The DECEIT Collection: A Romantic Suspense full of lies, deception, passion, and DECEIT... (The DECEIT Series)

by Emma Shae

  "Sasha, I have a contract with Vanessa too, and my commitment to her is just like yours. We are not to have any further contact with each other after today. Once the baby is born, neither you nor I will be allowed to have any contact with it."

  Sasha felt a single tear slowly roll down her cheek. She wiped the teardrop from her face and tried to suppress her emotions. Sasha heard every word that Damon said to her, but she was having a difficult time accepting that she was about to lose him forever.

  Sasha knew this day would come, and she was committed to fulfilling the contract that she made with Vanessa. However, she never thought about having to lose Damon too. Now, facing that cold hard fact made Sasha realize that she had fallen in love with Damon.

  There was a knock at the door, and when Damon opened the door, Vanessa was standing there. "How are you doing, Sasha?

  Sasha hadn't entirely pulled herself together when Vanessa strolled into the room. Damon looked back at Sasha, and when they looked into each other's eyes, they both realized that this was going to be the last time that they would be able to see each other.

  "I'm alright, just a little surprised to see you here, Vanessa."

  "Well, I couldn't allow my great daughter in law to arrive back in port and not greet her, especially since I heard that you have some good news to share with me. I understand that we're going to have a little one. I'm so excited. I can't wait to get you back home. Do you need anything?"

  Sasha, very softly said, "No, Damon has taken good care of me."

  "I'm sure he did. Damon is a good man. When you feel up to travel again, Sasha, just notify Thomas, and I'll send a car for you. Rest for now, and feel better soon," then Vanessa left the room.

  Damon looked back at Sasha one last time, and without saying a word, he walked out the door behind Vanessa.

  CHAPTER 14

  FUTURE PLANS

  Once Vanessa had Sasha safely back at the estate, she smothered her with attention. Sasha knew that Vanessa's focus was on the baby, so she tried not to be overwhelmed by all of her mothers-in-law hovering.

  Sasha had to get her priorities in order and organize her life. She must now concentrate on having a healthy baby and planning for her future.

  Sasha had to face her destiny now, knowing that it would be without her baby, and minus Damon. Losing both her child and Damon was painful for Sasha. She was going to have to learn how to live her life without them. She would now have to go forward with her life, knowing that it was going to change radically.

  Sasha had to determine what her next move was going to be. She had seven months before the baby was due, and in that short period, she would have to decide what direction her life was to take.

  While Sasha was away on her sea cruise with Damon, Emry took a turn for the worst. His doctor informed the family that Emry only had about two weeks to live.

  Vanessa explained to Sasha that Emry's final wish was to travel to an undisclosed secluded island to spend his last days. He had also expressed that his inheritance was to be dispensed, in full, before he set sail because he intended to donate his remaining monies to the people of the island, after his passing.

  Vanessa had agreed to all of Emry's requests, but she wanted to apprise Sasha of what had unfolded in her absence. Emry would no longer require her attention.

  After Vanessa had explained Emry's current health situation to Sasha, she then told her, “I have to say, though, I've never known Emry to be a charitable individual. It strikes me as odd that he wants to do something decent for a poor country where he knows no one. That type of action is totally out of character for him. Emry has always been a selfish, self-centered person, only concerned with his desires and needs. You don't know my oldest grandson very well, Sasha, so what I'm saying to you may sound cruel, but he and I have never gotten along. There are outstanding reasons for my attitude toward Emry, which I'm sure, is hard for some to understand. Having said that, and given his current health status, Emry will soon no longer be a part of my life, or yours, so there is no need for us to discuss him or his status again. Under different circumstances, the two of you would have never met, I'm sure, and most definitely never married." Vanessa paused and looked at Sasha as if she were waiting for a response of some sort.

  Sasha could not think of anything to say. She was surprised by the information that Vanessa was sharing with her. Vanessa was right, though. Sasha didn't know Emry well enough to form an opinion of him. For that matter, she did not know Vanessa very well either, so she remained silent.

