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Chapter 227
Last Updated:
2025-03-14 12:52:01
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Gold & Sand Chapter 228
The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the Holloway Estate—because of course, Emery’s engagement party had to be in some extravagant, high-end venue. The building loomed above them, all shining glass and old money aesthetics, the kind of place where every detail screamed prestige. Expensive cars lined the valet entrance, guests in designer suits and luxury gowns gliding up the steps like they belonged to royalty.Adam let out a low whistle, shifting slightly in his seat. “Fancy.”Clark barely acknowledged him. His fingers were drumming against his thigh, his jaw locked tight. He looked impeccable, as always—tailored suit, crisp shirt, polished shoes, hair styled with precision. He should have looked composed, effortless.But Adam could see the tension in his shoulders.Clark did not want to be here.Adam smirked.“You backin’ out, Moneybags?” Adam drawled, draping an arm casually over the
Last Updated : 2025-03-14Gold & Sand Chapter 229
The meal was decent.Clark had barely tasted it, too busy keeping his posture sharp, his expression unreadable. Adam, on the other hand, ate like a man who didn’t give a shit about the room full of rich people side-eyeing them.Clark had expected whispers, lingering stares—but the real fun started when Nicholas Sinclair, Emery’s fiancé, finally made his way over."Clark," Nicholas greeted smoothly, wine glass in hand, a carefully measured smile tugging at his lips. "I’m so glad you could make it."Clark forced a polite smirk, barely looking up from his plate. `Fuck off, Nicholas.’Adam, still chewing, barely glanced at the man."Nicholas." Clark set his glass down. "Congratulations."Nicholas gave a gracious chuckle, full of fake modesty. "Oh, thank you, really. It’s a new chapter, isn’t it?"Clark resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Nicholas was gloating.And then—he turned to Adam.Clark tensed."I don’t believe we’ve met," Nicholas said
Last Updated : 2025-03-17Gold & Sand Chapter 230
The drive back was quiet.Clark had stopped fussing, his usual sharp tongue dulled by exhaustion. He slumped in the passenger seat, head against the window, fingers idly tapping his knee in a steady rhythm—one-two-three, one-two-three. Adam had seen him do it before. A lawyer’s habit. A man counting the seconds, keeping himself anchored.Adam didn’t speak. Just drove.When they reached Clark’s building, Adam pulled into a stop, cut the engine, and turned toward him."Home, sweet home," he muttered.Clark sighed but didn’t argue. He pushed the door open, stepping out with slow, steady movements, like the world was heavier tonight.Adam followed.Clark didn’t wait. He walked ahead, heading toward the stairs without hesitation. Of course.Adam let out a breath, shaking his head before following.Floor after floor.Clark kept pace. Silent. Focused. Maybe even a little too focused.By the time they reached his door, Adam was ready to dump his a
Last Updated : 2025-03-17Gold & Sand Chapter 231
Clark stirred, his consciousness dragging itself from the depths of a splitting headache. The weight of exhaustion clung to his body, limbs heavy against the cool sheets. His mouth was dry, tasting faintly of whiskey and regret.`What the hell happened last night?’He cracked his eyes open, blinking against the soft light filtering through the sheer curtains. The unfamiliar ceiling above him sent a jolt of confusion through his groggy mind. His brain lagged behind as he tried to piece things together.Hotel. Right.He had asked to come here.His body ached in that overindulged way, a reminder of too much alcohol and not enough food. Clark let out a slow exhale, dragging a hand over his face. His skin was warm, his head pounding, his stomach flipping in protest at the mere thought of movement.And then he saw Adam.The large figure was stretched out on the other bed, still asleep. His breathing was deep and steady, arms crossed over his chest as if even un
Last Updated : 2025-03-18Gold & Sand Chapter 232
