Page 55 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

When I woke up, I was alone, the covers tucked around me. The light was fading. Had I slept the afternoon away? I got up and tried the door. It opened. I crept along to the bathroom.

When I came out, I wondered where he was.

“Aiden?”

“In here.”

The sound came from down the hall. I followed it and found him in his living room. A place I hadn’t been before. He sat on a huge, worn leather sofa with his legs kicked up on the coffee table. It had big windows looking over the city. I was struck for a moment by it. I knew we were still in London, but I didn’t realise just how close to the centre we were.

“Come.”

I looked at him. He waved me over with his hand. He had his laptop with him. Walking over and sitting down, I found myself nervous after what happened before I fell asleep. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into him. It seemed Aiden was content not to let it change anything, but I couldn’t help but respond to his touch. A feeling of contentment washed over me. Safety. I shouldn’t let him be my safe place, but he was.

“Did you sleep okay?”

“Yes, thank you.”

I looked over at what he was doing. It was lines and lines of text. Weird text that didn’t make sense to me.

“It’s code,” he said. “It’s what I normally do for your family, making sure their systems aren’t hacked into and such things like that.”

“But they make you hurt people too.”

“Yes.”

“How do you know how to do all of this anyway?”

He smiled and ruffled my hair.

“I was in the army for six years. Military intelligence, but I learnt a lot of things on the side. Never had a tour of duty. Didn’t stop me going down the firing range.”

That made far more sense than anything else he’d told me about himself. Aiden’s flat was so neat and tidy. All his stuff in perfect order down to the way he folded clothes, including mine.

I dreaded to think what his real reaction was when I’d scattered all my drawings all over his bed. Did it bother him that I’m not the neatest of people? He always seems to be picking up after me. Perhaps I should make more of an effort.

“How old are you and how long have you been working for my family?”

“You’re in a very inquisitive mood.”

“How can I not be?”

“Twenty-eight. Worked for your family for four years, but I’ve known them a lot longer than that.”

So he was eight years my senior. Probably why I saw him as all man, unlike the boys I’d been around before. My cousins were of a similar age to me, so it wasn’t as though I hung out with many people older than me.

“You said you wanted me to do something for you.”

“Yes. I need you to go pick out some clothes because we’re going away for a few days.”

I looked up at him. What did he mean we were going away?

“What? Why?”

“You told me you’re fed up of being cooped up in the flat. I thought you’d be happy.”

“I am… I just didn’t expect you to actually let me outside.”

“I have my reasons. It’s not all just for your benefit.”

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