  After several seconds of silence, Vanessa continued, "I like you, Sasha, that's why I chose you. Now, because of the change in my grandson's imminent health, we should discuss the possibility of a change in our relationship, as well. I've done a considerable amount of thinking on the matter, and I would like to request that you remain in my household after the baby is born. I want you to be a part of your child's life and raise the baby with me. Of course, you will continue to live here because this will be your home, and I will have the contract destroyed so that you will not have to repay the money."

  At that moment, the room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop. Did Vanessa just invite Sasha to stay and be a mother to her child? Sasha couldn't believe her ears. For several seconds Sasha ran through that request in her head. She could raise her child, stay in the family, and not have to pay the money back. Hearing all of this information at once was overwhelming, to say the least. Sasha was surprised, happy, and more than a little shocked. She could keep her baby. Sasha could feel the corners of her mouth, slowly turning upwards, as the joy of what Vanessa said to her started to soak in. She didn't have to pay the money back — what a gift.

  Vanessa waited patiently for a response to her proposition. Seeing the smile on Sasha's face was a good sign, which she took for a yes. Vanessa then said, "Well, I can only guess by the smile on your face, what your response will be."

  Sasha finally found her voice and said, "Yes, most definitely yes, and thank you, thank you so much. You don't know how happy you have made me. I can now tell my Dad that I'm having a baby. I haven't told him I'm pregnant, for obvious reasons, but I also told him that I was fixing to go on an extended trip because I knew that I was going to start showing pretty soon, and I didn't want him to see me."

  Vanessa said, "Yes, I can understand your reasoning. Well, now you can tell him everything. In fact, why don't you invite him here for lunch tomorrow, I would like to meet him, and I'm sure that he is wondering why you haven't given him an invitation here yet.

  "Thank you, Vanessa, so much for everything. Yes, I will invite him tomorrow for lunch.

  "Perfect, say about 12:30."

  "Yes, I'll call him right now."

  "Good, I can't wait to meet him."

  Sasha had married in secret at a little out of the way chapel and didn't invite her father intentionally. She knew her marriage was not going to last because as soon as she had the baby, she would no longer be a part of the Lockheed family. Vanessa had told Sasha that she planned to have their marriage annulled after the baby was born. For that reason, Sasha didn't want her father to know the details of her marriage or her subsequent pregnancy. Now, however, she could tell him that she was married and going to have a baby, and he could be a part of the union. Sasha was so excited, and she knew that her father was going to be thrilled.

  After talking to her father, and inviting him to lunch, Sasha reminisced about how much her life had just changed in the last hour. She was so happy, but at the same time, she couldn't help but think about Damon.

  As delighted as Sasha was about becoming a mother, she realized that she was going to be doing it without the father. Damon still held her heart in his hands, and she would never be able to have him in her life. Sasha didn't even know his last name and knew that Vanessa would never allow him to be a part of her life or the baby. Everyone must think the baby was Emry's, and Sasha must carry out the fallacy. Her child would be a Lockheed. A secret that Sasha must carry
for the rest of her life. A life that she would never be able to share with Damon. Her heart.

  The DECEIT Series Book 2

  Her DECEIT

  Her DECEIT

  Prologue

  Once Vanessa sees that her plan for Damon is coming to fruition, she decides to let him, and Sasha, in on part of her secret. Vanessa will no longer hold Sasha to the contract that she had drawn, which required her silence about the circumstances involving her baby’s conception. Vanessa informs Sasha that she is no longer bound to Emry, and may love, and marry whoever she chooses.

