Page 92 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“Why the fuck are you dragging this shit out? You know what I want to know.”

He sighed, settling his hand on the table.

“It’s not the right time.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

His eyes flicked towards where Avery had disappeared to.

“It means I’ll tell you the truth when I’m good and ready to.”

“Tell me why the fuck you need all this fucking time.”

His eyes fell on me again. They were almost calculating.

“You’re my son, Aiden. It ain’t easy for me to know you hate me so much. It won’t matter to you, but I’m sorry for what happened to Lizzie. I cared about her. She wasn’t supposed to die.”

It took every ounce of self-control to stay seated. I didn’t want to hear him talk about my mother even though I knew he would eventually have to since he knew who’d murdered her.

“If you cared about her so much, you would’ve stopped all this shit long before it resulted in her fucking death.”

He sighed, looking down at his hands.

“Lizzie got pregnant just after the doctors told Annabelle she would likely never conceive a child. The deep seated sadness I felt was outweighed by the knowledge I would have you. It was the only good thing I did for your mother, giving her you even though she hated me for it. I was there the day you were born. I held you in my arms and you were the tiniest little thing. I ain’t telling you this to make you feel anything for me. I know that ship has sailed.”

I said nothing. I didn’t know he’d been there. My mother never told me. In fact, the only thing she ever said about Rick was that he’d made sure we were comfortable. I hadn’t realised what that meant. Until now.

“I paid for everything. After Lizzie died, I gave all the money to Tina. She loves you, that woman. She thinks of you as the son she never had. Lizzie’s death is my only regret. That I couldn’t take her away from the Daniels soon enough. I knew what was happening. I knew about Mitchell’s obsession with her.”

Why the fuck was he telling me all this shit?

“If you knew, then why the fuck did you let it happen?”

“I wasn’t here to stop it.”

He fucking well should’ve been. Fuck.

“I know you were there that day. Tina told me. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t fucking good enough. Sorry doesn’t bring her back or change what’s happened since. You know she called me her angel. Said I was the only good thing in her world.”

I laughed, but it was hollow.

“The fucking irony is that Avery calls me the same thing. Her avenging angel. That’s what she thought of me the first time she saw me.”

“I know what you did.”

It didn’t shock or surprise me in the slightest. I’d been aware he knew what I’d done to Avery’s parents since the day he’d returned her to me after he took her.

“And? You’ve not turned me in.”

I looked up, finding Avery striding towards us, a concerned look on her face. She must’ve seen my expression. I didn’t try to hide it. This conversation had completely thrown me. I didn’t know what to fucking say any longer.

She sat down, putting a hand on my arm. Rick looked at her for a moment, as if he was trying to decide whether to continue our conversation or not.

“I don’t intend to. Do you think I wasn’t aware you’d take revenge on them? I counted on it happening.”

I heard Avery’s sharp intake of breath, but I didn’t look at her.

---