Page 78 of Sacrifice (Corrupt Empire 2)

For now.

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I was a little embarrassed the next day when James ambled in, yawning. He didn’t say anything about our nocturnal activities so I had to assume he hadn’t heard us. I stripped the sheets and stuffed them in the washing machine without being asked. I couldn’t let him do it after what Aiden and I had done last night. I dressed in yesterday’s clothes and we all sat down to a cup of tea. James and I had toast with ours, but Aiden didn’t really do carbs first thing in the morning.

“You think it’s safe to leave today?” James asked.

“We don’t really have a choice. She’ll be safer at mine,” Aiden replied.

Aiden’s building had higher security than most. He’d never let anyone get to me there.

“And I want a bath and change of clothes,” I added.

“You can have whatever you want when we get back.”

I felt less afraid in the morning light. Tristan hadn’t managed to have his way with me and those men following me and Davis didn’t get me. Those were positives. I was determined not to allow these things to get me down. Aiden kept telling me I was strong. I just had to prove it to myself. I wasn’t going to break again.

I hugged James and thanked him for letting us crash at his before we left. What he whispered in my ear made me smile all the way down the stairs.

“I was sceptical at first, but he’s good for you. I’m glad you found your way back to each other.”

I’d blushed, remembering what we’d done on his sofa. I really hoped James never found out about that because quite frankly, I don’t think he’d ever look at his sofa in the same way again.

Aiden wrapped an arm around me and kept his eyes on the street. I felt tension radiating off him in waves. Being out in the open bothered him, but he’d always keep me safe. My incredibly dangerous tattooed protector. The only person I’d ever want for the rest of my life.

“Where did you park?” I asked.

“Not far, just over in the next street.”

I nodded. Gert would always pick me up and park in the same carpark when we visited James considering I couldn’t drive.

When we reached the car, Aiden unlocked it and left me there to go pay at the machine. I got in and settled myself in the seat, putting my bag in the footwell. I loved his Jag. The seats were plush and the interior beautiful. I was just about to lean against the door when it was ripped open. I looked up as two hands reached in and pulled me out.

It wasn’t Aiden. A man in a black suit with a bald head and an earpiece held me. Another man stood next to him.

“What the fuck?” I said.

“Miss Daniels,” said the bald-headed man. “It would be wise for you to come quietly.”

He dragged me away towards a waiting Range Rover, its engine running. I dug my heels in.

“No, let me go.”

I struggled in his grasp. The other man gripped my free arm and they both dragged me to the car. They were the same men from last night. I recognised the Range Rover.

“Get off me. What the hell is this?”

Neither of them replied. The bald man unceremoniously plonked me into the passenger seat and shoved me into the middle. He got in behind me whilst the other man walked around the car and slid into the other seat beside me. The doors slammed and the car set off.

“What the hell do you people want with me?”

I got nothing but hard stares. So I lunged at the other man, trying to get the passenger door open so I could get the hell out of this car. His arm slammed across my chest and pressed me back into my seat. I was winded momentarily. My heart raced. I was being kidnapped. And Aiden would fucking go mental when he found me not in the car.

“Seriously, what is going on?”

“You will find out soon enough,” the bald man said.

“Tell me now. I’m not fucking joking. My boyfriend will come after you.”

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