Page 74 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

Chuck drove off and I got back in the lift. As soon as I was back in the flat, I went straight to find her. She’d piled up the drawings on top of the bedside table and was sitting in the middle of the bed tapping her fingers on the cover.

“Avery, I need you to listen to me very carefully.”

She looked up at me, brow furrowing.

“What is it?”

“I need you to make sure you gather up all the drawings and things in the flat and put them in your cupboard.”

She slipped off the bed.

“Okay… Aiden, what’s wrong?”

“Just do it then come back here.”

She left the room, but not without shooting me a questioning look. I needed her to hurry. Who knew how long Chuck would be. Armed with all her pictures, she came back into the room and added them to the pile before putting them in the wardrobe.

“I don’t want to do this, but I need you to hide in there for me.”

“You need what?”

“Hide, Avery. In the cupboard”

“Why?”

I ran a hand through my hair. This was not how I envisioned this evening going.

“Because your uncle is going to be here any minute and he can’t find you.”

Her face went deathly pale.

“Charlie?”

“Yes.”

“But Aiden…”

“Avery, don’t. I’m asking you to stay out of sight. You don’t need me to tell you what happens if he finds you.”

This would test everything between us. Every fucking thing. If Avery was really mine, she’d do as I said. She’d stay hidden. She walked towards me. Her doe eyes filled with fear. Taking my hand, she placed it on her cheek.

“I want you to trust me,” she whispered.

“Do this and maybe I will.”

“Don’t you know I’d do anything for you?”

My heart stuttered in my chest.

“Anything?”

“I am yours. You command. I obey. That’s how this works, doesn’t it?”

Fuck. She had no idea how much self-control I had to exert right then. I wanted to crush her to me. Kiss her until she fucking drowned.

“This isn’t a command. It’s a request. A request that you stay in here. Stay hidden until he’s gone. I’ll understand if you can’t do that.”

She reached up and ran her hand over my arm where underneath my shirt lay the tattoo of a songbird in a gilded cage. The only representation of my mother I had. One day I might explain it to her, but not now.

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