All Chapters of Caught by the Billionaire: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Half an hour later, the door to the club swung open, and I stepped inside, the scent of leather and the faint hint of sweat greeting me like an old friend. I had dressed in the outfit Alex had provided for me—a short black dress that hugged my curves and a pair of heels that made me feel both powerful and vulnerable. The contrast of the weekday silence and the night's cacophony was stark, but I was ready to embrace the role of hostess.The bar gleamed under the soft lights, and the bondage furniture that had been the center of so much drama was now shrouded in velvet covers, waiting patiently for the night's entertainment to begin. I took my place behind the counter, smoothing down my dress and checking my reflection in the mirror. The woman who stared back at me was a stranger, a mask hiding the confusion and anger that roiled within.Members began to trickle in, the low murmur of their conversations filling the space. They greeted me with nods and smiles, and I returned the gestures

The weight of Alex's gratitude was a heavy burden to carry, but I felt a strange kinship with him in that moment. We were both haunted by our pasts, trying to navigate a future fraught with danger and uncertainty.Alex followed me out into the hallway. "I'm hungry, how about you?"I nodded, the tension around us dissipating slightly. "I could eat," I admitted.Alex gave me a ghost of a smile. "Good. I know a place. It's a little dive, but they make the best beignets in the city."~~We left the mansion, the warmth of the early morning sun a stark contrast to the chill inside the club. The scent of the city woke me up as we walked the quiet streets of New Orleans. The wrought-iron balconies of the French Quarter cast intricate shadows on the cobblestone, and the distant sound of jazz floated through the air. It was a world away from the hedonistic cocoon we'd just stepped out of.As we sat in the tiny café, surrounded by the locals who were already deep into their café au lait and warm,

~Alex~I watched as Elysia entered the warehouse. Had I lost my fucking mind? What the hell was I thinking? She was basically an infant in this cut-throat world I had introduced her too, and I was throwing her to the fucking wolves. But, I soothed my frayed nerves with the thought, she had insisted. A rebellious light had shown from her eyes, and I hadn't been able to refuse."Remember, I'll be right outside," I'd murmured. "If you need anything, just call."That was an utterly ridiculous thing to have told her, I realized now. If she was in trouble, the last thing she needed to do was get on the freaking phone!To my words, she'd replied, "Got it." Her voice had been steady, and I'd had to admire the steel in her spine. She was a damn quick learner, and I was starting to see there was potential in her that was far beyond my initial intent for her.As I waited, the seconds ticked by, feeling more like hours than minutes, each tick seemed to take longer than the last. I paced outside

I suddenly found myself being propelled backward, my back hitting the brick of the wall directly behind me. Alex's lips crashed down on mine. Hungry and possessive. "You're too fucking young for me, but God you make me burn," he murmured against my skin, his teeth grazing my ear.My body responded despite the anger, my heart racing as his hand traveled up my side, his thumb brushing the side of my breast. The smell of whiskey and sweat clung to him like a second skin.He pulled away, his eyes searching my face for something, but I couldn't tell what. "Why do you make me want to lose control?" he whispered, his breath hot on my cheek.I looked up at him, my eyes filled with confusion and hurt. "Why do you keep pushing me away?""Because if I don't, I'll fuck everything up," he said, his voice strained. "You're a part of this now, whether you like it or not. And Hartwell won't stop until he has you.""But why me?" I asked, my voice shaking."Because you're the only one who's ever made m

Hartwell was a slippery fish. He slithered out of his chair, knocking it back with a clatter. "You think you have me?" he laughed, a sound that made my skin crawl. "You're just two kids playing in the big leagues."The room went still, the air thick with tension. I could feel the anticipation, the desire for blood, pulsating in the air. But Hartwell was right. He had slipped through our grasp again, leaving us with nothing but a trail of breadcrumbs leading to nowhere."You're going to regret this," he said, his voice low and deadly. "You've no idea what you're dealing with."Alex stepped closer to Hartwell, his hand on the knife tucked into the back of my slacks. "Is that a threat, Mayor?"He sneered, his eyes on the knife. "Just a promise," he said, and then he was gone, the door slamming shut behind him.The room was left in silence, the echo of his words ringing in our ears. Alex looked at me, his eyes filled with a rage that mirrored my own. "We're not done with him," he said, hi