Winning the Heir Who Bullied Me Chapter 21

*What the fuck?*

*What the fuck?*

*What. The. Fuck?*

I struggle, trying to shove Nathan aside and run, terrified that Lucas will come out at any second and have me hung for spying on him.

But Nathan presses against me harder, holding me firm with his body as he holds a finger against his perfect, lush lips in a shushing motion.

So I force myself to still, to be quiet. Nathan’s eyes leave mine as he glances toward the door like he’s waiting for something. But seconds pass, and the sounds from the room don’t cease; Lucas doesn’t seem to be coming out anytime soon.

My mind is a mess of jumbled thoughts and emotions. What I saw plays over and over again in my mind, and as Sarah’s moans and groans continue unabated, I’m unable to think about anything else.

Lucas Ashford—stoic, quiet Lucas, who I’ve barely heard a word from since I arrived… The look in his eyes flashes through my mind, and I fight the instinct to struggle again and run.

Meanwhile, Nathan’s hand is still firmly pressed against my mouth, and it’s not lost on me that barely a few feet away, his brother also has his hands pressed against a maid’s mouth as he does unspeakable things to her.

And then, unbidden, an image flashes through my mind, and instead of Sarah bent over the desk, it’s me, and Nathan’s hand is slapped against my mouth, muffling my moans as *he* does unspeakable things to me.

The thought sends heat rushing through me, and I whimper, causing Nathan’s gaze to flit back to me. There’s heat in his eyes, and it feels like it’s flowing between us, forming a searing pool of desire in my lower belly.

I’m aware of everything—his tall, muscular body pressed against my smaller, softer one. He’s so close; he’s pressed so firmly against me that I can feel his heartbeat against my chest, and I know he can feel mine, too.

The smell of his cologne—of *him*—wraps around me and flows into me, wrecking my senses. His thigh is pressed between my legs, and it takes all of my willpower not to grind myself against him as the image of Sarah writhing in pleasure, grinding against the dildo, pulsates through me.

The room next to us feels like a world away, but I hear Sarah’s moans get louder till she’s almost screaming, and I know she’s close to climax. That knowledge, the sounds, the images burned into my memory, and the feel of Nathan’s body sending heat waves through mine *wrecks* me.

It becomes evident that neither Lucas nor Sarah are coming out of the room anytime soon, and finally, Nathan’s hand drops from my mouth, and he steps back, taking that damning heat with him.

I let out a heavy breath, feeling extremely wrung out. Nathan barely gives me a second to compose myself, however, as he grabs my hand and starts walking down the hall, pulling me along with him.

I follow without argument, holding the long end of my dress so I don’t trip over it. My dress—the banquet…it all feels like a lifetime ago.

Nathan leads me down the hallway and opens a large door at the end leading to an outdoor balcony.

The cool night breeze washes over me, and it helps to cool the heat coursing through my veins.

The door clicks shut behind me, and my heart skips a beat. But then Nathan relinquishes his hold on me and takes a step away.

For what feels like forever, we just stand there, neither of us saying anything. I take several calming breaths, unsure of what to expect now.

I stare over the balcony to the garden down below, marveling at how the perimeter lights cast an ethereal glow on the flowers and pavilion.

The beauty almost makes me forget what I just witnessed, nearly distracting me from all the thoughts running through my head.

Almost.

“You saw nothing tonight,” Nathan finally speaks, his voice low and sharp.

I turn to him, tilting my head to meet his burning gaze. He takes a step towards me, and I have to dig my toes into my shoes to keep from instinctively backing away.

“You saw nothing tonight, April. Understand?”

I swallow, unable to find the words. I nod once, biting my lip to stop them from trembling.

Nathan’s eyes follow the action, and they darken slightly; that image of us I had before flashes through my mind again.

That wasn’t Lucas or Sarah’s first time, I’m sure of it. That was a regular occurrence and Nathan… Nathan knows about it.

Does he do it, too? I wonder. Which one of the maids does he use? Do they use all the maids? Peter too? Is this some sick rich people sport?

“I know you have questions,” Nathan says again, his gaze leaving my lips and returning to my eyes. “You will not voice them. Not to me, or to anyone else.”

He takes another step, and he’s so close that if I breathe in too deeply, our chests will brush. “If you breathe a word of what you saw tonight to anyone, April”—he shakes his head—“the consequences will be too grave for you to bear.”

There it is.

The Ashfords aren’t generous and altruistic and benevolent and kind. At least not entirely. They’re also depraved, a little sick. And like all other rich people, they would do whatever it takes to ensure their secrets stay buried and their sparkling reputation stays intact.

“I need to hear you say you understand, April.” Nathan might have forgotten me from school, but after tonight, he’ll definitely remember me.

I swallow again, pushing my trepidation down, down, down.

“I understand.” My voice is barely above a whisper, but it seems enough for Nathan as his shoulders relax slightly.

Then I reach a hand out to him and unfurl my fist. Sarah’s bracelet glints in my palm, and I no longer question how she could afford such an expensive piece of jewelry.

“This is Sarah’s. It’s why I went looking for her,” I explain.

Nathan takes the bracelet out of my hand, the brief point of contact sending a tiny shiver through me.

“I didn’t mean to spy,” I add, feeling my cheeks color with shame. “I’m sorry.”

His eyes soften a fraction, but he doesn’t say anything else before he opens the door and exits, leaving me alone on the balcony.

The second the door clicks shut, my knees give out, and I fall into a crouch, wrapping my arms around me as I shudder.

I stay on the balcony for a while, breathing in and out, in and out, in and out, until I feel a little calmer, and I know I can return to the banquet without giving anything away.

So I head back, walking briskly, not stopping at the door to hear anything.

By the time I return to the dining hall, dinner is over, and the Ashfords are gone. Only a few girls linger, talking amongst themselves.

“April!” Eliza gasps, running towards me.

She grabs my arm urgently. “Where were you?”

“I—”

“Never mind that,” she interrupts. “Jessica and Lucy have been looking for you.”

I frown, her urgency making panic rise in me. “Why?”

“It’s June,” Eliza pants, and the panic seizes me in a tight grip, all the thoughts of tonight’s occurrences flying out of my head. “Something’s happened to her.”