clark took another step. The light above the pantry glowed to life.He turned slowly, then looked at Adam with suspicious narrowing eyes. “You put motion lights in the condo.”Adam shrugged. “Problem?”Clark blinked. “Why?”“You trip in
Gold & Sand Chapter 263
Sophia turned.One stiletto pivot, full fury in motion.“You wanna talk boundaries, lawyer boy?” she snapped, stalking back down the hall. “How about the boundary of not opening your legs in another woman’s seat?”Clark raised a brow, still leaning on the doorframe, mug in hand. “Sweetheart, if your name’s not on it, it’s not your seat.”Sophia stopped in front of him. Close. Too close.“You don’t know him,” she hissed. “You think that drawl and deadpan makes him loyal? You think you’re special?”“I think,” Clark said, smiling thin, “he chose me. Repeatedly. That kinda makes your opinion—” he sipped his coffee “—decorative.”“You think you’re special, huh? Just ‘cause you’ve got cute cheekbones and no pants?”Clark blinked slowly. “You noticed the cheekbones.”“I will slap the freckles off your smug face.”Clark took another sip. “Careful. This mug’s ceramic. You break it, I sue.”Sophia lunged.Adam moved like a goddamn reflex.One hand caught Sophia mid-stride, the other braced agai
Gold & Sand Chapter 262
Sunlight leaked through the blinds, striping the bed in pale gold.Clark stirred first—eyes closed, mouth dry, brain foggy—but something was off.Something heavy.Then he realized.Adam was half on top of him.Not gently.Not lightly.Deadweight.One thick, muscled arm slung across his waist. A bare leg pinning one of his down. Most of Adam’s torso sprawled over his back like a personal avalanche.Clark’s eyes snapped open. “You’re crushing me, Brute.”Adam didn’t move. Just grunted against his shoulder.Clark squirmed. “Move, you oversized bastard, I can’t breathe—”Adam’s voice was low, sleep-rough. “You didn’t complain about my weight last night when I was fuckin’ you.”Clark froze.Completely.Silent.Adam shifted, rolling onto his back with that same lazy, effortless force that made everything he did feel like a warning.The bed creaked.Clark buried his face in the pillow. “I hate you.”“Mm.”“I’m
Gold & Sand Chapter 261
Clark moved like he was born for it—shoulders steady, rhythm unhurried, no wasted motion. No performance, either. Just intent. He didn’t look up again. Didn’t have to. Adam’s fingers gripped the edge of the couch cushion. Jaw tight. Breath controlled—but only just. His other hand rested on Clark’s head, thumb ghosting across the edge of his hairline, until the pressure built. And built. And broke. A sound escaped—low, rough. A grunt, dragged from somewhere deep in Adam’s chest. Sharp and unguarded. He didn’t mean to let it out. Didn’t care that he did. He’d never had a blowjob like this. Not once. He’d had better technique. He’d had hungrier mouths. But this? This was something else. Something personal. Clark didn’t rush. He just worked—methodical, controlled, like he knew exactly what would undo a man like Adam and was counting the seconds to get there. By the time it ended, Adam’s head was tipped back, breath heavy, chest rising slow. Clark stayed there a second long
Gold & Sand Chapter 260
The hospital hallway smelled like antiseptic and low-budget coffee.Clark adjusted his glasses as he pushed open the door to Cassidy’s room, one hand still inside his coat pocket, mind already rehearsing what to say. “Just a quick check-in, nothing—”He stopped short.So did Adam, right behind him.Inside the room, Arthur was sitting on the edge of Cassidy’s hospital bed. One hand tangled in Cassidy’s hair. Their mouths locked in what was clearly not a platonic reunion.Cassidy had one hand behind Arthur’s back, steady, possessive. Like he’d never let him go.Clark blinked.Arthur flinched, pulled back immediately, face flaming red. “I—uh—”Cassidy didn’t flinch at all. He just turned his head slowly toward the door, looking so pleased with himself it was almost a crime.“Oh,” Clark said dryly, “am I interrupting your ‘visitation therapy’ session?”Arthur jumped up, fixing his hair with both hands. “Clark! I—um—we weren’t—”Cassidy smirked
Gold & Sand Chapter 259
Adam woke with a grunt and a twitch of muscle memory. The light leaking in from the curtains was soft and gold, filtered through early haze. Clark was pressed up against him again—warm, relaxed, one hand curled near Adam’s chest like it belonged there.They’d stopped pretending it was a one-time thing.Adam stared at the ceiling for a second, then muttered under his breath, “Shit.”Carefully, he slid out from under Clark’s weight and stood. Cold air hit his bare skin, but he ignored it. He grabbed a towel off the chair, rolled his shoulders once, and headed for the balcony.By the time Clark stirred, Adam had been working out for half an hour—shirtless, glistening slightly, his muscles flexing as he pulled through another set of pushups. The city stretched out behind him, indifferent.Clark blinked at the empty bed. Then looked down at himself.He was only in boxers.Too early for modesty. He stood, padded barefoot across the room, and snagged the nearest
Gold & Sand Chapter 258
Next dayThe apartment was quiet. Too quiet.Adam stepped out of the bathroom, but he froze halfway.Clark was inside his bedroom.Again.Adam blinked once. “You got lost, Harvard?”Clark didn’t even flinch. He was crouched by the dresser, one of the lower drawers already open. He was… putting things in it. Neatly. Folded shirts. Socks.“I needed space,” Clark said, like it was the most logical thing in the world. “Your guest room is tragic. One drawer squeaks, the closet smells like cedar and regret, and I’m pretty sure the bed frame’s older than the Constitution.”Adam crossed his arms. “That don’t explain why you’re touchin’ my shit.”Clark shut the drawer gently. “Relax. I didn’t touch your side.”“I don’t have sides. It’s all my shit.”Clark stood, adjusting his glasses. “Right. Of course. All yours. Including the toothpaste, the whiskey, the Wi-Fi, and half the bed.”Adam stepped forward. “You don’t live here.”Clark tilted his head, eyes innocent. “Could’ve fooled me.”Adam’s j
