Page 9 of Sacrifice (Corrupt Empire 2)

Chapter Two

Aiden

I hadn’t slept all night. I couldn’t. Everything hurt. Her words on the phone rang in my ears.

“It’ll never be over. I love you.”

I didn’t deserve her love, but I fucking hoped she meant it about us not being over. I couldn’t stand the thought of it. Fuck all my plans. Fuck the shit with her family. I still wanted to tear them to pieces, but not at the expense of her and me. It wasn’t until she walked out the door and didn’t come back that it hit me.

I love her.

My heart belongs to her.

I am hers.

And I would fight with my dying breath to get her back. Just to have her here with me. There had to be another way. There always was.

I could still feel the phantom of her body against mine as I took her roughly against the floor. The way she’d cried and told me to fuck her.Fuck. Avery.I’d totally screwed up. Could she ever forgive me? Could she ever look at me the same way again? I didn’t deserve it, but I loved her. I couldn’t fucking live without her.

The buzzer for the door went. Fuck. I crawled out of bed and went into the hall. I didn’t bother with the intercom, I pressed the button for the door. I went back into the bedroom and put some shorts and a t-shirt on.

When the knock on the door came, I went through and opened it.

“Merry Christmas…” Tina faltered. “Aiden, you look like shit.”

I said nothing, stepping back so she could enter the flat. I closed the door behind her as she walked through into the kitchen. I followed her. It wasn’t like she didn’t know her way around. She flipped the kettle on.

“Where’s Avery?”

Hearing her name tore at my fucking soul.

“Not here.”

Tina turned to me.

“What do you mean she’s not here?”

“She… she left me.”

“What did you do?”

Tina knew it was my fault instantly. Knew me too fucking well. I couldn’t take the look in her eyes. I walked away and threw myself into one of the kitchen table chairs, running a hand through my hair.

“I fucked it up.”

She sighed and began pulling things out of my cupboards. When she’d made me a shake and herself a cup of tea, she sat down opposite me.

“Are you ready to admit you’re in love with her?”

I nodded, taking a huge gulp of the shake she’d made me. I couldn’t starve myself even though I had zero appetite.

“Have you told her?”

“No.”

She shook her head, rolling her eyes.

“Why did she leave?”

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