Page 3 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“I know.”

I looked up at him. His grey eyes were full of compassion. Something I never thought I’d ever see when I first met him. I didn’t know he was capable of it. Aiden had changed so much in the time we’d known each other. Changed in ways I never expected.

“What’s your plan?”

He let go of my hand, rubbing the back of his neck.

“We can’t let them get hold of your money. Four years is too long to wait until you have full control.”

“Well yeah, Frazier isn’t likely to drop this subject any time soon.”

If I knew anything about the man, it was that he was like a fucking dog with a bone when he wanted something.

“Then we just need to make sure someone you trust has control of it.”

His words made my skin prickle. What did he mean by that? That I should just get married?

“If you’re suggesting I have a fake marriage to someone just so we can keep Frazier from getting it, then you can just stop right there.”

“Not a fake marriage, no.”

I raised my eyebrows. Maybe I was being completely dense, but this didn’t seem like something Aiden would ever suggest in a million years. I mean, he did want me to get fake engaged to Tristan at one point, but that was in the past.

“Aiden, please don’t be cryptic. I’m not in the mood for guessing games.”

He reached up, cupping my face and stroking my cheek with his thumb.

“Marry me, Avery.”

Did I mishear him? What the fuck did he just say to me?

“W…What?”

“Marry me.”

I jerked away from him, falling back onto my hands. Marriage? Was he really asking me to marry him just so Frazier wouldn’t get access to my trust fund?

“Are you fucking nuts?”

He smiled, shaking his head.

“No.”

“Please be serious.”

“I am.”

He reached for me again, but I scrambled back out of his grasp. He was fucking crazy. Absolutely batshit crazy.

“No. No, we’re not doing this.”

I got up off the floor, putting my hands up. It’s not like I didn’t want to marry Aiden. Hell, I knew I wanted this man for life, but this isn’t how I wanted things to be. I wanted us to be free from all the shit with my family so we could have a future together. I wanted him to propose to me because he really wanted to marry me, not just to get me out of this shitty situation with my trust fund money.

“Princess…”

“Take it back. Please, don’t do this now. Not like this. I don’t want it to be for this reason.”

He put his hand out to me.

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