Corrupt Empire Series: A Dark Romance Boxset

by Sarah Bailey

  “Okay, okay. You’re all good, right?”

  “Yes, I promise. Thank you for everything you did.”

  “Ah, it was nothing really. You know I just want you to be happy.”

  She smiled, edging closer to me.

  “I am.”

  “I won’t keep you. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  “Bye dickhead.”

  “Bye Disney Princess.”

  He hung up. I looked at her, but she was scowling.

  “What was that about?” I asked.

  “Oh god, he was being a dick in the car and going on about how we’re Beauty and the Beast. I told him to shut up, but you calling me princess in front of him has clearly made it worse.”

  I raised an eyebrow. Beauty and the Beast? That wasn’t far off what we were.

  “Do you not want me to call you that?”

  Her face fell.

  “No, no. I do. It makes me feel special. He just likes to wind me up.”

  I wrapped an arm around her.

  “Special, huh?”

  Her ears went pink.

  “Am I not your princess?”

  I cupped her face, running my thumb over her lip.

  “Mmm, you are. The most beautiful princess in all the lands.”

  She frowned.

  “Don’t you start too.”

  I grinned. She walked into that one. Fuck. This felt so right. Being here with her. Making jokes like we were normal.

  Except we weren’t normal.

  I’d got her back, but the road ahead would be paved with problems. There was so much we still had to do. So much to overcome.

  I would let her have these few precious moments before we ran into trouble.

  She needed them.

  I needed them.

  I hoped together we’d be okay.

  But things always have a way of falling apart around me.

  I pressed her down on the bed and kissed her. Letting our passion and need for each other eclipse everything else. Because soon, there would be a world of shit coming our way when Avery went back out into the real world.

  And I, for one, was not fucking prepared for the fallout.

  Chapter Five

  Avery

  When we got back to the flat the next day, Aiden announced we were having a New Year’s Eve get together. He’d already bought things for dinner, snacks and drinks. When I asked who was coming, he said James, but there was a glint in his eye which told me he was keeping a secret. And when he made me set four places at the table, I knew I was right to be suspicious.

  Who else is coming? Why is he being so secretive?

  I was about to ask when the buzzer for the door went. Aiden didn’t let me get it.

  “Go wait in the living room, princess.”

  I did as he said, sitting down on the sofa and staring at the TV. Whilst our relationship was different now, I knew Aiden and his issues with control. There was no point fighting him on this.

  Voices filtered down through the hallway. I couldn’t see who was at the door because Aiden’s bulk hid them from view.

  “This is Aiden.”

  That was James’ voice. It was what came next that made me freeze.

  “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

  Is that…?

  “Perhaps it’s best if you come in,” Aiden said, stepping back.

  My heart stopped dead. Standing just beyond the threshold was the one person I’d missed almost as much as James.

  “I don’t know why you had to be so secretive, James,” she hissed. “What are we doing here?”

  “You’ll see,” James replied as the two of them walked in.

  I stood up, hopping from foot to foot. Aiden told me to stay here, but I wanted to run down the hallway. He led them down towards me and as soon as they all entered the room, her eyes went wide.

  “A… Avery?”

  It’d been far too long. Gert, my red-haired, blue-eyed best friend, stood there in her trademark black jeans and black boots. I walked around the coffee table and straight into her arms.

  “Hi,” I whispered.

  “Where the hell have you been?” she whispered back.

  “Here with Aiden.”

  “Who is he?”

  “I’ll explain later.”

  She pulled away and gave me a searching look. I shook my head. I turned to Aiden and James.

  “I can’t believe you two. Is this really okay?”

  James grinned and Aiden nodded. Shit. I didn’t know what to say. Having Gert here meant the world to me. I’d have words with both of them later. They shouldn’t have kept it from me, but I was also glad they had. I hustled her over to the sofa. Aiden left the room to get drinks sorted and James sat with us.

  “Seriously, what happened to you, Avery?”

  I sighed. This wasn’t exactly the conversation I expected to have on New Year’s.

  “A lot of things happened. Mostly I just couldn’t deal with my parents being gone. I’m sorry I disappeared.”

  “And you’ve been staying with that… sex god all this time?” Gert asked, her voice low.

  “Not you as well,” James muttered.

  “What do you mean?”

  James sniggered and my face burnt. I could hardly blame Gert for thinking Aiden was hot. He basically screamed sex, lust, power and danger. Not to mention how beautiful he was to look at. And the stunning artwork covering the skin beneath his shirt. I almost couldn’t believe he was real and mine.

  “Aiden is my boyfriend,” I said.

  “Excuse me? He’s your what?”

  “The man she’s shacking up with and fucking, Gertie,” James said.

  I put my head in my hands. Trust James to make a comment like that. He had no tact when we were alone. There was a cough from Gert. I looked up.

  Oh for fuck’s sake.

  Aiden stood there with two wine glasses in his hands and a raised eyebrow.

  Can the ground swallow me up right now?

  I got up and went over to him, taking the glasses from his hands.

  “Sorry about that,” I whispered.

