Page 1 of Sold to the Biker
Chapter One
Leah
Something isn't right.
The words keep ringing in my head as I walk down the long walkway that leads to the back entrance of Harry's enormous estate. I hunch my shoulders, wrapping my arms tightly around my midriff as the night air bites painfully into my skin. I try to think of a reason my uncle would want to see me so suddenly, but I keep drawing blanks. In the thirteen years that I've lived with him, he barely even acknowledges my existence, but tonight he sent his personal bodyguard, Kane, to practically drag me out of bed. It's unlikely he has prepared a surprise birthday trip.
Kane's heavy footsteps echo ominously behind me, amplifying the erratic beating of my heart. Kane is a huge man with monstrous muscles that ripple fearfully with every movement. I call him 'The Hound' in my head. Not really for his massive build but for his blind loyalty to Kane. He seems like the sort of man that’ll kill a person at his master’s command.
A chill runs down my spine at the thought.Wait a minute. Did Harry order Kane to kill me and throw my body into a canal or something??
It wouldn't be far-fetched... I know just how cruel my uncle is. Since I came to live in Harry's estate, I've seen and heard things that are best kept hidden in the deepest recesses of my heart. To the outside world, Harry Forbes is a saint with his philanthropic acts and charity events. The media seems to adore him and he's well on his way to becoming the new mayor of Newark in just a few months.
I wish the world knew what a beast he really is behind closed doors.
We round a corner and up ahead, I see a black sedan with heavily tinted windows. I freeze so suddenly that Kane almost rams into me from behind. He lets out a muffled curse, steadying himself just in time.
“I'm sorry.” I swallow nervously, ignoring the urge to fiddle with the leather necklace nestling beneath my shirt like I always do when I'm nervous. “Where are you taking me?”
“I have no idea, ma’am,” Kane replies in a flat tone that suggests he knows exactly where he's taking me.
“I think you do,” I say, sounding braver than I feel. “Can we do this some other time? It's Christmas Eve.”And my friggin’ birthday!I at least deserve a good night's sleep after a long day of questioning my own existence.
Kane levels his gaze with mine, his face as impassive as ever. “I think you should take that up with the boss, ma'am.”
I square my chin, silently communicating my unwillingness to back down. Kane drops his gaze, his enormous shoulders heaving with an inaudible sigh. “Please, don't make thisunnecessarily difficult, Miss Leah,” he mumbles and for the first time, I hear a hint of frustration in his usually emotionless voice.
Good, at least I'm not making this easy for him.
“Unnecessarily difficult?” I scoff, sounding braver than I feel. I fold my arms over my chest, trying to hide my growing unease. “What exactly does that mean?”
He suddenly grabs my arm, his expression hardening as he tries to pull me forward. I let out a shocked gasp, shrugging his hand away. “What do you think you're doing?!” I snap, glaring into his face.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, not sounding sorry at all. “The boss doesn't like to be kept waiting.”
Of course, God forbid the almighty Harry Forbes doesn't have his way all the time.
I resume walking, forcing one leg in front of the other. My palms are sweaty, my heart beating hard and fast. I try to tell myself that despite Harry's cruelty, he wouldn't hurt the only family he has left.Right?
Finally, we reach the car and Kane reaches around me to pull the door open. Harry is seated in the back, his thin mouth set in a grim line. He looks every inch of the politician he is in a dark blue tailored suit with his shiny dark hair groomed to perfection. He's a decent-looking man, and at fifty-two, he could pass for someone who's ten years younger. Sometimes, I see flashes of my late father in his face, and I wonder if his eyes also looked so… soulless. I was only six when my parents died, so I might be wrong.I hope I am.
“Go on,” Kane says, practically pushing me into the car. He slams the door shut and goes around to the driver's side.
Harry doesn’t say a word as I settle into the seat beside him, the leather cold against my skin. For a moment, the only sound is my shallow breathing and the faint rumble of the engine. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he turns to me, his expression unreadable.
“Leah,” he says, his voice smooth and cold—more like a formality than a greeting.
I swallow, my heart hammering in my chest. His gaze feels like ice, and even though a million questions are swirling in my mind, I can’t bring myself to speak. Instead, I sink deeper into the seat, my silence hanging heavy between us. We soon leave Harry’s estate behind, and the familiar streets give way to long, desolate stretches of road. I glance out the window, trying to make sense of where we’re headed, but all I see is an endless darkness. I can't tell where we are but judging from how long we've been on the move, I suspect we're heading far out of town.
I glance at Harry from the corner of my eye. He sits rigid, staring straight ahead, his face devoid of any emotion. My skin prickles with unease. He’s always been distant but something about him is different tonight, it's almost like he's edgy beneath all that outward calmness.
We continue to drive for what feels like hours until finally, we approach a tall, iron gate in the middle of nowhere. The building beyond it is hidden in shadows, barely visible in the eerie darkness. My breath catches in my throat, my heart beating faster. Kane slows the car to a stop, and Harry presses a button, rolling down the window. He leans out slightly, his faceexpressionless as he speaks a single word into a small intercom beside the gate.
“Requiem.”
There’s a soft buzz, and the gates creak open, revealing a long driveway lined with perfectly manicured trees. As we pull in, my eyes widen. Several luxurious cars are parked in front of the grand entrance. It’s a stark contrast to the bleak surroundings we just passed through.What is this place?
But our car doesn’t stop there. Kane steers it around the building, away from the line of expensive cars. My pulse quickens. Something’s not right. I can feel it in my bones.