Clark didn’t say a word when they stepped into the hotel room.Bag hit the floor with a heavy thud. He moved straight to the minibar like he had one purpose: drown something before it spoke.Adam closed the door behind them with his boot, leaned against it, arms crossed.“Look at you,” Adam muttered. “Straight to the bottle like it’s fuckin’ therapy.”Clark ignored him. Yanked open the minibar, pulled out a half-decent bottle of Glenfiddich, and poured it like his hands weren’t already shaking.Adam pushed off the door, slow. “No ‘thanks for gettin’ me outta that rat trap’? Not even a ‘hey, nice save, criminal scum’?”Clark took a sip, didn’t flinch at the burn. “If I wanted mouth, I’d have stayed in the blackout.”Adam snorted, tossing his jacket over the couch. “You were in the blackout. Power dead. Brain fried. Pride? Fucked.”Clark glanced over the rim of his glass. “You enjoying this?”Adam dropped
Last Updated : 2025-03-24Gold & Sand Chapter 233
The courtroom was a theater, and Clark knew it.Not the overblown, high-drama kind. Not screaming matches or grandstanding.This was colder.Sharper.This was where reputation meant leverage. Where presence was its own kind of weapon. And today, Clark stood center stage with every light on him.He adjusted his cuffs with slow precision, stepped into place before the jury, and met each face without flinching.“Good morning,” he began. Calm. Even. Clean.“This trial will present you with blood, with violence, and with the kind of fear most people are lucky to never know.”The jurors stilled.“You will hear about what Cassidy did. About what Cassidy stopped. And about the lines he crossed to do it.”He let the silence land.“I will not stand here and pretend he’s a saint. That’s not what this is.”Eyes narrowed. Attention sharpened.“But you’ll learn—very quickly—that th
Last Updated : 2025-03-25Gold & Sand Chapter 234
The courtroom resumed with the same weight it had carried before the recess—but now the air felt thicker. Tighter. Every word from the judge landed heavier than before.“All rise,” the bailiff intoned.Clark didn’t bother looking at the prosecutor. He didn’t need to.He had work to do.Witness One: ArthurArthur sat rigid in the stand, hands folded tightly iin his lap. He wore a pale blue shirt that made him look even younger than usual, and his eyes kept flicking toward Cassidy—never quite meeting his gaze.Clark approached slowly, with no notes in hand. He didn’t need them.“State your name for the record.”“Arthur Cooper.”“Arthur, can you tell the court how you came to know the defendant?”Arthur hesitated. “He… he saved me.”Soft murmurs rippled through the gallery.Clark’s tone didn’t change. “Saved you from what?”“I was taken,” Arthur said, voice cracking only once. “Held in a warehouse with other victims. I don’t know how long. We were moved often. Kept in darkness.”“Did Ca
Last Updated : 2025-03-26Gold & Sand Chapter 235
The door clicked shut behind them, soft but final.Clark was the first to move, striding across the room and dropping his file folder onto the table like it had offended him. He didn’t take off his coat. Didn’t loosen his tie. Just leaned forward, both palms on the table, head low.The air felt like it hadn’t been breathed in properly for hours.Masahiro stood near the wall, arms folded, expression unreadable as always. His coat was still buttoned, not a hair out of place, voice low and clipped.“You did well,” he said.Clark didn’t lift his head. “They were the ones who did well.”“Don’t be modest. You controlled the tempo from the moment you stood up,” Masahiro added, voice firm. “Even she couldn’t shake the narrative.”Clark finally straightened. Adjusted his glasses. “She’ll try harder on monday.”“And you’ll handle it,” Masahiro replied simply. “You’re still one of the best in Middlesbrough, whether you’re spiraling or not.”From the corner,
Last Updated : 2025-03-27
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Gold & Sand Chapter 278
