Page 80 of Emmy's Ride

His smirk widened. “That,” he said, “can be arranged.”

More guards appeared. We were surrounded. I shoved Emmy behind me, my body coiled like a predator preparing to strike.

The Ghost stood in front of me, pristine in his white suit, completely unfazed by the bloodshed and chaos around us.

“You’ve been a real thorn in my side, Austin,” he said. “Breaking into my home, stealing my property.” His gaze flicked to Emmy. “You have a bad habit of taking what doesn’t belong to you.”

I shifted slightly, positioning myself more fully in front of Emmy, my chest rising and falling with controlled fury. “She was never yours.”

The Ghost chuckled. “Oh, but she was. You just didn’t like how I chose to handle her.”

My vision blurred at the edges, my blood running hot. “Say another fucking word, and I’ll put a bullet between your eyes.”

He sighed, shaking his head as if disappointed. “Always so quick to violence. You and your damn brother both.”

I stilled. Every nerve in my body went taut.

Luke.

The Ghost saw it. The moment I took the bait. And he smiled like a man who had just won the game.

“Ah, now I have your attention.”

He took a step forward, completely unafraid, like my gun wasn’t aimed directly at his heart. “You’ve been so busy looking for your little fuck toy here, you never stopped to think.” He tilted his head. “Why did Luke really disappear?”

“Don’t,” I growled.

“Oh, come now.” The Ghost tsked. “You’ve figured out by now that he was working for me, haven’t you?” He paused, then sighed dramatically. “Well, working against me, really.”

I had suspected Luke had gone undercover to find Riot’s sister, but if The Ghost knew that, then?—

“Where is he?” I demanded.

The Ghost smirked. “Alive.”

Relief slammed into me until he added, “For now.”

I lunged, dropping my gun, as a gunshot cracked the night. I dodged left, shoving Emmy down as a bullet whizzed past my ear. Riot and Tank fired back, and immediately gunfire rang out all through the courtyard. I yanked Emmy to her feet, gripping her hand so tight I was sure it bruised. “Stay low. Stay with me.”

She nodded, eyes wide but determined.

Riot took out a guard to our left, grabbing his rifle and tossing it to me. I caught it in one hand and spun, firing off three quick shots.

The Ghost ducked behind the Escalade, barking orders. “Take the girl alive!”

“Like hell you will.” I swung the rifle around, aiming for the tires of the Escalade, blowing them out in a burst of shrapnel and rubber.

Tank and Riot were pushing forward, cutting through the guards, but more were coming. Too many.

“Backup’s here,” Jax said in my ear. “Get to the extraction point now!”

I grabbed Emmy’s waist and hauled her against me and picked up my handgun. “We need to move!”

We ran as bullets rained down, hitting stone, glass—everything but us. The second we rounded the corner, I saw them—the bikes. Riot was already swinging onto one, and Tank was gunning down the last guards by the courtyard entrance.

I lifted Emmy onto the seat behind me. “Hold on.”

With no time to spare, she locked her arms around my waist as I revved the engine and took off. The moment we hit the main road, black SUVs peeled out behind us.

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