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

by Emma Shae

  Damon slowly entered Sasha’s hospital room, softly saying, Vanessa said that you had tried to call me. I’m sorry that I missed your call, but I didn’t have my phone with me. I left it in my car. I hope that it’s okay that I just dropped by without calling first.”

  “Of course, it’s okay that you came by. I hope that you don’t mind my calling you. I didn’t mean to bother you at work, but I’m happy to see you. I just got your cell number from Vanessa today. I left you a message. I wanted to let you know that I had the baby, and if you wanted to come and see us, you were more than welcome.”

  Sasha never woke in the ambulance when they brought her to the hospital, so she didn’t know that Damon was with her the entire ride to the hospital. After arriving at the hospital, Damon stayed by Sasha’s side until they took her back to the delivery room.

  “You didn’t bother me, Sasha, you could never bother me. I’m glad that you called, and of course, I wanted to know about the baby, and how you were doing. I didn’t realize until today that you didn’t know how to get in touch with me, or I would have already contacted you. I thought that you just didn’t want anything further to do with me since you hadn’t called. When I spoke to Vanessa today, she told me that she was no longer holding you to the contract. She also said that she doesn’t have a problem if we should decide to see each other, now that Emry has passed away. I would love to be a part of your life, and the baby as well, if you would allow that.”

  Sasha’s heart soared, hearing that Damon wanted to be a part of their lives again, and she couldn’t answer him fast enough.

  “I would love for you to be a part of our lives. I have missed seeing you, and yes, Vanessa told me earlier this week that she is no longer holding me to the contract that I signed with her. She has even made an addendum to her will to provide for the baby and a monthly allowance to me so that if I want, I can return to college and finish getting my degree.”

  “I’m happy for you, Sasha, and glad that you’re getting to fulfill your dreams. I know that completing your education was important to you.”

  Sasha agreed, nodding her head, and then she pointed toward the crib beside her bed and said, “It’s a boy, Damon. You have a son, and he’s healthy and perfect.”

  Damon then walked to the crib and quietly peeked inside. “He’s asleep,” he said.

  “You can pick him up and hold him if you like. You probably won’t wake him up, he just ate.”

  As Damon continued to look down at his son, he remembered the doctor saying that Sasha needed rest, so he said, “No, I won’t disturb him now. We will have plenty of time to get to know one another later. Have you thought about what you would like to name him yet?”

  “No, actually, I thought that Vanessa might have a preference, or you might want to choose his name. I decided to wait and talk to both of you first.”

  “Vanessa did question me about naming the baby earlier today, and she gave me her suggestion. She said that her preference was Trenton. That was her husband’s name, and she wanted to honor him by naming the baby after him.”

  “Trenton. I like it. It sounds manly and fitting. Do you like it?”

  “Yes, I do, as a matter of fact, and I agree with you, it is manly sounding.”

  “Do you have a preference for a middle name? What is your middle name, Damon?”

  “Damon hesitated for a few seconds before answering Sasha because his middle name and his grandfather’s middle name were the same. Since he still hadn’t told Sasha that he was a Lockheed, Damon feared that she might find out before he got around to explaining his heritage. He wanted to be the one to explain the deception to Sasha, and fully planned to do that, as soon as they were alone, and he had time to answer any questions that Sasha might have. Damon wanted his son to have his name, though, so he barreled forward and said, it’s Wayne, my middle name is Wayne.”

  “Oh, I like that too. Trenton Wayne Lockheed sounds like a perfect combination to me. I wonder if Vanessa will agree. The nurse has already been in here three times today to document his name, and I put her off, wanting to talk to you first.”

  “I love your choice, and I’m sure that Vanessa will love your choice too, so go ahead and let the nurse document it when she comes back next time. Vanessa also told me that you would probably be able to go home tomorrow evening if your blood sugar continued to stay normal, is that right?”

  “Yes, Doctor Bland said that my sugar level has stayed normal since the delivery, and if it continues to stay normal, both of us can go home tomorrow after his rounds.”