The engine rumbled under them, steady and low as Adam turned onto the main road.The ride was quiet at first — just the muted hum of tires over wet asphalt, the occasional creak of the gearshift.Then the radio clicked to life.Low at first.Just background noise.The first drifting chords of "Crazy" by Seal sliding out of the speakers.Clark, half-dozing in the passenger seat, cracked an eye open.He smiled — that slow, rare thing, all crooked teeth and messy hair — and reached for the dial.Turned the volume up.Just a little.Then a little more.Adam cut him a sideways look.Clark didn’t notice.Or maybe he did and just didn't care.He leaned back in the seat, loose and lazy, eyes slipping closed again — mouthing the words, soft and off-key:"We're never gonna survive... unless we get a little..."Adam’s hand tightened around the wheel."You serious right now?" he muttered.Clark didn’t even open his eyes.Just pushed his glasses up with two fingers, hair falling into his forehead
Gold & Sand Chapter 277
The hospital hallway smelled like antiseptic and something tired.Arthur pushed open the door to Cassidy’s room without knocking — he didn’t need to.Cassidy was half-sitting up in the bed, one arm cuffed to the railing, IV line taped to the crook of his elbow. The hospital gown was loose on him, but the smirk was all intact — sharp, crooked, and stubborn as hell.Arthur didn’t even make it two steps before Cassidy snagged him by the front of his jacket and dragged him down into a kiss.Rough. Fast. All teeth and defiance.Arthur made a small sound of protest, more shock than complaint, trying not to jostle the IV. Cassidy didn’t seem to give a damn. His mouth moved against Arthur’s like they had all the time in the world and none of it to waste.Arthur pulled back first, breathless. “You’re cuffed to the bed, you lunatic.”Cassidy grinned, feral. “Doesn’t stop me.”Arthur flushed but didn’t move away. He hesitated — just a second — then reached down,
Gold & Sand Chapter 276
The light through the blinds was thin and grey, slicing across the bed in cold stripes.Adam woke first. Always did.Clark was draped over him like a cat that refused to admit it wanted warmth — face buried near Adam’s shoulder, one hand fisted tight in the front of Adam’s hoodie.Adam stared at the ceiling a beat, jaw tight, before peeling himself away. Clark muttered something in his sleep but didn’t wake, just curled deeper into the stolen hoodie like it was stitched from safety itself. Adam left him there. Gym first. Routine never stopped. By the time Adam came back — sweat cooling under his T-shirt, heart steady — Clark was awake. Barefoot, hair a wreck, and swimming in another one of Adam’s hoodies like he’d been born in it. He padded into the kitchen half-conscious, yawning into his wrist. “Mornin',” Adam muttered, grabbing the coffee pot. Clark just grunted and stole a mug without asking.
Gold & Sand Chapter 275
The apartment door clicked shut behind them.Clark dropped his coat on the entryway bench with an exaggerated sigh and muttered, “I am emotionally exhausted. And not in a sexy, Victorian-tragedy kind of way. I mean in the ‘my feet hurt and my soul’s tired’ kind of way.”Adam, already heading for the kitchen, tossed back, “Then take your heels off, sweetheart.”Clark gave him a long, dry look. “They are Italian leather Oxfords. But yes, thank you, masculine voice of reason.”Adam opened the fridge, grabbed leftover rice, and dumped it unceremoniously into a pan. A beat passed, then the stove clicked to life. Clark wandered in behind him, slower, more graceful, toeing off his shoes like someone doing a product demo.“You’re cooking,” Clark said with a soft note of surprise.“I’m heating shit up.”“For you or for both of us?”Adam didn’t look up. “Depends. You gonna whine the whole time?”Clark leaned against the counter, resting his chin in his hand. “Maybe. Depends. Are you going to be
Gold & Sand Chapter 274
The apartment door shut behind them with a soft click. Masahiro shrugged off his coat and hung it by the door with mechanical efficiency. Matthew kicked his boots off lazily and dropped his keys into the bowl by the counter, same routine as always.Masahiro passed him in the hallway, unbothered. "I’m showering."Matthew nodded, grabbed a soda from the fridge, cracked it open. Silence stretched while the water started running. When Masahiro emerged ten minutes later, hair damp and towel slung around his neck, Matthew was still at the counter, drinking slowly.“We gonna talk about it?” Matthew asked without looking up.Masahiro paused, eyes narrowing slightly. “About what.”“Yumi.” Matthew turned now. Arms folded. Voice calm, but not playful. “How she thinks I sleep in your guest room because of some old undercover job we did. And you let her think that. Still.”Masahiro dried his hands with the towel, avoiding his eyes. “It’s easier.”“Easier for who?”Masahiro didn’t answer.Matthew
