Page 116 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“You… you… I hate you,” she whispered. “You manipulated all of us.”

Rick shrugged, rubbing a hand across his face.

“I never said I was a nice man, darlin’.”

I stiffened and watched her fist clench in my t-shirt.

“Do not call me that.”

He put his hands up.

“You know the truth now. At least the truth of how Lizzie died and what I did about it.”

His eyes told me there was more. He’d said Avery was important, but he hadn’t mentioned her involvement yet.

“Why did you keep this from me?” I asked. “I could’ve made my own fucking mind up about what to do if you’d just fucking told me. Maybe none of this fucking shit would’ve happened. Maybe Avery wouldn’t have had to suffer like this, had to witness what she did. You could’ve fucking stopped it.”

He seemed to contemplate my words for a long moment. He steepled his fingers, looking at me with a grave expression.

“Who said you would’ve believed me if I had. You hated me, Aiden. There were only a few people who knew what Nick did.”

It dawned on me all of a sudden. The memory of what happened after she died sucker punched me in the gut. Tina’s words rang in my ears.

“Of course, I know it was him. Who else would it have been?”

Could she have known all this time? Then why the fuck did she help me plan Mitchell and Kathleen’s murders when she knew it was Nick who’d done it.

“Did Tina know?”

Rick’s expression became pained. I had my answer before he said the words.

“Yes. She knew.”

I pried Avery off me and stood up, pacing away as my heart fractured in my chest. She knew. She fucking knew and she didn’t tell me the truth.

“I told her she had to keep silent. Don’t blame her, Aiden. You can blame me for everything, but don’t do that to her.”

I didn’t want to listen to him. I felt two arms band around my stomach and a face press into my back.

“Avery, let go of me,” I said, trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

“No.”

“Avery…”

“No. Rick is right. You can’t blame Tina for that. You know how much she loves you. It’s not her fault.”

She clutched me tighter.

“Please, Aiden, I know you’re angry, but if you start down this road, it’s only going to lead to more pain. Haven’t we already suffered enough this evening? Haven’t we been through enough in our lives? You know the truth now. Isn’t that enough?”

I didn’t know if it was. Even though Nick was dead, it still didn’t feel like enough. I wanted everyone who knew and was involved gone.

“Aiden, please. You need to let this go. You have to. This is why we came here tonight. So you could get closure and we could end this once and for all. Please.”

I let out a breath. Hearing her pleading with me broke me. It tore me to pieces. Because I knew she was right. I knew she was talking sense. That was why we came here. I needed to know the truth and now I did. Now I had the final piece of the puzzle.

I turned around in her arms and stared down at her.

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