OWNED BY THE BIKER KING

Chapter 5

The massive iron gates slowly swung open as our black SUV glided into the private property.

I stared silently out the rain-streaked window, my breath catching in my throat. A colossal mansion stood proudly in the middle of the darkness, its warm, golden lights glowing like a fortress against the cold, stormy night. The place looked expensive. Too expensive. It didn’t just look like a house; it looked like a palace built for rulers. For a moment, I completely forgot how to breathe. What kind of world had I just stumbled into?

Beside me, Ryder finally broke the suffocating, hour-long silence.

“My parents aren’t here,” he said calmly, his voice low. “They’re out of town for business most of the time.”

I slowly nodded, keeping my eyes fixed on the grand entrance. For some reason, that information didn’t bring me any comfort. Instead, it only made my nerves tighten.

The car finally ground to a halt in front of the sweeping stone steps. A few neatly dressed staff members immediately approached the vehicle, lowering their heads in deep, fearful respect the moment Ryder and Luca stepped out. No one dared to speak. No one even dared to look directly at them. The absolute authority these brothers commanded was terrifying.

I quietly stepped out, keeping close to Ryder as he led me inside. The mansion was even more intimidating from the interior. Vaulted ceilings, polished marble floors that reflected our damp silhouettes, and crystal chandeliers that hung like frozen stars above us. Everything looked cold, elegant… and hauntingly empty.

“I’ll show you your room,” Ryder said softly, breaking away from Luca who was already heading toward the lounge.

I blinked, looking up at him. “Mine?”

“You’re staying here tonight. You’re safe.” Before I could even attempt to argue or question him, Ryder gently placed his large, warm hand on the small of my back. The heat of his palm burned through my damp sweater, guiding me up the sweeping grand staircase.

We stopped at the end of a long, carpeted hallway in front of a heavy oak door.

“This is my room,” he said.

My eyes widened slightly, a sudden wave of heat rushing to my cheeks despite my soaked clothes. “What about you? Where will you go?”

“I’ll sleep somewhere else. Don’t worry.” Ryder opened the door, leading me inside.

The bedroom was surprisingly warm compared to the icy elegance of the rest of the mansion. It featured dark, modern walls, soft dim lighting, and a massive bed that looked incredibly inviting. And somehow… the entire space smelled exactly like him. A comforting, intoxicating blend of rain, cedarwood, and a faint hint of leather that immediately wrapped around my senses, making my heart race for a completely different reason.

Ryder closed the door halfway, his dark eyes lingering on my shivering frame. His gaze darkened as he noticed how my soaked sweater clung to my skin. Without a word, he walked over to his massive wardrobe, pulled out a thick, oversized black T-shirt, and walked back to me.

“Change into this,” he murmured, pressing the soft fabric into my hands. His calloused fingers brushed against mine, sending an unexpected jolt of electricity straight up my arm. “You’re going to get sick.”

I swallowed hard, gripping his shirt like a lifeline. It felt heavy, warm, and carried his distinct scent. “Thank you, Ryder.”

He didn't leave immediately. He stepped a fraction closer, his towering frame casting a protective shadow over me. He tilted his head, his intense gaze locking onto my tired face.

I hesitated for a second, my knuckles turning white against the fabric of his shirt. “Am I… am I really safe here?”

For the first time tonight, the hard, dangerous lines of Ryder’s face softened completely. He reached out, his thumb gently brushing a wet strand of hair away from my cheek. His touch was incredibly tender for a man who looked like he could kill.

“Yes,” he answered softly, his deep voice full of an unspoken, fierce promise that vibrated in my chest. “Nobody touches what's mine. You are safe here.”

My heart stuttered at his words. What's mine. Before I could process the dizziness in my head, he stepped back. “The bathroom is through that door on the left. Rest, sweetheart.”

Then the door clicked shut, leaving me alone.

I stood there frozen in the center of the room, staring at the dark wood of the door with an uneasy, restless feeling blooming inside my chest. My skin still tingled where his thumb had touched me.

Letting out a small, exhausting sigh, I looked around the space. The room was immaculate, but now that I was alone, a strange, magnetic pull drew me toward the built-in shelves near the far wall. Something caught my attention. A framed, silver photograph.

I slowly stepped closer. Inside the picture were two young boys standing side by side under a bright sky, both smiling brightly at the camera. One of them had a familiar, rebellious spark in his eyes—he looked exactly like a younger Ryder. The other one, taller and more serious even back then, was Luca.

I frowned slightly. For some unknown reason, the picture felt familiar. Too familiar.

My breath hitched. With trembling fingers, I slowly reached out to brush the cold edge of the silver frame. “Why does this feel so familiar…” I whispered to the empty room.

Suddenly—

A sharp, blinding pain shot directly through my skull. I gasped softly, my knees buckling slightly as I immediately slammed my hand against my temple.

Fragments. Fractured, broken memories. Echoes of voices in my head. A little girl’s laughter. And the blurry image of two young boys standing together, laughing under a heavy downpour of rain...

“Ah…”

My heartbeat became violently uneven. My chest heaved as a cold sweat broke out across my forehead. It felt as if a heavy iron gate in my mind was forcing itself open, desperately trying to unlock a piece of my past that had been buried a long time ago. But no matter how hard I tried to grasp the memory, it slipped through my fingers like water.

Exhausted from the overwhelming, throbbing pain in my head, I dragged myself to the edge of the soft bed and collapsed onto the mattress. Burying my face into his cedarwood-scented pillows, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier, weighed down by pure exhaustion.

And after a long, agonizing moment of struggling against the pounding in my brain… darkness finally claimed me, and I fell into a deep, restless sleep.

Downstairs—Living Room.

Meanwhile, downstairs, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Luca was already waiting in the expansive living room, the amber liquid swirling gently as he calmly poured himself a glass of expensive whiskey. The heavy silence of the room instantly turned sharp and serious the moment Ryder stepped through the arched doorway.

Luca didn’t even look up at his brother at first, taking a slow sip of his drink.

“You brought trouble home, Ryder,” Luca said coldly, his voice dripping with disapproval.

Then, Luca finally lifted his piercing, icy eyes toward his younger brother, setting the glass down on the marble table with a soft click.

“Now tell me,” Luca muttered darkly, his gaze locking onto Ryder’s. “What actually happened, and who the hell was chasing the girl?”

To be continued