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Sienna is slumped on the floor, her red dress ripped to expose one red lace-covered breast.

Her red lace panties muffle her cries, shoved into her mouth, and held in place with tape. Her hands are tied behind her back, with one of the stockings no longer on her legs. I slowly remove the gag and cut the stockings, her hands massaging her wrists.

“He—” sob, voice raw, finger pointing to the window, “he—”

She can barely speak, and I notice the bruising around her neck. She is crying so hard, the fear in her eyes seared into my memory forever.

I touch her shoulders gently, trying not to frighten her further.

“Who? Who did this?” I looked up at the window, knowing that whoever it was was already gone.

I thought this place was safe. I wouldn’t have brought her otherwise.

“Guards!” I shout, making Sienna jump with fright.

Loud running and then shouting precedes three servers who enter the bathroom. Their faces are shocked.

“Lock the place down and search the entire mansion, starting outside. She has been assaulted.” I’m seeing red. I should have followed her in here. How long had it been? Ten minutes? Fifteen? Long enough for whatever happened to happen.

Lady Chatman can be heard shouting orders to her staff and guests before she appears moments later in the bathroom.

“Sienna, sweetheart, what happened? Are you okay?” Lady Chatman helps Sienna to her feet, the small whimper telling me she is hurt. I’m going to kill them. Whoever did this is a dead man.

“Take her to a room. I will be right back.” I grasp Sienna’s chin, looking into her frightened eyes before kissing her forehead and leaving.

Once I am outside, I call my IT department.

“I need you to hack into the surveillance at my current location. Every device. Every camera. Cross-check everything. Anyone who isn’t supposed to be here, I need to know. Priority black.”

As expected, Lady Chatman's guards return with no leads, and no one is found on the property who shouldn’t be there.

I make my way back upstairs. The house buzzing with activity an hour ago is now eerily quiet. Guests are being kept in the hall, as shaken by the scenario as we are. It was unheard of for someone to be assaulted at an event like this. It did not bode well for Lady Chatman, especially considering NewTech was installed throughout the whole house, and her security was boasted to be world-class.

Lady Chatman exits the room where Sienna has been moved, her face ashen. Within the last half hour, she has aged years and now lookscloser to her real age.

“How is she?”

Lady Chatman's pinched expression tells me what I need to know.

“Did she say what happened?” I didn’t want to think about what had happened until now, fearing what I might hear.

“Damon…” Lady Chatman shakes her head, her usually carefree demeanor now somber.

“We need to call the police, but she won’t let me. You need to convince her to go to the hospital.” My stomach twists at her words, the blood rushing to my head and almost drowning out Lady Chatman's words. Almost, but not entirely.

“She has been raped, Damon.”

Chapter 12

Light

Everything inside me is numb.

It’s a pity I don’t feel that way physically.

The sting of the water as it runs down my back and down the center of my ass cheeks reminds me of what has happened. As does the bruising around my neck. As does the painful piece of open skin in my mouth. Bitten off in the midst of what I refer to as The Reaping.

An event so significant in my life that it deserves its own title.