Page 103 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

I dropped my hand and she pulled back, turning to her friends. Gert gave her an ‘I’m sorry’ look and Avery shrugged it off like it was nothing. Having spent a little time around her friends, I knew this kind of shit was par for the course. The three of them constantly wound each other up and bickered like five year olds.

“So, Aiden, are you planning on ever taking your wife on a honeymoon?” Gert asked, looking at me.

“Soon.”

“Really? Somewhere exotic?”

I hadn’t honestly decided where we’d go. After I mentioned it to Avery last night, I wanted to make sure it was somewhere special for her. She deserved a break. Hell, she deserved not to have to worry about all this shit we’d gone through. When it was fucking over, we both needed time to rest and recuperate.

“Most likely. Sun, sea, sand. What do you think, princess?”

“I need to work on my tan,” she responded, grinning.

The twinkle in her eye returned and I knew things were okay again.

I decided right then and there. As soon as we took her family down, I was taking her away for a month long break, maybe even two. Just the two of us with nothing but good food, booze and a shit ton of sun.

Now, I just had to make sure everything ended. And that fucking well started with sorting this shit out with Chuck, finding out who the fuck killed my mother from Rick and working out who the hell ‘The Collector’ was.

l

Two days ago Avery told me about her conversation with Ed last week. It’d slipped her mind after all the shit that went down with Rick. I’d asked John to see if he could find out who this blonde girl that Ed had taken to some family functions was. I couldn’t ask Chuck myself because he wasn’t fucking speaking to me or Avery. Now, I had a solid lead since Avery was suspicious of who she was. Something about it didn’t add up for her, especially the way Ed had reacted to her pressing him about it.

Strip clubs were not my idea of fun, but apparently, this is where she was. John had questioned Chuck who told him her name was Flavia and she was an escort who Ed had passed off as his girlfriend to his mother. I suspected that wasn’t her real name. I was also suspicious of why her cousin felt the need to bring an escort to a family function considering he could probably have any girl he wanted. Except Avery told me he said he had no time for girlfriends.

And when I told her I had to go track this girl down at a strip club, Avery hadn’t been especially pleased. I didn’t want to see a bunch of half-naked chicks gyrating on poles but needs must. I’d reassured my wife that the only person who held any interest for me was her. I wasn’t sure why she was so insecure recently. Fuck. I loved that girl to death. She knew that. It was just something else I’d fucking well have to deal with at some point. And I would get to the bottom of it because it concerned me that she felt that way.

I walked in, having fucking had to slap down a tenner to get into this place. It was mid-afternoon, but it was packed with suits and lonely men who weren’t quite confident enough to book themselves an escort. I went over to the bar, ignoring the underwear clad women walking around and the ones up on stage shaking their tits at the leering blokes.

The bartender walked over and asked me what I wanted.

“I’m looking for Flavia,” I said over the noise of the music.

He looked around the club before pointing over at a blonde haired girl who was serving two guys in a booth drinks. I nodded at him in thanks.

I waited for her to come back over to the bar. She was wearing black underwear which barely covered her clearly fake tits. When she noticed I was staring at her, she looked over at me.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes… Flavia, right?”

“Who wants to know?”

“I need to talk to you.”

She cocked an eyebrow.

“I take it you’re not looking for a lap dance.”

I didn’t even want to think about Avery’s reaction to a woman asking me that. Hell, she was pissed off enough at Gert for even daring to look at me like she could eat me alive.

“Fuck no. I just have some questions.”

She gave me the once over before leaning over the bar.

“Frank, I’m taking my break now,” she called to the bartender, who just nodded at her in return.

She curled her finger at me and I followed her through the club. We walked through the door marked ‘staff only’ and down a long corridor until we reached what looked like a dressing room. She snagged a dressing gown from the sofa and pulled it on before turning to me.

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