  “That sounds great, Sasha. Would it be alright if I came to get the two of you and took you home tomorrow? It would be my honor.”

  Sasha could not answer fast enough. She was thrilled that Damon had come to see her and asking if he could take her and the baby home meant that he wanted to see her again. She hoped that was a sign that he wanted to continue to be a part of their lives. Nothing could have made Sasha happier.

  “I would love for you to come for us tomorrow and take us home. Doctor Bland said he would be making his rounds around 2:00, so it will be some time after that before they will have all the paperwork ready for us to leave.

  Damon was anxious to hold his son, but he could wait until the next day. It was past visiting hours now, and the Doctor had wanted Sasha to get some rest. She had already yawned three times while they were talking, though she had tried to hide it, so Damon knew that she was wearing down, and it was time for him to go.

  “Well, I better go for now before the nurse’s chase me out of here. Vanessa said that she was going to come and visit with you in the morning, so I’ll wait until tomorrow afternoon to come back when it’s time for you to check out of this place.”

  Damon then reached across and kissed Sasha on the forehead. “Try to get some rest, and I’ll see you tomorrow at about 2:00.”

  Damon smiled as he walked out the door, and Sasha felt like she was floating. Her heart was beating so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. Sasha could hardly contain her excitement. She was exhausted, though, so as she sank into her pillow, and slowly drifted off into a lovely night's sleep, with pleasant thoughts of the man that she loved.

  CHAPTER 8

  SECRETS

  The next morning the nurse came in early to find out what name Sasha had chosen for her baby boy. Vanessa was there, visiting at the time, and was thrilled when she heard that Sasha had decided to name her baby Trenton Wayne Lockheed.

  “Oh my, I’m so happy that you chose that name. Did you know that was his great-grandfather’s full name?”

  Sasha finished signing all the paperwork, and the nurse left the room. Sasha continued going over in her head what Vanessa had just said to her. Sasha knew that Trenton was Vanessa’s husband’s first name, but she did not know that Wayne was his middle name. Sasha chose the name, Wayne, because of Damon, so she was confused when Vanessa said that Wayne was her husband’s middle name too, that was ironic. She hesitated to say anything, but curiosity got the best of her, so she had to ask, “Vanessa, Damon told me that Wayne is his middle name, so that’s why I picked it for Trenton. I didn’t know that it was the baby’s great-grandfather’s name too. Isn’t that a rather odd coincidence?”

  Vanessa quickly realized that Damon still hadn’t told Sasha that he was her grandson, so she had to side-step the question. She didn’t want to be the one to break that particular news to Sasha. Vanessa felt that Damon should tell Sasha that he was Emry’s brother and her grandson.

  “Yes, that is a very odd coincidence, isn’t it?”

  Vanessa was rocking Trenton at that moment and had put him to sleep, so she slowly laid him down in his crib and turned to face Sasha.

  Vanessa then said, “I have a few errands to run, so I’ll leave you for now. Damon said that he was going to pick you, and the baby up later, so I’ll see both of you back at the house later.”

  Shortly after Vanessa left the hospital, Doctor Bland made his rounds and s
igned off his approval for Sasha, and Trenton to leave the hospital. His parting words were, “Don’t forget, no sexual intercourse for six weeks. You must follow my instructions completely.”

  Sasha smiled and said, “Yes, sir, I’ll remember.”

  At that moment, sex was not on her mind, though, she did have Damon on her mind, and could not seem to think of anything else lately. Now that she knew it was okay to leave the hospital, she couldn’t wait to see him again.

  The nurses finished all of Sasha’s paperwork and then readied everything for the new mother and child to go home.

  Within minutes of the nurses completing Sasha’s papers and readying her and the baby to leave the hospital, Damon arrived.