Gold & Sand Chapter 273
The restaurant doors swung shut behind them, sealing in the scent of roasted garlic and expensive regret. The parking lot buzzed with leftover heat from the day, a few stray voices in the distance, heels clicking on pavement.Clark walked ahead with Masahiro, steps crisp, back straight, his fingers adjusting his sleeves as if court decorum extended into the streets. Masahiro matched his pace effortlessly—hands tucked into his coat pockets, eyes cold and precise as always."So," Masahiro said without looking at him, "how do you see the trial ending?"Clark didn’t hesitate. "Nathaniel will walk. Probably with a statement read by a trembling clerk and a jury that wants to forget the word 'testimony' for the rest of their lives."Masahiro gave a slow nod. "You're confident.""I'm always confident," Clark replied, the corner of his mouth twitching. "The difference is whether I admit it out loud."Masahiro’s eyes flicked to him, a hint of dry amusement. "You just did."Clark adjusted his gl
Gold & Sand Chapter 272
Matthew didn’t wait for an invitation—just dropped into the chair across from Clark like he owned it.Masahiro sat beside him with all the enthusiasm of a man attending a funeral, pulling out his phone before the chair even touched the floor.Matthew grinned, eyes on Clark. “You two are cute. The bodyguard act? Adorable. But let’s not pretend you’re not fucking like a side plot to a very illegal soap opera.”Clark, unbothered, lifted his wineglass with practiced elegance. “And you’re talking like a man who’s only slept with criminals and delusions.”Matthew’s grin widened. “Facts.”Adam didn’t look up. Just kept eating his burger like nothing in the room concerned him.“Adam’s real quiet today,” Matthew added, leaning his chin on his palm. “All those hickeys drain your vocabulary?”Clark sliced a piece of venison with clean, silent precision. “Some of us have class. Others… wear too much cologne and overshare.”Masahiro didn’t even glance up. “Don’t e
Gold & Sand Chapter 271
The trial day had ended with the defense soaring and the prosecution bleeding.Masahiro, Arthur, and Matthew stood in the hallway, a loose cluster of tension and exhaustion. Arthur clutched a half-empty water bottle, his fingers still shaking from the witness stand. Masahiro stood tall and unreadable, as always.Matthew looked like he’d just come out of a concert—buzzing, amused, and entirely too observant.Clark approached with that predator-still-in-courtroom calm, suit untouched, expression cool. Adam was behind him, one step back, hands in his pockets, saying nothing—like always.“Hell of a show,” Matthew said as Clark joined them. “You made that prosecutor look like she was reciting a grocery list under threat.”Clark only lifted a brow. “She wasn’t worth more than that.”Masahiro gave a nod. “Strong performance.”Arthur murmured, “Nathaniel might actually walk…”Clark nodded slightly. “Let’s not jinx it.”They stood there for a beat.The
Gold & Sand Chapter 270
The door shut behind them with a soft, echoing click.Clark didn’t speak. Neither did Nathaniel.For a long moment, they just stood there in the defense room—alone, away from the murmuring gallery and the jury’s blank stares.Clark finally moved.He set his notes down on the table, reached up, and took off his glasses. Not dramatically. Just… tired.His fingers pressed to the bridge of his nose like he could squeeze the tension out through his skull.Nathaniel watched him.Still in his seat. Back straight. Calm in the way someone learns from spending time around chaos.“You didn’t have to say all that,” Nathaniel said quietly.Clark dropped his hand. Didn’t look at him yet. “Yeah, well. I did.”“You made me sound like a hero.”Clark finally glanced up. The fatigue didn’t soften his tone. “No. I made you sound like a man who didn’t fire a gun.”Nathaniel gave a small, humorless laugh. “Still a lie.”Clark sat down slowly across from
