Page 72 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

“I have to get that.”

She nodded. I slipped from the room. When I saw through the small screen who it was, I cursed.

“Chuck, why the fuck are you here?” I said, pressing down on the intercom.

“I have someone for you to deal with.”

“Are you insane? You know you can’t bring people here without talking to me first.”

“This is personal, Aiden.”

“Fine, wait there. I’ll be down in a few.”

There was no fucking way he was coming up here when I had Avery freaked out over what she’d learnt. Chuck couldn’t find her. I was so fucking close to getting the police off the scent.

I strode back to the bedroom. She sat up in bed, her hair cascading down her back. Lost and lonely. Fuck. She needed me and I couldn’t fucking be there for her.

“I have to go deal with something.”

“Oh okay.”

“When it’s done, I’ll make us dinner and we can talk or watch a film. Whatever you want.”

She nodded. Fucking hell. Her doe eyes killed me.

“Do you just need a hug?”

Her eyes watered and her fingers curled around the covers.

“Fuck, Avery, come here.”

She climbed off the bed and shuffled over to me. I gathered her up in my arms and held her. Chuck was waiting for me, but I could give her a minute.

“I’ll be okay until you get back,” she whispered.

I let her go. She squeezed my arm before stepping back.

“And I’ll clean this up.”

She indicated the scattered drawings. I nodded and left. I couldn’t fucking talk to her about those right now. Especially not the one that depicted us.

Shoving my feet into trainers, I left the flat and rode down in the lift to the basement car park. Chuck leant on his car several feet away.

“Nice of you to join me,” he said.

“Where are they?”

He shoved off the car and went around to the boot, opening it. Inside lay a man on his side with a hood over his head.

“What exactly do you want from him?” I asked.

“He has information about Avery.”

My skin prickled. How could anyone have information about Avery? I’d been careful. So fucking careful.

“He does?”

“The bartender at Galaxy overhead him bragging. He called me, naturally.”

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