Page 69 of Emmy's Ride

The silence after my defiance was worse than the man’s taunts. I sat rigid on the bed, heart pounding, hands fisted in the sheets as I waited for my punishment. The cameras’ red lights blinked in the shadowy room, a cruel reminder that I was never truly alone.

Minutes passed. Maybe an hour. Could have been longer as I had no way of telling. My stomach twisted with anticipation, but nothing happened. No retribution. No further commands. I forced myself to breathe. Stay strong.

Then the door unlocked with a soft click.

I barely had time to react before it swung open, revealing the man from before—The Ghost’s second-in-command.

Again, he stared at me with that sick, hungry gaze. His eyes darkened as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

“Boss isn’t happy with you,” he murmured.

“Good.”

He smirked. “I like a fighter.”

I stiffened as he moved closer. He wasn’t as tall as Austin, but he was strong. Lean muscle beneath a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up, exposing forearms covered in tattoos. His dark hair was slicked back, and his lips curled in a way that made me feel sick.

“I don’t know what you think is going to happen,” I said, forcing steel into my voice. “But Austin will come for me.”

The man chuckled, stepping even closer.

“You’re beautiful when you’re scared,” he said, reaching out.

I flinched away.

He grinned. “You think your biker is coming to save you? Maybe. Maybe not. But you? You belong to theRey de la Oscuridadnow.”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat. My Spanish wasn’t that good, but I roughly translated that to mean I belonged to the King of Darkness. “What do you want?”

His eyes flicked over my body, lust obvious in them. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

I forced myself not to tremble. “What’s your name?”

He tilted his head. “Trying to humanize me,muñeca?”

I said nothing.

After a moment, he smiled, slow and cruel. “Call me Javier.”

Javier. I memorized it. Names were power.

And if I ever got the chance, I would use his against him.

Javier left me alone with a sandwich and a bottle of water, but I felt his presence outside the door. He was waiting, watching, like a predator circling its prey.

I was starving. I couldn’t even remember the last time I ate. I realized I was getting weaker; that was probably their goal. I forced myself to eat the sandwich and drink the entire bottle of water, and then I paced the room, trying to think. Trying to plan.

The speaker crackled yet again. “Still stubborn, I see.”

I didn’t respond.

A chuckle. “Javier will take care of that soon.”

Then… something worse.

“I have another gift for you,muñeca.You may like this one better than the last.”

The door opened. Javier stepped inside, holding a tablet. He turned the screen toward me. And my blood turned to ice.

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