Page 13 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

His eyes raked over me. My bra was still intact, but it didn’t make me feel any less exposed. I could’ve sworn I saw a hint of longing in his expression for a millisecond before his eyes met mine.

“I will if you behave yourself. The rules are very simple, but you seem to have trouble following them.”

“Your rules are bullshit.”

He shook his head slowly as if disappointed in me. Did I care what he thought? Absolutely not.

“I told you not to make this harder on yourself.”

“And I told you, go to hell. If you think I’m going to do anything you say, you’re fucking delusional. You murdered my parents.”

His eyes flashed momentarily with anger. He leant down, his hands pressed to the floor at the sides of my head. I could feel his breath across my face.

“It’s no worse than what they’ve done.”

His words hit me square in the chest. That couldn’t possibly be true. They weren’t monsters like the man on top of me.

“The girls are our most lucrative trade.”

My father’s words rang in my ears. It hadn’t registered when I was a child what that meant, but now, now my mind raced with possibilities. What did that mean? Girls? We dealt in property, not… people.

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t need you to. The only thing you need to do is shut up, listen and do as you’re told.”

“Or what?”

“There are worse things than this cell, Avery”

My name on his lips sent a shiver down my spine. My cheeks felt hot all of a sudden. His closeness affected my senses. His body radiated heat. The chill of the bare floor no longer seemed to matter with him practically lying on top of me.

His finger ran across my jaw and down my throat.

“Much worse.”

The air felt stifling. All the fight left me in an instant. A very small part of me wanted him to trail his fingers lower. My lips parted on a silent plea. What I was begging for? I had no idea. Something to end the tension building inside me.

His eyes mesmerised me. I was sure I wasn’t misinterpreting his expression. Burning, molten silver seared holes into my own hazel eyes.

“Are you going to behave now?” he asked, his voice strained and barely above a whisper.

I was done. I needed him off and away from me. The only way that was happening is if I did as he said. It went against all my instincts. I fucking hated him and myself for it.

“No? Do I have to give you more of an incentive?”

The words were on the tip of my tongue. All I had to do was tell him I would stop fighting him.

His fingers brushed lower, across my collarbone. My breath caught in my throat. His touch left a trail of fire in its wake. Fire which burned its way down my stomach and lower to places I tried not to think about.

“Please.”

No sooner had the word left my lips than I wanted to shove it right back in my mouth.

What the fuck?

Aiden’s eyes darkened further. He had me at his mercy and I’d just begged him for something. I didn’t even know what.

“Please, what?”

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