36. Emery
Emery
I don’t know why I expect to be brought to a warehouse.
Eli is more pretentious than my uncle, so of course, he wouldn’t bother with anything less than the most lavish penthouse in Vegas.
Especially when he won’t have to worry about anyone hearing me scream.
He controls at least three floors beneath us, if not more.
The zip tie digs into my skin as I’m dragged through the penthouse by one of Eli’s men. He leads me into a bedroom at the back, and I freeze when I spot the ropes dangling from the bedposts.
“Please don’t.” I wiggle against the binding at my wrist, but they dig in more, slicking my wrists with blood.
Eli’s man pushes me forward, grabbing onto my hair and shoving me down onto the bed. Another one steps forward, rolling me onto my stomach to release the zip tie, but the relief is short-lived. He spins me onto my back, pulling my hands overhead to secure the rope around my wrists.
It digs into my already raw and bloody skin.
Eli watches, ignoring my cries to be set free and unbothered by his men manhandling me. He’s the picture of composure, checking his phone when it pings, and having the nerve to smile at what’s on the screen when I’m kidnapped and bound before him.
His men finish tying my wrists, taking a step back.
“The ring.” Eli tips his chin to my hand. “Bring it to me.”
“That’s mine.” I curl my fingers, trying to prevent him from taking my wedding ring. But Eli’s man rears back, hitting my cheek so hard the shock has me releasing my grip.
He slips the ring off, walking it over to Eli as my head throbs.
“Impressive rock for a scumbag biker.” Eli turns the stone over in his hand, examining it.
“You know nothing about my husband,” I grit out.
His stare turns deathly cold. “Leave us.”
His men shuffle from the room, closing the door behind them and leaving me with a monster.
Eli doesn’t immediately approach the bed. Instead, he sets the ring on a table by the door, slowly stripping off his jacket next. His fingers brush the pristine charcoal fabric, smoothing it over.
“You’re a pretty girl, Emery,” he says, turning to me. “But not pretty enough to be this much trouble.”
Eli dips his hands in his pockets, pacing the room with complete composure. His gaze sweeps the open windows as he saunters past, finally pausing at the bed.
“Then maybe you should let me go.” I tip my chin up, refusing to let him scare me.
The corner of his mouth lifts. “You’re worth too much to let you go now.”
“I’m not worth anything,” I lie, and his smile is proof he also knows it’s not true. “Does my uncle know what you’ve done?”
“I’m sure he’s heard by now.” Eli shrugs, unbothered.
“I used to think your uncle had all the answers. After all, his name is written all over Vegas. He’s clearly done something right.
But then I saw how he was with you—his little weakness.
No matter how much he pretended not to give a shit about you, he let you get away with one thing after another.
I should have known then that there were easier ways to get him to cooperate. ”
He circles the bed, slowly, nearing the side I’m tied to.
“My uncle doesn’t care about me.”
“He cares about what you can do for him.” Eli pauses, so close I can smell his sandalwood cologne.
“Is that why I’m here then? So you can use me against him? Hold me for ransom? It won’t work. He won’t give you anything for me.”
“I don’t need him to give me anything when we both know he isn’t the one who has it. Isn’t that right, Emery?” Eli’s smile turns malicious as he sinks onto the mattress, sitting so close his fingertips brush my side. “The fortune isn’t in his name; you know that by now, don’t you? It’s in yours.”
I try to shift away, but with how my hands are bound by the ropes, I don’t get far.
“When you ran off to the compound, I was less than thrilled. But it turns out, your boyfriend has been quite helpful.”
“My husband,” I correct.
“For now.” His eyes narrow. “He dug up all sorts of dirt trying to protect you. His club got into files my men couldn’t crack.
They found the bank where your uncle was storing money he’s been skimming from his businesses, and it all made sense after that.
We couldn’t find where Zane was hiding his money because it wasn’t his money at all.
It was yours. It turns out I never needed him to access his fortune; I just needed you. ”
“I’m not giving you anything.” My teeth clench.
“You say that now.” He plants a hand on my knee, dragging it up my thigh. Even through my jeans, the heat of his palm has my stomach turning. “We’ll see how long it takes for you to change your mind.”
I twist away, and he chuckles, amused.
“So that’s all this is about, Eli? The marriage. The money. Don’t you have enough of that on your own? You don’t need me.”
“You’re right, I have plenty. But there’s a difference between being rich and being filthy rich.
