Page 92 of Sacrifice (Corrupt Empire 2)

It wasn’t loyalty, it was love. I would do anything for him because I loved him. Stay by his side as long as he wanted me there. As long as he kept caring for me the way he did. As long as he kept loving me.

“You don’t know anything about me and Aiden. What we share is between us and none of your business.”

There was silence for a long moment.

“Well darlin’, I think we’ve come to the end of our little tête-à-tête. Don’t forget what I asked you to do.”

“Ask Aiden who murdered his mother.”

“That’s right. Until we meet again, Miss Daniels.”

The door to the room opened and Kurt appeared again. I stood up and followed him out. We walked down the corridor until we came to a large lobby. Sitting next to the front door were my heels. Kurt had a bag with him, which he handed to me. I looked inside and found my soiled clothes.

I slipped on my shoes whilst he opened the front door. We walked out together into a waiting car. It wasn’t the Range Rover, but a BMW. He opened the door for me and I got in the passenger seat.

“Safe trip, Miss Daniels,” he said before he shut the door.

The doors were locked and the car pulled away from the curb. The driver didn’t speak to me. I looked back at the house we’d left by. I recognised this part of London. My father had often taken me here to visit some of his friends. Mayfair. An affluent and expensive part of the city. This raised my suspicions further about who’d taken me. And why had he allowed me to see where I was?

I made sure to note what street we were in so I could tell Aiden.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“I’ve been told to return you home, Miss Daniels,” the driver responded.

Home. It could mean my home or Aiden’s. I didn’t dare enquire which one it would be. After twenty minutes, I had my answer anyway. We pulled up outside Aiden’s block of flats.

“Enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Daniels.”

I nodded at him and got out of the car. I didn’t have my key with me so I’d have to ring the buzzer. I watched the BMW pull away before I went to the door. Pressing down on the button labelled ‘A. Lockhart’, I waited.

After two minutes, there was no answer and I wondered if he was even in. Was he out searching for me? Had he already discovered where I’d been held? I was about to buzz again when the front door was ripped open and I found myself squashed up against a solid chest.

“Princess,” he breathed.

And I dissolved into tears, unable to help the small sob emitting from my lips.

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