  He reached up, cupping my face.

  “He’s not wrong about the fucking part,” he replied, his voice too low for the other two to hear.

  “I swear you and James are making it your mission to embarrass me.”

  He leant down, kissing my forehead.

  “So innocent, princess.”

  Before I could retort, he walked away back towards the kitchen. I went over to James and Gert, handing them a glass of wine each.

  “Oh, god, you two are so cute,” Gert said, sighing.

  I wouldn’t exactly describe Aiden as cute. Dangerous, yes. Cute, definitely not.

  She turned to me, eyes wide.

  “Hold on, what about Peter?”

  “You did see me publicly say it wasn’t going to happen between me and him, right?” I said.

  “Well, I can hardly blame you. Shit babe, you did good.”

  I gave her a warning look as Aiden came back. He handed me a glass before sitting on the arm of the sofa next to me, his hand curling around the back of my neck. His touch sent tingles down my spine.

  “So… you’re the one who’s been hiding my best friend then?” Gert said.

  “You could say that,” Aiden replied.

  I eyed James who shook his head. We weren’t going to tell her the truth.

  “I asked him to, so blame me,” I said.

  “And when did this happen?”

  She pointed between us.

  Can’t she ask me that later when we’re alone?

  Talking about my relationship with the man next to me was all kinds of complicated.

  “Only recently,” Aiden said for me.

  I looked up at him. His grey eyes were cautious but when they met mine, they softened.

  Well shit.

  My heart hammered wi
ldly in my chest. His fingers traced lines along my neck. If my friends weren’t here, I would’ve kissed him. Except being affectionate in front of people wasn’t my thing. Especially not with the fire that burnt between Aiden and me.

  Thankfully the conversation turned away from our relationship and as the night wore on, dinner was a great success. Aiden let me talk to my friends with minimum interruption. It felt like old times except I was different now. Some of my innocence stripped back. My knowledge of the world was tainted.

  We were all standing by the window waiting for the fireworks with the TV on for the countdown. Aiden wrapped his arm around my waist and leant down to me.

  “Do I get a kiss at midnight?” he whispered.

  “You can have as many as you want.”

  I may have had too much wine. The thought of kissing him in front of my friends no longer seemed like such a big deal.

  In fact, I wanted it.

  “I’ll hold you to that.”

  A few minutes later, whilst Gert and James chanted the countdown, Aiden turned me towards him and tilted my face up. The affection and desire rolling off him hit me like a tidal wave. I drowned in those molten silver eyes.

  “Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Happy New Year,” James and Gert shouted in unison.

  Aiden leant down and captured my mouth, stealing away all my thoughts. My body arched into his, hands falling on his chest. His kiss was slow and deep, drawing out every inch of desire and causing it to pulsate through my veins. Fuck did I want him.

  “All aboard the PDA train.” James’ voice broke through my lust filled haze.

  Aiden pulled away, glaring in James’ direction over the top of my head.

  “Leave them alone,” Gert said.

  I heard the popping sound of fireworks and turned to the window. We had a relatively clear view from Aiden’s flat. I lay my head against his chest and his arms wrapped around me.

  “Happy New Year, princess,” he whispered.

  “I hope we have more moments like these.”

  “Like these?”

  “Yes, ones where I don’t feel like my world is crumbling before my eyes.”

  He clutched me tighter.

  “I’ll try make sure we do. I just want you to be happy.”

  The fireworks continued to go off. The display was always centred around the wheel.

  “You make me happy most of the time.”

  The rumble of his chest vibrated through me as he chuckled.

  “Most of the time?”

  “Yes, you also make me mad.”

  He stroked my hair, fingers tangling in it.

  “You’re a little infuriating too.”

  “We’re even then.”

  Perhaps it was the alcohol which loosened my tongue. He didn’t seem to mind my honesty. No one was perfect, but the two of us were it for each other. We belonged together like he said last night. So what if we occasionally pissed the other off? Our arguments always resulted in explosive endings. Ones which made my toes curl. Fire flooded my veins. And now I really wanted my friends to be anywhere but here.

  We hadn’t had sex since last night. This morning we’d had breakfast in the suite, but Aiden had been a little preoccupied with something to do with my uncle who’d rang him first thing. Now, being pressed up against his solid form, I couldn’t help but need to feel him everywhere.

  It would have to wait. We still had guests. I pulled away and looked up at him as the last of the fireworks finished. His grey eyes glinted with affection. Shit. I loved this man so damn much. My heart ached, the intensity of my feelings slamming into my chest all at once. And there was something I desperately wanted to give him. When we were alone, I’d tell him.

  “Drinking games?” James said.

  I turned to him, frowning. There was no way we were doing that. I was already at my limit, any more and I’d be on the floor.

  “Christ, you’re always trying to get us drunk,” Gert said. “Hell no. You’ll end up making us spill about Avery’s embarrassing stories and I’m sure she’d rather us not divulge that information.”

  “Yes, Avery would like you to keep those to yourselves,” I added.

  “I’d like to hear them,” Aiden said.