With the kind of money your uncle has been hiding in your name, I’ll be untouchable.
Even by him.” Eli’s eyes take all of me in.
“It’s not me you should be mad at, Emery.
We could’ve done this the nice way. You could’ve stayed put, married me, and we could have merged our empires in a more peaceful manner.
It’s your fault it all had to happen like this. ”
This time, when Eli grabs me, he clutches the inside of my thigh, pulling my body closer. He wrenches my legs apart, leaning over me as he grips my chin hard.
Tears sting my eyes. His nails dig in with a force that will leave bruises.
“There you are. It’s good to see that you’re finally understanding the situation you’ve put yourself in.
” He wipes away a tear. “I would have been nicer to you if you had just married me, but you decided to make a fool of me first. Giving your virginity to that piece-of-shit biker. Being his whore. Letting him knock you up.”
His nails dig into me, and when I groan from the pain, his smile widens.
He’s enjoying this.
“You’re feistier than your uncle realized, and he was too weak to keep you in line.” Eli’s hand slides up, so close that I try to disconnect from my body so I don’t have to think about it. “Look at me.”
My eyes fly open. I didn’t realize I’d closed them.
His are wild through his dark strands. This close, I spot a scar that cuts through his upper lip. It ticks when he grins. One thumb drags across my mouth, shoving over my tongue and almost making me vomit.
When he pulls back, I curl in on myself, protecting my body the best I can with my hands tied overhead.
“I paid for the things you gave that biker. Maybe you thought that would fix your problem, that I wouldn’t bother you anymore.
But I’m not weak like your uncle. I don’t toss things aside and give up; I teach them a lesson.
You want to be a whore before you become my wife?
Fine, we can have it your way. Remember that you did this to yourself, Emery.
When you see me again, you’ll be begging for me. ”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to show you how much you want to be mine.” He tilts his head, tucking his hands into his pockets. “There are worse things, and when they’re done with you, you’ll be begging to be my wife.”
Eli leans in, gently caressing my cheek, promising nothing but pain. “And then, when you’re finally broken—when you’re finally mine—you’re going to get me your uncle’s fortune.”
“Please don’t do this.” A tear falls, and his gaze brightens.
“I have to. You started this, Emery. You decided how this would go from the start. If you don’t learn your lesson now, then how will we ever make this work? You need to learn to be good for me.”
“I can’t marry you. I’m already married.”
“That will be dealt with soon.” His smile widens. “I’m sure your biker’s bail hearing didn’t go well today. I gave them exactly what they needed to put him away. They’ll make sure he never gets out.”
“You’re the one who had Hayes arrested?” My eyes widen.
“How do you think your uncle and I started doing business?” Eli smiles.
“After the Iron Sinners were taken out, your uncle needed help pinning it on the Twisted Kings. He needed resources—muscle. He asked me to look into it, so I did. I was about to let him know I’d found evidence of the Twisted Kings involvement when you turned up pregnant by one of them.
After that, I decided your uncle didn’t deserve to play that card.
He’d already fucked up so much, I couldn’t trust him.
So I held it. Kept it for safekeeping until the time was right. ”
A headache throbs at the base of my skull. “You set this whole thing up.”
“I can’t take all the credit. We both know they’re the ones who planted this footage to save their club if it came down to it.
It just happened to work in my favor. And since your uncle was fine letting you play house and I was tired of waiting, I figured we’d speed this up.
All sorts of terrible things happen in jail.
Unfortunately for him, you won’t be married much longer. ”
Eli is planning on having Hayes killed, and there’s no way for me to warn him.
“Please don’t hurt him.” Tears stream down my cheeks. “I’ll give you the money. All of it, I don’t care. Just don’t hurt him.”
Eli runs his hands through my hair so hard it stings my scalp. “The time for cooperation has passed, Emery. Like I said, we need to make you a good, obedient wife. I’ll be back. When I am, I have a feeling I’m going to find you much more agreeable.”
Eli’s hand slides from my hair down to my neck, dragging until he’s gripping my tank top. He tugs—hard, ripping the fabric and exposing my bra.
“You are a pretty girl, Emery.” His fingers brush my clavicle, trailing between my breasts. “Now you need to learn not to be so much trouble.”
At that, Eli pulls back. He gives me a final look of disgust before turning to walk away. When the bedroom door closes behind him, I curl my legs to my chest, hiding myself as best I can.
I curl into a ball, and all the strength I had this morning leaves my body.