Under His Command.

Chapter One: Sold to the Devil Emma's POV The air was stifling, heavy with smoke and the sharp tang of alcohol. My wrists burned where the rope bit into my skin, and every instinct screamed at me to run. But there was nowhere to go. The room was packed with men whose eyes slithered over me like snakes, calculating and cold. I swallowed hard, forcing back the lump in my throat. I wouldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of them. "She's the payment," a gravelly voice said from somewhere behind me. I didn't dare look back. My stomach churned. Payment. That was all I was now-a commodity to settle a debt that wasn't even mine. "You expect me to take this?" another voice returned, deep and smooth, yet laced with a keen edge that put the hairs at the nape of my neck up. For reasons that did not quite add up, that voice made the room colder. The man behind me was stuttering, frantic. "S-she's worth it, I swear! She'll do whatever you want. Just… just take her and call it even." My blood ran cold. My knees buckled, threatening to give way, but I managed to lock them into place. I couldn't show weakness. Not here. Footsteps approached, deliberate and slow, each one making my pulse race a little faster. "Look at me," the deep voice said. I didn't move; my breath was caught in my throat. When I did nothing, a hand reached out and grasped my chin, jerking my head up. I met his eyes, and the room seemed to tilt. He was tall, dressed in a tailored black suit that clung to his broad shoulders like it had been made for him. His sharp jawline and piercing gray eyes made him look more like a devil than a man. And the way he stared at me—cold, unyielding—made me feel as though he could see every dark thought I’d ever had. "What is your name?" he asked in a low, commanding voice. I swallowed hard, my suddenly dry mouth. "Emma." He considered me for a moment, his eyes scouring my face as if in search of something. "Emma," he said, the syllables rolling off his tongue like a sentence. I hadn't known I was shaking until his gaze dropped to my hands. "Are you afraid of me?" "No," I lied, barely above a whisper. He smirked, but there was no warmth to it. "Good. You'll last longer that way." My spine ran a shiver at the tone of his words, but I kept his gaze, not to show how he'd managed to affect me this time. My heart slammed hard against my ribs, but my face remained expressionless. If he wanted fear, I wasn't about to give it to him. Bring her to my car," he said, his tone final, as though I was already his. He turned on his heel and began walking toward the door without waiting for a response. I stood frozen, my legs refusing to move, until the man behind me shoved me forward. "You heard him. Move! I stumbled, my feet almost tangling with one another. A blur swam in my eyes as my gaze swam in unshed tears, but I bit hard into the inside of my cheek. The devil in the black suit never looked back, and neither did I, as I was forced after him. I barely noticed the other men that were watching us, their jeers and laughter ringing in my ears like a harsh symphony. All that seemed to matter was his broad back as he strode through the room like he owned it-and maybe he did. Outside, the cool night air was a balm to my hot skin, but did little to douse the turmoil inside. A sleek black car waited at the curb, its tinted windows mirroring the dim sheen of the streetlights. He opened the door himself, a tiny frown pulling at the corners of his mouth as he glanced at me. "Get in." I hesitated, every nerve screaming for me to run, knowing all the while that there was no escape. "Emma," he said, a warning implicit in his tone. "Don't make me have to say it twice." My legs began to move of their own accord, carrying me toward the car. I slid onto the leather seat, the smell of him-woodsy and dark-filling my senses as he followed me inside. The door slammed shut, and the world outside disappeared. It was just the two of us now, enclosed in a space that felt far too small. He leaned back, his eyes sharp as they studied me. "Do you know who I am?" I shook my head, my voice caught somewhere between my throat and my terror. He smirked, his hand resting casually on the armrest. "Good. You'll learn soon enough." The car picked up speed-the hum of the engine the only sound between us. My mind could think of numerous questions that I didn't dare ask, and my chest felt tight with so many unvoiced fears. "Why me?" I finally managed to whisper, unable to hold the words back any longer. His eyes flicked to mine, something unreadable in his expression. For a moment, I thought he might ignore me, but then he said, "Because I wanted you." The simplicity of his answer made it all the more terrifying. I turned to the window, my reflection in the glass a ghostly echo of the girl I used to be. The lights of the city smeared into streaks of gold and white, and for one moment, I let myself think this was all some bad dream-that I'd wake up in my tiny apartment, my life intact. But when I turned back, his eyes were still on me, dark and unrelenting. "You don't understand what you've been brought into, Emma," he said, in a low and dangerous tone. "But you will." The car slowed, the wheels crunching over gravel. My stomach twisted in knots as the vehicle came to a stop in front of a massive iron gate. It creaked open slowly, revealing a sprawling estate bathed in shadow. You're mine now," he said, and the car surged forward. The gates crashed shut behind us -the sound ringing out like the last chime of a funeral bell. And then, I finally understood something for the very first time. I wasn't getting away.