Page 87 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

“I want to understand you. I see you, but I still don’t know what goes on inside your head. I still don’t know who hurt you or what they did.”

My heart cracked. Fucking useless organ. Bitterness encompassed me. I worked so hard to keep those emotions at bay, but she’d torn open the bindings.

“Yes. Yes, it’s because of her.”

A tear ran down her cheek. She pulled her arm away from me, hugging her own to her chest. The world fucking crashed and burnt around us. Her sorrow affected me. Reminding me of my own fucking pain. My own heartache. My mother. Fuck.

“They killed her, Avery. She’s dead.”

“When?”

“I was seven.”

She choked on a sob and tears flooded her face. I felt helpless watching her come apart in front of me. This wasn’t like when she’d discovered her family’s secrets. She was crying for me. Hurting for me. Fucking sucker punching me to the gut.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

She seemed to cave in on herself. Her entire body vibrated with sadness. I couldn’t go to her even though my arms burnt to hold her. I needed to. She shook her head.

“I can’t… I can’t.”

She ran past me out of the room. I turned on my heel, about to go after her when my fucking heart stopped. She opened the door of the cell, walked in and slammed it shut behind her.

What the actual fuck? Why the hell would she willingly go in there? Had she completely lost her mind? I couldn’t let her stay in that room. Not when all it did was bring back all of her worst nightmares.

I strode into the hallway and wrenched open the door. She was sat right at the back, her head buried in her legs. I took a step in.

“Go away, Aiden.”

“What the fuck are you doing in here?”

“Leave me alone.”

“No. You’re not fucking staying in here. You know what will happen.”

“Please, please just leave.”

I walked over and squatted beside her. I reached out, trying to touch her, but she flinched away.

“Don’t. I don’t want your comfort. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve anything. So just leave me alone.”

“Avery…”

She raised her head. Her eyes were wet with tears and her face patchy and red.

“How can you even look at me? How can you want me after what they’ve done?”

How could I not want her? Didn’t she see herself? How fucking beautiful and precious she was? Her fucking innocence called to me. And she wasn’t her family. She’d proven that to me over and over again. Avery had compassion. Empathy. She saw right from wrong. She’d fucking drawn a picture of herself ripping her heart out for me. How could I not want her after all that?

“You’re not them.”

“But I am. I’m their blood. I was born into their corruption. I own the rights to their fucking company and all that money they’ve made off the backs of slavery, torture and pain. Dirty fucking money. I don’t want it. They sicken me. They disgust me, but I’m still theirs. I’ll always be a Daniels. Don’t you see that?”

“No, Avery. Why the fuck do you think I stopped short at taking your life that night? You’re not a part of that shit. Anyone who has an ounce of decency would be disgusted by their behaviour. Don’t you fucking see? You’re what’s good in this world.”

She shook her head.

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