  He had been at work all morning, trying to work. His mind was preoccupied, though, as Damon contemplated how he was going to explain to Sasha why he and Vanessa had kept his identity a secret. Damon knew that he had to tell Sasha. She deserved to know the truth, and it wasn’t right keeping secrets from her.

  Vanessa was the one that had arranged for Sasha and Emry’s marriage. She had intentionally hired a fake preacher, intending for their marriage not to be legal. That was another secret that Vanessa had kept from all three of them, Damon, Emry, and Sasha.

  Vanessa had an ulterior motive for hiding that information from Damon and everyone else for the time being, especially Sasha.

  Even though Sasha and Emry were never legally married, Damon believed that they were.

  Vanessa decided to let Sasha continue believing that lie because she needed time for Damon to figure out his heart. Now, knowing that Emry was gone and Sasha was free, the door was open for Damon to ask Sasha to marry him. With the arrival of his son, Vanessa had hoped that Damon would now see the direction that his heart should take.

  Vanessa knew that Damon was in love with Sasha, but he had to figure that out for himself.

  Damon had already lost one great love in his life, his wife and child. Vanessa knew that is what made Damon so cautious. He was afraid of losing another love.

  For almost a year now, Damon and Vanessa had hidden from Sasha the fact that Damon and Emry were Vanessa’s grandsons. Now, Damon had to find a way to explain why they had intentionally misled Sasha.

  Damon was afraid that once Sasha learned that they had deceived her, she would be angry and not understand. He feared that Sasha would lose her faith in his word and distrust him. She could never have confidence in his word again.

  Damon wanted to make Sasha his wife and legitimize Trenton, as his son. However, he feared that when the truth came out, Sasha might even take their son and leave the estate, and he might never see either one of them again.

  The worst lie of all, though, was the one that Damon had been telling himself. Ever since he found out that his grandmother had given Sasha her money, he started having doubts again. He felt that she didn’t need him anymore and wanted to go forward with her life the way that she had planned. She could now get her education and have the career that she had always wanted. Damon had almost convinced himself that he was not what Sasha needed anymore. She could go back to college, and Damon didn’t want to stand in her way.

  Damon finally realized that he needed Sasha in his life. She was a part of him, and he couldn't think of going through the rest of his life without her. Knowing that didn’t help his concern, though, he still fretted over how he was going to explain the deception that he and his grandmother played on Sasha.

  When Damon arrived at Sasha’s hospital room, she was sitting up in bed, holding their baby in her arms. Damon had never seen a prettier picture. Sasha smiled and softly asked, Damon, “Would you like to hold him?”

  As Damon cradled his son in his arms for the first time, he felt a rush of emotions run through him that he had never felt before. As Sasha watched Damon holding their son, she too was overwhelmed with emotion.

  “I think he looks like you. What do you think?”

  “He has my black hair.”

  “He has your eyes too.”

  “How can you tell; they look almost black right now.”

  “When the light hits them just right, you can tell that they are green, just like yours. I’m glad that Trenton has your dark hair and beautiful green eyes.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, I think that your hazel eyes are much prettier.”

  Sasha smiled as she felt the heat flare in her cheeks from Damon’s compliment. He always paid her the sweetest tribute. That was part of what made her love him.

  The nurse walked into the room at that moment to give the new parents instructions on how to strap their baby into the car seat correctly. Once Trenton was secure in the car seat, another nurse came into the room with a wheelchair to take Sasha down to the car.

  Damon pulled the car around to pick Sasha up, and once Trenton was latched into the seat of the car properly, he settled Sasha onto the front seat of his vehicle. Then he drove them home.

  On the ride back to the estate, Damon and Sasha spoke very little, mostly about the weather and odd things. Damon still had not broached the subject of his family secrets.

  Once Damon arrived back at the estate with Sasha and Trenton, Thomas, Vita, and Maida, was waiting for them out front. The entire family was excited to welcome the new baby home.