  “And that’s exactly why we’re not going to indulge in drinking games.”

  ~~~

  Two hours later, James and Gert had fallen asleep on the sofa. We’d put a film on and they’d continued drinking. Aiden and I abstained, too busy cuddling.

  I wrapped a blanket around them and followed Aiden into the bedroom. The moment the door closed, I pounced on him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. He responded at first, but after a moment, he pulled back. I let out a little mewl of frustration.

  “Aren’t you tired?” he asked.

  “No.”

  My fingers went to the buttons of his shirt. He let me undo them one by one.

  “Aiden… I want something from you.”

  “And what would that be?”

  I ran my fingers over his chest, tracing the outline of his tattoos.

  “I want you to take something from me which I’m giving willingly.”

  “You’re not making any sense.”

  The alcohol was playing havoc with my mind. My inhibitions were gone. And now it was time. I was ready.

  “Take my virginity.”

  He frowned.

  “What?”

  “I want it. You know what I’m talking about.”

  His eyes widened.

  “What? Right now?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re drunk, Avery.”

  I shook my head. Who cares if I had too much to drink? I knew what I wanted.

  “I wanted to tell you last night, but I was too nervous. Please don’t say no.”

  “You know I want that, but not like this.”

  “Why not?”

  “For one, your friends are in the next room and I’m not going to fuck you there when you’re drunk.”

  He cupped my face.

  “But Aiden…”

  “No. We’re not doing this. Go get in bed. You need to sleep it off.”

  I couldn’t quite believe my ears.

  “So what, you won’t even have sex with me at all?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  I pulled away from him and stomped towards the bed. Now I was just pissed off and a little embarrassed. I’d asked him for the thing he wanted in the first place and he rejected me. How could I feel anything but hurt and shame? Why had it only taken a day for us to get into an idiotic fight?

  “Avery…”

  “Don’t. Just don’t. I’m going to bed like you told me to.”

  I pulled off my clothes and heard the bedroom door open. When I looked around, he was gone. I put on a t-shirt, not bothering with shorts and crawled in bed. How the fuck was I going to sleep when I was mad as hell, horny and hurt? Damn Aiden. He drove me insane.

  A minute later, I heard the door close again and his footsteps. He put a glass of water next to me on the bedside table. He shuffled around the room before he got into bed next to me. My back was to him, the covers over my head. I really didn’t want to see or speak to him.

  When I felt him reach for me, I stiffened. He curled himself around my back, his hand resting on my stomach. His breath tickled my ear.

  “Princess, please don’t be angry with me.”

  I didn’t respond. He could beg for all I cared. He’d successfully made me feel like shit so he could just do one right then.

  His fingers found their way under my t-shirt, brushing up my side. I tried not to respond to his touch, but my body craved him. It was a traitor.

  “Please, Avery. Don’t ruin tonight.”

  How the hell did I ruin tonight? He was the one who ruined it by refusing. He cupped my breast, running his thumb over the nipple.

  “Don’t you want me to fuck you?” he asked
.

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?” He ground his cock against me. “Don’t you want my cock here?”

  “Stop it, Aiden. I’m not in the mood any more.”

  “I don’t believe you. I know you’re wet. You’ve wanted me all night. Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you’ve been looking at me.”

  Fuck him. I really hated him being right. His hand left my breast. He tugged at my underwear, pulling it down enough so it bunched up on the tops of my thighs. His hand fell in between us and he ran his finger along my entrance. I bucked involuntarily.

  “Stop it,” I whispered.

  “You asked me to take your virginity, so that’s what’s going to happen.”

  It took a moment for it to register and by that time, I felt his finger at my other entrance, pressing against it. Since he’d done this more than once before, it slipped in easily. I jerked in surprise.

  “So tight,” he whispered. “It’s going to feel so fucking good, princess.”

  “Aiden…”

  “Shh, let me take care of you.”

  My voice was stolen as he pressed deeper. Was this actually happening? Why had I said I wanted this? But it was Aiden and he meant everything to me. I wanted him to have all of me so much.

  “I don’t want you to hurt me,” I whispered.

  “I won’t. I’ll make sure you’re ready. Are you sure you still want this?”

  My brain whirled with the alcohol-fuelled haze, my fear that it might hurt and my need to have Aiden fuck me. Right now, I needed him in me. If that meant anal, then so be it. I enjoyed the toys more than I thought I was going to. There was no reason I couldn’t take this final step with him.

  “I want you to.”

  He growled in my ear before he pulled away. The next sound I heard was him popping the cap on a bottle. When he curled around me, he did what he’d done several times before, opened me up to him. Except this time, after he’d used two fingers, he inserted a third one. That stung a little. I winced.

  “Relax, princess.”

  I was trying. I took a deep breath, needing oxygen in my lungs. I trusted Aiden, but even with the alcohol bolstering me, I was still nervous. He moved his fingers, stretching me further. I bit down on the covers. It didn’t hurt, it just felt different. A few minutes later, he pulled out of me.

  “I’m going to fuck you now, last chance to change your mind.”