Page 124 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

Chapter Twenty Four

Aiden

“Further arrests have been made following the recent discovery of a long standing sex trafficking ring in London. Two weeks ago, Charles Daniels and Edward Daniels, who both worked for Daniels Holdings, were arrested following evidence coming to light showing they were the ringleaders in this sordid business. We also have confirmation that the deaths of Mitchell and Kathleen Daniels and Frazier and Tristan Shaw are also connected to this sex trafficking ring. The police believe their deaths were acts of revenge, but they do not have any suspects at this time.”

I stroked Avery’s hair as the broadcaster continued. She was fast asleep with her head in my lap. The past two weeks had been exhausting for her. The media circus following Chuck’s arrest had been non-stop.

“A statement was released yesterday by Charles Daniels’ niece, Avery Lockhart. Mrs Lockhart stated she was shocked and appalled by the allegations made against her uncle and cousins and that she would personally donate to the fund set up to help the women who were trafficked by her family. Mrs Lockhart has also made front page news following the announcement this morning that Daniels Holdings is being sold to The Harris Corporation.”

Avery stirred in my lap. She looked up at me, blinking. She’d woken up ridiculously early this morning because she was worried about the announcement, but by nine am, she’d rested her head in my lap and fallen asleep.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Twelve.”

“Oh, oh shit, I should be in the office.”

She started to sit up but I stopped her.

“Shh, I told Saskia you’re not coming in today. You’re not needed. It’s okay, princess, just relax.”

The board was dealing with the sale of the company. It wasn’t a decision she’d taken lightly. After what happened with Rick that night, I wasn’t sure she’d go through with it. Avery ultimately decided she couldn’t allow all of the employees to lose their jobs. We’d kept a copy of the evidence we had against the company which Rick didn’t know about, but we were washing our hands of that mess. Avery just wanted it all to go away now we’d taken down their sex trafficking ring.

That night had been a shitstorm of emotional turmoil for both of us. If Rick hadn’t let her go and if she hadn’t come in the room and wrapped herself around me, I think I might have actually shot Chuck dead. It was her silently begging me not to do it as she held me which stayed my hand. Instead, I’d put the gun down and walked out of the room with her. We’d stood in the hallway for a long time, just holding each other until she spoke.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“He’s going to rot in prison for what he’s done.”

“He will. We’ll make sure of it. I don’t want to do this anymore. I want to let it all go, Aiden. I want to take his offer. Take the money so I can help the girls and then I want to walk away.”

“Okay, princess. That’s what we’ll do.”

When she’d told Rick, he’d nodded and said he’d instruct his lawyers to draw up the official offer and the acquisition paperwork.

We’d gathered up the evidence from my flat as well as the hard drive Rick had given me before dropping both Chuck and Ed off outside a police station. We’d told them they were going to turn themselves in, providing the evidence necessary and plead guilty when their cases came to court. If not, then I’d find them and end their lives. Funnily enough, neither had objected at this point. Avery and I had watched them walk into the station with the hard drive. They didn’t come back out and the news broke two days later.

Avery settled back down in my lap, staring up at me with those beautiful doe eyes of hers.

“It’s almost over.”

I nodded. It was. And I was fucking glad of it. All the women who’d been involved had been rescued and were now being cared for. Sophie and Cora had come forward and made themselves known to the police. Both were more than happy to give evidence against Robert Bassington and the other men they’d had to service.

“Have you spoken to Tina yet?”

I winced. I didn’t really know what to say to her. She’d kept the fact that Nick Daniels had murdered my mother a secret from me. I wanted to forgive her and put this behind us, but that would take a conversation I wasn’t sure I was ready to have.

“Aiden, you need to talk to her.”

“I know. I know.”

She looked over at the coffee table, spying my phone on it. Before I could stop her, she’d reached over and grabbed it. She knew my passcode by now so she unlocked it, pulled up the contacts and clicked on Tina’s number. She held it out to me as it started ringing.

I took it from her, shaking my head. Even though she was interfering, I couldn’t be annoyed about it. At the end of the day, Avery was my wife and I knew she was right.

“Aiden… I thought you’d never call,” Tina said when she answered.

“I was going to…”

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