Page 11 of Sold to the Biker

I can't cry not now. I can't let him see me weak anymore.

I open my eyes, meeting his steely gaze with a hard glare, and say calmly, "I won't let this slide, Uncle."

Harry laughs, a condescending sound aimed at mocking me, knocking me down another peg. "I see little Leah is all grown up. What are you going to do about it? Huh? It's my word against yours, little girl. No one's going to believe you." He leans in, his voice lowering to a cruel whisper. "Why do you think I kept you hidden all these years? So, the world has no memory of you. You're a nobody. No one is coming to save you."

His words hit me like a physical blow.Maybe because they're so true.

“I'll do the best I can,” I say through gritted teeth, stepping closer to him. “I’ll write to every damn media house across the country and even grant interviews. I might not be able to bring you to justice, but I'll at least ruin your chances of becoming mayor.”

Fury clouds his face and for a moment I thought he'd hit me. But he quickly regains control, his expression morphing into an impassive mask. He shakes his head, clicking his tongue at me. "Oh, Leah… You shouldn't have come here if you were going to do that." He glances down at his watch and then back at me with that mirthless smirk that never fails to send a shiver down my spine. "Too bad I can't stay and chat for much longer." His cold eyes flick to Kane. "Take care of my niece, will you?"

“Yes, boss,” Kane says with a jerky nod.

And without another glance at me, Harry gets into his car and zooms off. Kane starts to approach me, his strides slow but steady. The meaning of Harry's parting instruction suddenlydawns on me. I stumble backward, shaking my head slowly. "Kane, please don't…"

Kane's fingers tighten like a vice around my arm, yanking me towards the back of the mansion. I let out a scream, partly from the pain of his grip but mostly from fear. I try to fight, but it's useless. Kane is much stronger than me and very determined to please his boss.

Is this the end for me?

Suddenly, a thunderous roar splits the air. I whip my head towards the sound just as Don’s monstrous motorcycle screeches to a halt. Relief and gratitude flood through me as I watch him climb off the bike. In an instant, he's upon us.

“Let her fucking go!” He booms, and I can feel the unrestrained fury in his voice.

Kane barely has time to react before Don is on him, grabbing him by the collar. He jerks him so hard that Kane loses his balance and stumbles back. Don's fist follows immediately after, slamming into Kane's jaw with a sickening crack. The force of the blow sends Kane reeling. He attempts to get a punch in, but Don is faster. He dodges it, ramming his knee into Kane's groin. Kane lets out an agonized cry, his face twists in pain and he doubles over. Before Kane can recover, Don throws another punch, this time to Kane's gut. I watch in shock as Don moves like a predator, methodical and unrelenting. He kicks Kane's legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground. Kane tries to push himself up, but Don is already there, his boot smashing down on Kane's chest, pinning him to the dirt. Kane wheezes, struggling, too weak to do anything now. Don pulls out his gun with a swift, practiced motion and points it directlyat Kane's face, his finger hovering over the trigger. My heart lurches into my throat.

"Don, no!" I rush forward, throwing myself between them. My hands tremble as I press against Don's chest, my eyes wide. "Please. I'm okay. You don't have to do this."

His eyes, wild with fury, flicker between Kane and me. His breathing is ragged, the grip on the gun tight and unyielding. For a moment, I think he'll ignore me, but then his expression softens, if only slightly. He lowers the gun, though his hand still trembles with barely restrained rage. He turns to me, his face hard, but there's something in his eyes, fear, worry. Relief. He raises his hand to my face, his calloused fingers cupping my cheeks as if to reassure himself that I'm really here, really okay. Then he lets out a long, shaky breath, relief flooding his features.

“Don’t ever do that to me again, Leah” he mutters, his voice low and rough as he pulls me into a hard embrace. His arms lock around me like steel, pressing me against his hard body. “Do you know how worried I was when I got home and you weren’t there?”

I rest my head against his chest, the rapid beat of his heart echoing in my ear. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “I-I saw the board in your study and…” I let my voice trail off with a guilty sigh. “I wasn't thinking.”

Don pulls back slightly, his brow furrowed, his gaze searching my face. “It's alright, love. I'm glad you're safe.”

“How did you find me?” I ask, realizing he must have followed me here somehow.

His lips twitch in a faint humorless smirk. “I put a tracker on your phone. Didn’t trust Harry not to pull something like this.” His hand strokes my cheek again. “Good thing I did.”

I nod, grateful beyond words. “Thank you… for always saving me.”

A shadow crosses his face, and I know he’s thinking about what almost happened to me. “Leah,” he murmurs, his thumb brushing over my lips, “you shouldn’t have come here alone. You don't know what that man is capable of.”

“H-he killed my parents,” I whisper, tears blurring my vision. “Why? Why would he do that?”

Don's expression darkens, and he glances away, jaw clenched. "Because he's a greedy bastard," he says after a while, his voice sounding far away. "Thirteen years ago, your dad's construction company landed a huge government contract. Marcus, my best friend, was working with him as a subcontractor. Everything was set to be a major success." He pauses, his grip on my arms tightening as if bracing me for the impact of what comes next. "Then… your parents got into that accident. The one that took their lives. With your dad gone, Harry stepped in to complete the project. But when it came time to pay Marcus for his part, Harry refused. He claimed he hadn't signed any official contract with Marcus, leaving him high and dry."

I swallow hard, my tears falling more freely now. "But Marcus wasn't just any businessman," Don continues. "He had a history. Although a businessman, he was in a gang. He couldn't take Harry to court without exposing his past shady deals. And with that, his business crashed. He lost everything." The pain in Don's voice is palpable, and it cuts deep. I can't imagine whatit must've been like for him to see his friend go through that, knowing there was nothing he could do. "Last year, Marcus found proof—evidence that Harry was behind the accident that killed your parents. He confronted Harry, ready to take him down. But Harry… he couldn't risk it. So, he had Marcus killed too. Made it look like just another gang war."

A sob escapes my lips, the truth like a jagged knife in my chest. I can't believe I'm related to a man like Harry; a man who caused me and Don so much pain. I can't breathe.

Don reaches up, his thumb gently brushing the tears from my cheeks. “Don’t cry, sunshine,” he whispers. “I won’t let him hurt you again. I’m going to make sure he never bothers you, Leah. Never.”

I believe him. In that moment, as his eyes bore into mine, I believe every word. Don isn’t just anyone. He’s my guardian angel, and I know he will do whatever it takes to protect me.

I glance down, my hand reaching up to touch the half-moon pendant hanging around my neck. “The other man in the picture…” I hesitate, slightly clearing my throat. “That was Marcus, wasn’t it?”

Don’s gaze softens. He nods. “Yeah. He was my best friend. And… Natalie’s husband. She’s never really gotten over him.”

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