Page 93 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“You what?”

“Tina told me how you were doing. Told me about the trouble you got into. It was my stipulation regarding the money. So I knew when you found out about… Avery’s family and what they’d done, that you’d want to take them out. I didn’t count on what happened afterwards nor that you’d take it as far as you have done now.”

Avery’s hand on my arm tightened. I looked over at her. Her eyes were wide and she’d gone as white as a sheet.

I should’ve known he’d manipulate Tina in that way. I didn’t blame her. All she wanted was to provide for me. Give me a life because she loved me. She’d had to take Rick’s money because I knew the Daniels had cut her off after what happened to my mother. And they’d made it impossible for her to be employed as a nanny for anyone else. She hadn’t told me where the money had come from, only that she had no other choice.

“What do you mean take it as far as I have done?”

“The Shaws.”

I wasn’t going to fucking apologise for that. They deserved it. Especially after what they’d tried to do to my wife. Fucking pricks.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

It was the truth. We were supposed to take them down without the need for their deaths. At least, Avery wasn’t meant to be involved in that side of things.

“Quite.”

“You knew?” Avery piped up. “You knew he would do that to them?”

Rick nodded. Her expression turned venomous. Her doe eyes glowing with hatred.

“Why the hell did you let that happen? Huh? Did you think for one second what it would do to everyone around them? What it did to me?”

“It was necessary.”

“Necessary?” she hissed. “It wasn’t fucking necessary.”

I tried to put an arm around her, just to calm her down a bit, but she shoved me away from her.

“Do you have any idea what shit you’ve caused? You could’ve fucking stopped it.”

Fuck. I had no idea she’d react like this. I wanted to soothe her. She looked so enraged, like she couldn’t comprehend why anyone would allow their own son to go on a killing spree. It wasn’t like Rick could’ve stopped me. I hated the man.

“Avery,” I said. “It was my choice.”

She turned on me.

“Stay out of this.”

“Princess…”

“No. You and I will have words later. Right now, I’m talking to him and you’re going to shut up before I make a scene in this fucking restaurant. Do you understand?”

I stared at her. She rarely spoke to me like that. When I didn’t respond, she turned back to Rick.

“Do you know what it felt like to see that? No, because you don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself. I see that now. You claim to care about him, but you don’t. This is all just some kind of joke to you. A means to an end. Well, let me tell you something. This isn’t a fucking joke. This is real life. And by not being an actual father to Aiden, you’ve just let everything go up in flames.”

She stood up, throwing her napkin on the table.

“You can kiss your dinners goodbye.” She looked at me. “We’re leaving.”

Rick didn’t try to stop me as I got up. There were people staring at us, but I ignored them, letting Avery lead me through the tables. We collected our coats and walked out onto the street. She didn’t say anything to me as we made our way to the carpark nearby.

When we got in the car, she turned away from me and sat staring out the car window. I didn’t know what to say to her. How to calm her down.

“Princess…”

---