All Chapters of Belonging to Lockhart: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Was this the right thing to do?Most likely not.Was I terrified of dealing with Theron Lockhart on a daily basis?Absolutely.So why had I agreed to any of this?I kept telling myself it was because I needed the job not just any job, but a legitimate, well-paying one. The kind of opportunity that didn’t fall into your lap twice.I still owed more than fifty grand to the men my father had borrowed from. The kind of men who didn’t believe in reminders only consequences. Missing a payment wasn't an option. I needed to keep that cash flowing more than I needed breakfast, lunch, or dinner.So yeah, the salary for the director position sounded like a lifeline. Turning it down would have been beyond foolish. Maybe even fatal.These thoughts looped through my mind like a broken reel as I sat quietly, watching Theron pace while on the phone with his lawyer. They were discussing the contract my contract. It didn’t feel like I was about to sign paperwork. It felt like I was preparing to auction

THERON'S POV“The contracts are ready, and the funds have been transferred as instructed, Mr. Lockhart,” Oberon reported.A slow exhale left my lungs, releasing tension I hadn’t realized I was holding. That was the linchpin of this entire operation. And the last thing I needed was for my father to find out.“Good. I appreciate the quick turnaround.”He chuckled on the other end of the line. “That’s what you pay me for, sir.”I ended the call and leaned back in my chair, the weight of secrecy still pressing against my spine.Across the room, Manny lounged on the office sofa like he owned the place, espresso cup in hand. I still hadn’t figured out how the CEO of a billion-dollar company could spend half his week loitering in my office like it was his second home.He took a sip and narrowed his eyes at me. “You really think this is wise?”I arched a brow. “You’ll need to be more specific.”“I’m not talking about the fake girlfriend thing that was my genius idea. I mean giving her an actu

Theron’s words echoed in my mind long after the plates were cleared and our lunch was just a memory. I hated to admit it but he was right.I’d stepped over a line I swore I’d never even approach. A month ago, the idea of signing that deal would’ve been unthinkable. I was raised to believe rules were sacred, boundaries not to be crossed. And those who did? They deserved to face the consequences.But the world didn’t work that way.I’d seen it too many times to count rules bent and broken with ease for the privileged. Wealth, connections, power they were the great erasers of accountability. Meanwhile, people like me… we paid. And sometimes, we paid dearly.Still, I wasn’t exactly powerless. As a teen, I used to hack for the thrill of it, breaking through firewalls and systems like they were made of paper. I had the talent to twist the rules when I wanted to—but because that talent often came with legal risk, I only truly used it once.I’d cracked into the dean’s inbox and stolen the exa

I received a message from Theron that morning. He was leaving for a three-day business trip. By all accounts, I should’ve felt relieved. Three days without his presence should have granted me the mental clarity I so desperately needed time to breathe, to focus, to regroup. But instead, an unshakable sense of disappointment crept in, growing heavier as I stepped into the penthouse and was met with its suffocating silence.“It’s for the best,” I told myself firmly.“You don’t need distractions. And he’s a walking, talking distraction.”But even with him miles away from New York, my thoughts betrayed me, looping over the scandalous, utterly shameless things he’d said. I couldn’t seem to shut his voice out, couldn’t silence the way his words echoed in my mind. I needed stronger defenses. A sturdier wall. Even phone calls weren’t safe anymore.Theron was a predator, skilled in the art of seduction and manipulation. He offered illusion an illusion of safety, of control—but I knew better. I

The doorbell rang, and an instant smile broke across my face. I darted down the hallway and swung the door open.“Come in, Romilly.”She lingered at the threshold, chewing anxiously on her bottom lip. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?”I nodded without hesitation. “Theron won’t be back until tomorrow, and honestly, I’m tired of wandering around this massive place all alone.”That seemed to reassure her. She giggled softly and stepped inside, her gaze sweeping over the wide, sun-drenched hallway. The last rays of the setting sun spilled golden light across the floor.“This is incredible,” she murmured, clearly awestruck. Her eyes darted to mine, hopeful. “Can I live here? I can cook.”I snorted. “You can’t cook.”Romilly scowled, only half-joking. “I can learn.”“Let’s not take that risk,” I muttered with a grin, already heading upstairs.She followed, trailing behind me with wide eyes, soaking in every detail of Theron’s luxurious penthouse as we climbed the stairs and walked