Page 124 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

She frowned but got off the sofa and went into the bedroom. Ten minutes later, she was ready. She braided her dark hair down her back and wore a smattering of makeup. I made her put a hoodie on underneath her jacket.

The drive over was quiet. She stared at the streets passing us by. I should really take her out of the flat more often, but it was too dangerous. She could get recognised and then we’d be in the shit.

When I parked up, I made her flip up the hood. Her scarf covered half her face.

“Is this really necessary?” she mumbled.

“Yes, come on.”

I took her hand when she got out the car after me. We walked up the street until we came to the right house. I pulled her up the steps and pressed on the doorbell.

A few minutes later, it opened revealing one of the only people in my life who knew everything there was to know about me.

“Well, I was wondering when you’d finally make an appearance,” Tina said with a smile.

Her blonde hair was greying and her blue eyes shone with age, but she was still beautiful. She stepped back, allowing us both in. Avery’s hand shook in mine.

Tina shut the door and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. Turning to Avery, I flipped down her hood and unwrapped her scarf for her. She looked nervous.

Tina’s eyebrows were raised when I looked at her again.

“I’m sure you know who this is.”

“Yes.”

“Avery, this is Tina.”

Avery looked between us, confusion evident in her expression. Tina smiled at her.

“Aiden, don’t just leave the poor girl hanging. Honestly, I thought I taught you better.” She turned to Avery. “I take it he hasn’t told you anything about me.”

Avery shook her head.

“I was Aiden’s nanny and after what happened, I raised him. Although fat good that did. Grown up to be temperamental and sullen. Don’t even get me started on all those tattoos.”

Avery bit her lip. I knew she wanted to smile.

“He’s not so bad,” she said.

“No? Well, perhaps he’s improved in the past couple of months. I hope you have a good excuse for not visiting sooner.”

I shook my head, smiling at her.

“Come in then.”

I helped Avery out of her jacket and took mine off, hanging them up on the hook by the door before taking her into Tina’s living room. I got her settled on the sofa. She looked around. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap.

“Would you like a drink, Avery?” Tina asked.

“Um, tea please.”

Tina eyed her for a moment before going over to the bookcase and picking up something I recognised. She placed it in Avery’s lap. I was about to object when Tina gave me a sharp look.

“I’m going to have a word with Aiden. Why don’t you flip through this?”

Avery fingered the photo album for a moment before opening it up. There were pictures of me from when I was a kid right up until recently. Tina was, for all intents and purposes, my parent. She was there when I’d gone through my exams and got my A-Level results. She’d come to my passing out parade when I’d joined the army. She meant the world to me and I to her. Tina would never replace my mother, but she’d been the only constant in my life since I was five years old.

“We’ll be a few minutes,” Tina said.

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