Page 76 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

“You know, Aiden, you’ve been very cagey recently.”

“Have I?”

Where the fuck was this going?

“Mmm, ever since Mitch died.”

I shrugged. He pointed to something on the screen.

“I didn’t think the little fuck would come up with the goods, but here we are. Crime scene photos and everything.”

I didn’t need to look at them. I’d been there, but I indulged Chuck anyway. The satisfaction of seeing Mitchell and Kathleen dead calmed me. I’d taken away their lives after what they’d done to me. To me fucking personally.

“You know who’d get off on seeing this shit? Fucking Frazier, the dirty bastard. He has a thing about blood.”

Why’d he have to go bring up that sick shit? I knew all about his sickening desires.

“Does he now?”

“Fucking sicko likes to torture woman. I’m surprised his wife doesn’t know. Perhaps she’s like Kath was. She liked watching Mitch.”

And that’s exactly why both Avery’s parents had to die. Because her mother was just as sick in the fucking head as her father.

“I wouldn’t know.”

“No, of course not. Frazier went apeshit when Mitch died. Never seen someone so incensed. He is on the fucking warpath.”

Exactly why I stayed out of his way. As much as I wanted Frazier Shaw dead and in the fucking grave, he was a key player in this game. The game I was playing to win. Win or die. He’d get his comeuppance soon enough.

“It’s all shit. The whole fucking thing.”

“Damn right it is.”

Chuck handed the laptop back to me and sipped his whisky. I set the files to transfer on to my laptop. When they were done, I pulled the stick and tossed it to him. He pocketed it.

“Well, I shan’t take up more of your time.”

He knocked back the whisky and popped the glass on the coffee table, standing.

“I’m going to ask you something, Aiden, and I want you to answer me honestly.”

I tensed. Was this about me being cagey?

“You don’t happen to know who killed my brother, do you? You and I both know your past dealings with my family and I wouldn’t want that to get in the way of our little arrangement.”

I kept my expression neutral even though my heart slammed against my chest and sweat beaded at the back of my neck.

“Why would I know? The first time I met your brother was when you introduced us last year and I only saw him once after that.”

Chuck eyed me for several long moments, then he smiled.

“I thought not, but it never hurts to ask. Anyway, I can see myself out.”

I clenched my fists as he walked away down the hall. I watched him, making sure he left and didn’t fucking pry into my flat any further.

When the front door slammed, I bolted from the room. I ripped open the cupboard door in the bedroom and there she was.

“Is he gone?” she asked.

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