  Sasha is free now to love Damon. However, she quickly realizes that she has no way to contact him. Once Vanessa gives Sasha Damon’s cell number, everything starts to open up, in more ways than one.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1 – REMINISCING

  CHAPTER 2 - DILEMMA

  CHAPTER 3 – FUTURE PLANS

  CHAPTER 4 – I DON’T KNOW ME

  CHAPTER 5 – THE SCARE

  CHAPTER 6 - DELIVERY TIME

  CHAPTER 7 – PATCHING UP

  CHAPTER 8 - SECRETS

  CHAPTER 9 – WHAT’S NEXT

  CHAPTER10 – CONSEQUENCES

  CHAPTER 11– CONFESSIONS

  CHAPTER 12 – PASSION IGNITED

  CHAPTER 1

  REMINISCING

  Damon's hand was warm and comforting as he gently caressed Sasha’s breast. Lying beside her, Damon slowly began to place kisses down the side of her neck, the way he knew she enjoyed. Sasha could feel his breath, warm and tantalizing as he moved toward her earlobe. Damon teased her ear with his tongue while nibbling on the base of her lobe. He then ran his hand down her back with feather light precision. Damon gently cupped her breasts and began plying them with moist kisses, causing Sasha to moan softly. Sasha’s body responded to Damon’s every move as he moved his hands down her belly and followed them with his mouth. He circled her navel with his tongue, applying more kisses along the way. Sasha could feel her passion rise as her breathing heightened, and she yearned for Damon to take her. Damon’s every motion caused Sasha’s anticipation to build, and just as Damon was about to enter Sasha, she felt a significant pain strike her in the middle of her abdomen.

  Sasha woke at that moment and immediately realized that the pain she felt in the middle of her belly was the baby kicking her. Now, completely awake, Sasha became aware that she had only been dreaming about Damon. She smiled, remembering her dream, and thinking about the past and the precious moments that she had spent in the arms of the man she loved.

  Sasha gently patted her swollen belly and said, “Little one, are you trying to tell me that you’re jealous of your Daddy getting all of my undivided attention. You don’t have to worry, the love I have for your father is a different kind of love than the love I have for you, precious baby. Dreams are all that I have left of him now, but I promise, I can love both of you at the same time.”

  Sasha eased her feet off the side of her bed and onto the floor. She sat on the edge of the bed for several minutes, thinking about her dream, and upcoming motherhood.

  It had been seven months since her last liaison with Damon, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Sasha reminisced fondly of their sea cruise together and wished that it hadn’t been cut short because of her diabetic attack. Sasha missed Damon terribly. She knew that Damon was bound to Vanessa by the same contract that she had signed forbidding the two of them from any form of contact after Sasha became pregnant. That didn’t prevent Sasha from hoping that Damon would try to communicate with her, or at least ask about the baby.

  That same contract bound Sasha, but it didn’t stop her from wanting to see Damon, talk to him, or be with him.

  Sasha knew that Damon was loyal to Vanessa, and he would abide by the promises that he had made to her.

  To Sasha, though, it seemed only natural since she was carrying his child that he would want to know how she and the baby were doing. So far, however, Damon hadn’t come to see her or called.

  Sasha assumed that with Vanessa voiding their contract, Damon would want to be with her again. However, it had now been almost seven months since she last saw him, and there had been no communication from him at all.

  Sasha had no way of getting in touch with Damon except through Vanessa, and she felt very uneasy about asking Vanessa for his phone number or even bringing up his name in conversation.

  Sasha thought that she had managed to put on a good front for Vanessa by not showing her true feelings for Damon. It had been hard for her not to mention his name or ask about him, but so far, she felt like she had pulled it off.

  Sasha’s baby was due any day now, and she was getting more excited with each passing day. Her only wish was that she could share her excitement with Damon.

  Sasha missed Damon’s touch. She had enjoyed being with him alone for those few days they had shared at sea. She had gotten to know him better during that short week and liked what she saw.

  Damon was a unique individual, and Sasha enjoyed not only their intimate moments together, but just being with him as well. Sasha hadn’t admitted to anyone how she felt about Damon, not even to herself, but it was probably time that she faced the fact that she was in love with him.

