Page 52 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

Chapter Eleven

Avery

Aiden held me for the longest time. I felt sick by what I’d seen. I recognised the man in the second video. My father’s best friend, Frazier. I’d always felt there was something off about him and now I knew why. I couldn’t begin to imagine what else that girl had to endure or any of the other girls they kept. I was scared to ask Aiden about the real extent of it all.

I could only be glad he didn’t show me everything. Those short clips had been enough. I never knew. They’d hidden it all from me. I only really had an inkling something wasn’t perfect about my dad when he’d laid down the law about the company to me. I didn’t want it. I had no real interest in the property business. He threatened to cut me off from not only my inheritance but my entire family. So I signed the papers and I agreed to study architecture.

Now, what I didn’t understand was why he was so adamant about me running the business. How could he have expected to keep the other side of it from me forever?

I burrowed myself further into Aiden’s chest. Even though I was angry with him for showing me those things and putting me back in the cell, I still wanted his arms around me. I still wanted to feel his solid chest against mine. And I would keep the truth about what he’d done to my parents from ever seeing the light of day. As fucked up and stupid as that was.

“You haven’t eaten. I’m going to make you something and then you need to rest,” he murmured.

“Are you going to leave me alone?”

“No.”

He helped me off the floor and led me to the kitchen. I watched him cook for me. The way his muscles moved as he shifted around the kitchen with ease. The concentration on his face. His beautiful face and those lonely grey eyes. And his mouth. I wanted to know what his lips felt like against mine.

I’d given up berating myself for craving him. What was the point? My attraction to him was as real as the need to breathe. He already knew I’d say yes if he wanted it. Wanted me. Naked. In his bed. Just the two of us. Alone.

I’d do anything he asked just to have him close. To feel his skin against mine. To know these feelings were mutual and real.

He’d told me he didn’t do vanilla. I never once thought sex with him would be anything but brutal and unforgiving. He wasn’t the type for sweet sentiment or gentleness.

Aiden didn’t do sex. Aiden fucked. Of that I was sure.

My face felt hot the instant I thought about him tying me to his bed. Of being taken without mercy or restraint. Why I was even thinking about all this after what I’d just seen, I had no idea. It hit me then. Why he’d made me watch it in the cell.

“You didn’t want me to associate those videos with anything outside of the cell,” I said.

“No. That’s the only place I’ll show you the truth. This is your home now whether you’ve agreed to it or not.”

My home. Was it really? It didn’t feel like it. This was all Aiden and not me. I didn’t have anything of my own here.

He brought over a plate and a mug of tea. Toast, eggs, beans, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms. For himself, just another one of his protein shakes. He sat with me whilst I ate. Neither of us spoke.

“Thank you,” I said when I was done.

He shrugged and put my plate and mug in the dishwasher. Taking my hand, he led me back into his bedroom and encouraged me to get into bed. He didn’t leave. He sat up in the bed and let me lay my head in his lap.

“When you wake up, I want you to do something for me,” he said.

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

He stroked my hair, the motion soothing and his touch gentle.

“How long have they been doing that?”

“Your family? Longer than anyone cares to remember.”

“You mean it started before the company was even created?”

“Yes. From what I gather, it was started to help them appear more legitimate, but the reality is, your family has traded in people for hundreds of years. However, what is happening now is your grandfather’s legacy.”

“My dad and uncle Charlie never called him, father. It was always Nick. I never understood it. He was very cold towards them, but not me. I was his beloved granddaughter for some reason. I never did anything they wanted, but that never mattered to him.”

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