  While Damon helped Sasha out of the car and into the house, Vita unbuckled Trenton from his seat. Then she and Maida fawned over him as they brought him into the house. Damon helped to settle Sasha into her bed upstairs, and then Vita handed Trenton over to him. He admired his son for a few minutes in his sleep, and then he handed him down to Sasha.

  Sasha was exhausted after the past two days. She had a difficult delivery, but Trenton was perfect, and now they were safely home, and together. Being together was the only thing that mattered. She had Damon back in her life, and they had their baby.

  Damon pulled the rocking chair up next to Sasha’s bed and watched her as she lovingly nursed their child to sleep. Damon could be no prouder. He was now able to announce to the world that Trenton was his son, as well as profess his feelings to Sasha.

  Damon could now enjoy being with his son, but first, he had to find a way to tell Sasha who he was and why he had kept his identity a secret. Only then would he feel free of all boundaries and be able to ask Sasha to marry him.

  CHAPTER 9

  WHAT’S NEXT

  After Sasha finished nursing, Trenton, Damon took him from her arms and sat down in the rocking chair with him. He rocked him there for several minutes even though the baby was already fast asleep. Damon was not ready to put him down. He could not get enough of looking at him. The little life in his arms was a part of him, and he could not get over the marvel of it all. Damon was holding a piece of him and Sasha, made from their shared love for one another. He looked up at Sasha, and she had nodded off the sleep. Damon smiled and gently laid Trenton in his bassinet beside Sasha’s bed and tucked him in. Then Damon pulled Sasha’s cover underneath her chin. He stood beside her bed for several minutes, looking down at her, admiring how beautiful Sasha was. Then Damon kissed her on the forehead and quietly left her room.

  Damon went downstairs and found Vanessa in her study, working on paperwork in her office. He started to walk away, but Vanessa heard him and turned around and faced him. She stopped him from leaving, saying, “So, you still haven’t gotten around to telling Sasha who you are? When do you plan and telling her?”

  “Well, grams, might I remind you that it was your idea to keep my identity a secret in the first place.”

  “Yes, and I had an excellent reason for that. With your brother dying, I had to do whatever I felt necessary to get you to step up. I tried to push you into dating, but that turned out to be a disaster. After that, the only way I could think of to save this family's lineage was to deceive you. I’m sorry I had to go so far with my plot, but you must admit, it worked out pretty well. I don’t think that you’re unhappy about the outcome.”

  “Grams, you are very sneaky and a little connivin
g, but I have to admit it did all work out well. I’m not unhappy with you, or the situation in any way. You may have single-handedly saved this family with your actions. Instead of being upset with you, I’m proud of you, and I probably should thank you for all of your hard work.”

  “Well, I never expected you to humble yourself and get down on your knees before me, but that thank-you was nice. I love you, and I only want the best for you. I hope you know that.”

  “I’m happy that you took the time to find what you thought would be the perfect female to draw my attention. You made an intelligent choice, grams. I think that I could have looked my entire life and not found anyone as perfect for me as Sasha. She drew me in from the beginning. The first time I ever saw her, I knew I could never walk away from her. Since you gave me the okay to see Sasha again, I have not missed a single day of being with her. I visited Sasha in the hospital, and now that she is home, I’m going to continue my visits. I know that I’m going to have to take it slow with her because I have to allow her time to heal, and I want to make sure that, this time, she knows the whole truth about my family and me. I promise not to pressure her, but I fully intend to pursue the relationship that we built between us. I hope I have not allowed too much time to lapse while I was in my insecure state. I should have come to see her during the last few months. I was waiting to hear from her, though, because I didn’t’ want to put any pressure on her. I would have never waited so long had I know that she didn’t have any way of contacting me.”

  “I’m sorry about that misstep on my part Damon. I forgot that Sasha had no way of reaching you. It never dawned on me that I had never given her your phone number.”

  “It’s alright, grams. Sasha and I have worked through that. Now, I just hope that she can find it in her heart to forgive me for all the lies, I plan to ask Sasha to marry me when she gets well if she’ll have me.”