  Thinking about the times that she had spent with Damon, made Sasha smile. She knew that she would probably never see him again and had worked hard to accept that, but it didn’t stop her from dreaming about him.

  When Sasha had her first ultrasound and found out that she was having a boy, she so wanted to share the happy news with Damon. He had a son that he would never know. Just the thought of that made Sasha sad.

  Vanessa, on the other hand, was beyond happy. She had spent insane amounts of money decorating the nursery in preparation for her upcoming great-grandson. She wanted everything to be perfect and had spared no expense. Vanessa wanted only the best of everything for the baby and was ecstatic that Sasha was having a boy. Vanessa was finally getting the heir that she had hoped for, so she was one proud great-grandmother.

  Vanessa hadn’t forgotten about Sasha, either. She made sure that her every whim was taken care of as well. Sasha learned very early in the pregnancy, not to say the words, I wish I had, for anything, because whatever Sasha wanted, she got.

  One morning, around 3:00 AM Sasha, woke up hungry. Being pregnant, she often had cravings, especially early in the morning, but this one was persistent. She was craving strawberry cheesecake, and she remembered they had some for dessert at lunch the day before, but she had passed on it then, wanting to watch her weight. Now, however, the baby wanted some, and there was no denying the desires of an unborn child.

  Vanessa had placed a monitor in Sasha’s room so that if Sasha needed anything, at any time, she could let Vanessa know. The monitor was voice and motion-sensitive, so Vanessa knew when Sasha woke.

  Vanessa heard Sasha moving about in her room, and it woke her. Vanessa immediately asked, “Are you alright, Sasha? Do you need anything?”

  Not fully awake yet, Sasha off-handedly said, “I’m fine, Vanessa, I just woke up hungry, and I can’t seem to be able to go back to sleep. I can taste that strawberry cheesecake that Maida offered me at lunch. I guess I shouldn’t have refused a slice because now I want some of it. I wonder if there is any of it left in the kitchen.”

  It was natural for a pregnant woman to have cravings at odd times, but telling Vanessa, prompted her to jump into action.

  Vanessa called downstairs to Maida to have a piece of strawberry cheesecake sent up to Sasha’s room. After that night, Sasha was careful about what she wished for because she didn’t want to inconvenience anyone at three in the morning, unnecessarily.

  CHAPTER 2

  DILEMMA

  Vanessa had come to know Sasha very well during the months while she waited for the delivery of her child. Vanessa had started to think of Sasha as a daughter and cared for her well-being. However, during the last few weeks, Vanessa had noticed Sasha slowly becoming withdrawn. Vanessa felt that Sasha’s
frame of mind should be more upbeat, and she did not currently appear to be happy. Being the motherly type, Vanessa didn’t feel that was healthy for either Sasha or the baby.

  One morning at breakfast, Vanessa decided to confront Sasha about what was troubling her, asking, “Are you feeling alright? Is anything troubling you? Do you need anything? The reason why I’m asking is that you appear sad to me, and I would like to help if there is anything that I can do for you. You know if there is anything, all you have to do is ask.”

  Sasha was taken by surprise at Vanessa’s questions. She thought she had been concealing her dilemma well, but obviously, she had not. Sasha had to think fast because she didn’t want Vanessa to feel that she had not been a good hostess.

  Vanessa had provided for Sasha’s every whim, making sure that she was taken care of and perpetually content. Sasha’s problem was missing Damon, and she knew that there was nothing that Vanessa could do for her regarding Damon. He would have to be the one to step up if he had feelings to share with Sasha.

  Sasha said, “I’m fine, Vanessa. I just haven’t been getting very much rest lately. I can’t seem to get comfortable no matter how I lay. I can rest a few minutes on my side, and then I have to roll onto my back. That goes on all night long.”

  Vanessa was very astute, so not much got passed her, she smiled and responded, saying, “Please be honest with me, Sasha. I know that you’re trying very hard to put on a good front for me, but I also believe that something is troubling you. You seem to be sad and withdrawn about something lately.”