Page 20 of Destroyed

Chapter 14

Sasha

I’m silently freaking out as I rush back into Room Decadent from the private hall rooms. I can’t get to the dressing room exit fast enough. Hands grope and caress me as I pass by, but I ignore them. If someone were new to The Cellar they would probably be cringing right now but I’ve been a part of this place for so long that I’ve become desensitized.

I also know what happens when the rules are not followed. One wrong move can land you in a lower-level room…or, worse, a private lower-level suite. I shudder remembering the few times I was stupid enough to land myself in one of those, too young to understand the consequences of my actions. I know them now.

I also know my uncle doesn’t play favorites. Blood or not, I am nothing more than a pawn to be used. I used to wish I was born a boy. Maybe if it were so, I could have earned his respect. I shake my head while heading to a bathroom stall. That man would never respect me even if I had been born with a dick. He only cares about himself. He only ever cared about himself. Daddy never brought me around him often. He would usually leave me with the nanny when he had to see Ethan about business.

My uncle always sent extravagant gifts for my birthday every year and he would bring all kinds of treats or gifts on holidays. I thought he was the best uncle, spoiling me and praising me when I did see him. It wasn’t until Daddy died that I saw the truemonster he is. The first words out of my uncle’s mouth when I was dropped at his doorstep were, “Sweet Sasha, you killed your mama coming out of her womb and now my brother is dead. I am stuck with you, stuck cleaning up his mess again. Hopefully, you are smart enough to prove yourself useful to me.” With that, he left me in tears on his doorstep. I think I stood there for ten minutes before a nanny came to retrieve me and show me to my quarters.

He never shed a tear at my father’s service a week later. That night he came to me. That was the last night I shed my own tears. I was to be groomed and disciplined, the only heir to the Lockhart empire and it wouldn’t matter because I was a girl. No woman would ever be allowed to take over. My only hope would be that one day, my uncle would die and I could be free.

I exit the stall and am startled when I see a large hooded figure standing in the bathroom doorway. He removes his mask, and my eyes widen. A 6’4" pure-muscle figure stands blocking my exit.

“Devin,” I state as I walk to the sink to wash my hands. “I’m still working the room; I was just using the restroom quickly.” I jump when I realize he is now standing right behind me. Eyeing him casually as he takes a strand of my hair in his hand and twirls it on his finger, I cautiously ask him “Is there something I’m needed for?”

I’m shaking inside, silently hoping my uncle didn’t gift me to him again. He may be good-looking, but he is a ruthless psychopath. He is a true masochist who takes pleasure in knowing he is inflicting pain. With him, there is no safe word, no softness after the fact.

He doesn't answer me right away. Instead, he spends a few agonizing minutes twirling my hair in one hand while running his other down my side and across my ass before grabbing myhair forcefully and wrenching my head backward. I gulp but don’t cry out.

Please let this be quick, I pray.

He licks up my neck before easing my head back towards the mirror and staring directly at my reflection. “I can’t wait to play with you again Sweet Sasha,” he says, mocking my uncle's nickname for me. “Our time is always cut short and I’m left waiting for the next opportunity to make your uncle proud again.”

I relax internally before tensing up at his next words, “Your uncle requests your presence at his office immediately. I’ll escort you.”

This can’t be good, I think to myself as I walk in front of Devin towards the exit. He pulls his mask back over his face and his hood up. Please don’t let my uncle see Xavier and Andre on the camera history.

A car awaits us outside, and I step inside as Devin follows me in, shutting the door. He stays quiet the entire ride, scrolling his phone with one hand while running the fingers of his other back and forth on my thigh. The feel of his skin on mine makes me sick to my stomach so I try to ignore it and instead focus on the scenery outside of my window. Fifteen minutes later, we pull up outside my uncle's building and enter, making our way to the elevators. They open on the top floor, which is completely silent.

Devin pushes past me to open the office door and beckons me in. My uncle is nowhere to be found, but I know better than to ask questions, so I sit in the office chair near me.

Devin’s phone rings behind me, causing me to turn in my chair. “Yes sir,” he says before hanging up. “Your uncle is delayed. He said to wait here and that it shouldn't be more than ten minutes. I’m locking you in.”

I don’t have a chance to reply before the door is closed and I hear the lock engage. Sitting here is worse, awaiting a fate I’munsure of. I’m so antsy and can’t sit still, so I stand up and start pacing the room.

Pictures of my uncle and various politicians, judges, CEOs, and other high-profile individuals are around this office. I roll my eyes at how utterly obsessed my uncle is with himself. My eye catches on an open file sitting on the corner of his desk. He never leaves files out, glancing around the room. He must have had to leave in a hurry. I bite my lip, standing awkwardly before curiosity gets the best of me.

The top paper looks to be an order form from some sort of laboratory, a name I can’t even pronounce. I slide the paper over, my eyes widening at the words I see: Genetic DNA Match: Biological son 99.9% positive.

When did Uncle find out this information? Why would he keep this from me? The room sways and I feel my legs start to give out. I stumble towards my chair, hitting the ground next to it before passing out.

Chapter 15

Lockhart

“Don’t make me come down there again to deal with it,” I growl out to the imbecile security guard working a lower-level suite at The Cellar. I hang up on him before he can give me a response. I’m already on edge today. The less reason I have to off an employee, the better.

Devin stands in front of my office door. He quickly moves to unlock it upon seeing my approach. I enter and stop abruptly when I see my niece sprawled out on the floor. “What the fuck happened?” I bark out, causing Devin to rush in.

“She was fine when I brought her in, Sir.”

I eyeball him waiting for more explanation. I swear if he touched my niece without permission I will cut off his hands. I don't care if he is one of my best employees. If you break the rules, you suffer the consequences.

He slowly walks over to Sasha’s sprawled-out body and kneels. He looks up at me first, silently asking permission. Clever boy, I think to myself.

“Put her on the couch,” I say, and he grabs her up before carefully lying her across the couch. I walk over to my desk before noticing the open file I accidentally left out earlier. The papers are moved. I don’t need to look at my cameras to know my nosey little niece saw something she shouldn’t have.

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