Page 12 of Sacrifice (Corrupt Empire 2)

Mine. She’s fucking mine. I fucking need her.

My phone rang. I fumbled for it on the coffee table, dropping my arm from my face. One name appeared on the screen.

James Benson.

It was after midnight so I knew it had to be her.

“Avery?”

“Hi,” she whispered.

“You called.”

The relief I felt at hearing her voice slammed into me with a force that took my breath away.

“Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking or doing any more, princess.”

I’d called her it as a joke that first time yesterday, but now it just fit. She was my princess.

“Well, I haven’t done very much today. It was me, the sofa and the TV.”

Were we just going to have a normal conversation? I supposed I should take what I could get.

“What did you watch?”

“Mostly cooking shows.”

I smiled. She had a thing for those. I’d found her watching them on more than one occasion after I let her start using the TV.

“What about James?”

“He had to go back to his dad’s. I would’ve called earlier, but he only just got back like an hour ago. He got in trouble for leaving yesterday. He didn’t tell them about me obviously. Did Tina come over?”

“Yes, she was sad not to see you and gave me several lectures.”

She giggled. Actually fucking giggled. The sound warmed my bones. Fuck. I wanted her here so badly.

“I can’t imagine anyone giving you a lecture.”

“You don’t know what she’s like.”

Tina could bulldoze over all your arguments and basically make a tit out of you if she wanted. That woman was a force to be reckoned with despite her quiet demeanour.

“Were the lectures about me?”

I smiled again. Fuck. Why did this girl make me feel so… happy?

“Yes. She told me to fix things between us.”

I wasn’t sure why I decided to be honest. I guess I realised Avery needed that from me. Tina had been right. I had to let her in and honesty was the first place I could start.

“I don’t know that we can be fixed, Aiden.”

“Will you let me try?”

“It depends on what you’re proposing to do.”

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