Page 56 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

Chapter Twelve

Aiden

“Further details have been released regarding the ongoing investigation into the deaths of Frazier Shaw of Shaw Associates and his son, Tristan. The two were found by their housekeeper in what appeared to be a violent altercation. Frazier Shaw was found strangled to death with a gunshot wound to the head. Tristan Shaw died from massive blood loss due to a severed carotid artery. Police are appealing for witnesses…”

I looked over at Avery who was sat in the armchair staring at the window. She’d been this way for two weeks and I had no fucking clue what to do to get through to her.

“Police have raided the offices of Shaw Associates. They have declined to comment on what they were looking for, stating the investigation is ongoing…”

Avery told me exactly what she put on the memory stick she made me leave on Frazier’s body when we lay in bed together that night. I’d made sure to wipe it down so her fingerprints didn’t remain. I’d stayed up with her all night. Listened to her sob and tell me every single detail of what happened between her and Tristan. A part of me fucking died inside knowing what she went through whilst I dealt with Frazier.

“Princess, do you want some tea?” I asked.

She nodded but didn’t look back at me. I hauled myself off the sofa, turned the TV off and went into the kitchen, flipping on the kettle.

Avery hadn’t gone to work. She told them she had flu, which gave her a few days breathing space. When the news of the Shaws’ deaths broke, she’d had Chuck on the phone demanding answers. She told him she was taking a few weeks leave and she’d talk to him about it upon her return. He wasn’t happy about it. The whole thing had caused a ripple effect across their community. We had no choice, but until I got her to come back to me, dealing with the consequences of our actions could wait.

Avery refused to talk to me. She nodded and shook her head at me when I asked her if she wanted things, but that was it. It was like the light inside her died.

To the outside world, Avery was a girl in mourning over her fiancé dying, but here, in this flat, she was slowly deteriorating because she’d killed him. I’d tried everything to get her to come back to me. I held her when she cried. I fed her, bathed her and tried to get her to talk. No matter what I did, she just sat there staring out the window, barely acknowledging I was there. It fucking killed me to see her like this.

My phone rang. Digging it out my pocket, I answered it.

“Tina.”

“Aiden, how are things? Is she still the same?”

“If by the same you mean she won’t talk to me or move from the chair, then yes.”

I hadn’t told Tina what happened but she put two and two together when she saw the news.

“I’m sorry. This is hard on both of you.”

Having Frazier’s death on my conscience didn’t bother me much, but it did bother me that my wife was suffering over that little shit’s death. It should’ve been me. I should’ve saved her from having to take his life. There was nothing either of us could do about it now.

“I don’t know how to get through to her. It’s breaking my fucking heart seeing her like this.”

“Are you sure you’ve tried everything?”

I frowned. What else could I possibly do?

“I think you know deep down what she needs, Aiden.”

“I don’t follow.”

“You and her have never had an orthodox relationship, have you?”

I wondered for a moment how the fuck Tina knew that, but then again, she knew me. Knew my issues surrounding control. Did she suspect it had bled into my personal life? She must know. Fuck. The last thing I needed was her prying into the intimate details of my relationship with Avery, but who else did I have to talk to about this? The only people who knew anything about what really happened that night were her and John. And I certainly wasn’t about to discuss this shit with him.

“No, we don’t.”

“I don’t think kind and caring is working for either of you.”

“So what, I should just be a dick to her all over again?”

“I didn’t say that. I’m going to make a huge assumption here, but from watching you two, it’s clear who is in control and I’m relatively sure she’s on board with that.”

Fucking hell. Was Tina actually suggesting I made my wife submit to me when she was clearly in emotional pain? I wanted to put my head in my hands. Her assumption was correct, but it didn’t make it right. Not when she was like this.

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