Page 31 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“And is everything else okay, the planning and all that?”

“Things are as ready as they can be. So far, no one else knows. I think we’re in the clear but we can never be too careful.”

Anyone finding out about our wedding would fuck all our plans up. When everything was legal, it wouldn’t matter as much. They couldn’t change it then. We couldn’t do anything about the trust fund until all of this was resolved, but at least her money would be safe. I didn’t want it. I’d keep it away from Frazier Shaw though. For as long as my lungs still breathed air and my heart beat in my chest. Protecting Avery was the single most important thing to me.

“I’m honoured you two want me there.”

“Avery insisted. Said it wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t. You saw her grow up and have done so much for the two of us.”

He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You’re going to make a grown man get all emotional in a minute.”

“Soppy git.”

“You’re a fine one to talk. Don’t forget I’ve seen how you care for that girl on a daily basis.”

I rolled my eyes. Sure, I’d become sort of soft when it came to Avery, but I cared about her. I wanted to make her happy. She had enough of my brutality in the bedroom. Outside of it, she needed someone who’d be her partner, not a man who ranted and ordered her around all the time. I’d tried to leave that version of me behind. So I could deserve her even though I probably never would.

“She’s worth it. Watching her smile is like looking at the fucking sun. So radiant.”

“I heard that,” came her voice across the room.

John laughed, slapping me on the back. It wasn’t like it was a secret how I felt about her.

“You were supposed to.”

She looked up from her drawing, giving me a grin and a wink. Fuck that girl could really brighten my mood instantly.

“I best be off,” John said.

“Yeah, see you in the morning.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll nail this fucker to the wall, Aiden. Whether it be Troy, Arthur or someone else, we’ll find him and we’ll take him down. Enough is enough.”

I nodded. I knew he would find something out somehow.

“See you tomorrow, Avery,” he called as he walked out.

“Bye, John.”

I went over to her, kneeling at her feet and wrapping a hand around her calf as I heard the front door slam.

“Would my radiant princess like dinner?”

She set her drawing aside, put her feet down on the floor and leant over, catching my face in her hands.

“Yes, please, my beautiful husband to be.”

I bit my lip, trying not to smile. Fuck. Anyone else calling me beautiful, I would’ve told them to fuck off, but Avery said it was her immediate thought when she saw me the first time. Her beautiful avenging angel.

I was trying to live up to that image she had of me.

Even though in reality, I was still battered, broken and bruised and she was no longer innocent, fragile and sheltered.

My girl would see us through even if I never found redemption for all the things I’d done.

Avery was my salvation.

And I would find a way to be the man she deserved.

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