Corrupt Empire Series: A Dark Romance Boxset

by Sarah Bailey

  He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel for a moment.

  “I told them I must’ve been mistaken, but I wasn’t. I know it was her. Just like I know you’ve been in and out of her place since she moved back in here.”

  “Does Chuck know?”

  “No.”

  John had always been loyal to Chuck. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this. The fact that he’d cover anything up for me came as a surprise. I waited, wanting to know if he’d give me an explanation.

  He sighed, looking over at me.

  “I’m not going to tell him about you and Avery.”

  “You going to tell me why not or do I have to guess?”

  He shook his head.

  “Whatever is going on between you and Avery is none of my business. Just take care of her. I watched that girl grow up into the young woman she is today. She deserves better than the shit her family is involved in. I really don’t care how you two know each other or why you’re keeping it from Chuck.”

  I had no idea what to say. I stared ahead at the car parked in front of us.

  “You’ve had a shit hand dealt to you, Aiden. I don’t wish to add to that after what they did to you and your mother.”

  My heart tightened at the mention of her. I still hadn’t told Avery who I suspected had murdered her. I wasn’t sure I ever could.

  “You know about that.”

  “I was young back then. The old man got me in with the Daniels. Bad business. Very bad business. Nick was furious with Mitchell. He didn’t know about the late night visits until after everything went south.”

  This was news to me. I didn’t know John had been in their employ for so long. Perhaps I could learn more if he was willing to share. I didn’t want to push my luck. He was already doing me a huge favour by not telling Chuck about Avery and me.

  “How much longer is Chuck planning on having you watch her?”

  He shrugged.

  “Beats me. I’ve had nothing to report to him. Why do you ask?”

  “She prefers not to stay here is all, but neither of us wanted Chuck to get suspicious.”

  He gave me a nod and a knowing smile. Talking openly about my relationship with her wasn’t easy for me. Especially not to someone who could turn us into Chuck at any time.

  “I’ll see what I can do. I’d rather not have to sit out here every evening, especially when I know nothing will happen to her with you around.”

  “Thanks… for everything.”

  My phone rang. I checked it. It was her.

  “I have to take this. Just let me know when he decides to put you to better use.”

  John gave me a nod. I got out of the car and answered the phone.

  “Princess, you on your way home?”

  “Someone is following us,” she said, her voice sounding panicked.

  “What?”

  “Davis thinks someone is following us. I don’t know what to do. I’m scared.”

  I started walking towards my car. I needed to get to her as soon as possible.

  “What does the car look like?”

  “It’s a Range Rover, tinted windows from what we can make out.”

  She rattled off the number plate for me. It could be anyone. I didn’t have time to search for the plate. I walked faster, needing to get back to my car and on the road.

  “You can’t go back to yours and you certainly can’t go to mine.”

  Where could she go? I wasn’t about to send her off to one of her family members where I couldn’t get to her. It hit me. There was somewhere, but it also meant an extremely awkward situation for the three of us. I didn’t see another option.

  “Tell Davis to take you to James’. Call him and tell him to wait outside the building for you, okay, princess?”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “It’s the only idea I have right now. I’ll meet you there.”

  She was silent for a long moment.

  “Okay. Please be quick. I don’t feel safe without you.”

  Her words were like a fucking dropkick to the heart. Not being there to protect her, keep her safe, that was the absolute fucking worst. The fear in her voice. The need. All of it ruined me. I hated this fucking situation we were in. Despised us being apart. It had been so much easier when I knew she was safe in my flat and no one knew where she was. Except keeping her there wasn’t fair on Avery.

  “I know, princess. I’m getting in the car now, okay? I love you. Call James.”

  “I love you too.”

  She hung up. I reached the car, ripping open the door and getting in. I revved the engine as I pulled out. I had no idea how far she was from James’ but I had to get there as soon as I possibly could.

  Why the fuck would someone be following her? I knew there were some crazies out there, but this took the fucking piss. I didn’t think it was the Shaws because Tristan and Frazier wouldn’t be that stupid. Could it be the paparazzi?

  I almost growled. This whole thing set me on edge. All I could think about was getting to her. Holding her. Keeping her safe. That was my fucking responsibility. I had to do everything in my power to make sure my girl wasn’t in harm’s way.

  I drove like the fucking devil despite the traffic. I screeched into a car park nearby and set off at a jog, checking my phone. She hadn’t messaged me. It concerned me. I didn’t have time for this. I got into his street and eyed the road. There didn’t seem to be anyone stopped near his building or any suspicious looking cars or people about.

  I reached the building and pressed the number for James’ flat. A moment later, the door buzzed. I ripped it open and slammed it shut behind me just in case someone tried to get in. I didn’t wait for the lift. I jogged up the stairs and was knocking on his door two minutes later.

  The door cracked open, James eyed me warily before closing it and taking it off the latch.

  “Where is she?” I asked, barging into his flat.

  I hadn’t been here before, but I didn’t care about that.

  “Aiden?” Avery’s voice filtered through from a room next to the hallway.

  I strode towards the sound and found her in the living room. Her doe eyes filled with tears. She rushed over to me, burying herself in my chest. I stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

  “Princess,” I whispered.

  The relief I felt at having her right there almost fucking killed me.

  “Well hello to you too,” James said as he walked in.

  I ignored him, focusing on my girl. She trembled, her limbs shaking as she clutched me.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  When Avery didn’t answer, James did instead.

  “Well, she ran out of the car as soon as it stopped. The other car pulled up and some seriously scary looking blokes got out, but we were through the door before they had a chance to get anywhere near us. Davis was out of there like a shot.”

  “Did you get a good look at any of the men?”

  “No, I was too busy trying to make sure Avery was safe.”

  I nodded. So it wasn’t the paparazzi. It most definitely wasn’t someone hired by the Shaws as that wasn’t their style. Who the fuck could it be? Why the hell would someone send a bunch of guys after Avery?

  “I think we need to stay here. Getting her out now is too much of a risk.”

  James eyed the two of us. Avery looked up at me finally. Her eyes were wide with fear.

  “James only has one bedroom,” she said.

  “The sofa pulls out,” he said with a shrug. “I mean obviously you two are always welcome to stay here.”

  I didn’t really care where we slept, just that my girl was safe and in my arms. The tension in the air wasn’t helping matters though. Neither of us had seen him since she’d admitted to me about them sleeping together before we met.

  “Thanks.”

  I looked down at Avery. She wasn’t trembling so hard any lon
ger, but her doe eyes spoke volumes. Today had been taxing for her.

  “Come on, princess.”

  She let me take her over to the sofa and sit her down. I squatted by her feet and slipped off her heels for her, setting them next to the sofa. I put a hand on her knee, rubbing it.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked, my voice low.

  “Like everything has gone to shit.”

  I looked up at James.

  “Do you have something she can change into?”

  He nodded and shuffled out of the room. Pressing her legs open, I knelt between them and tugged her towards me, cupping her face.

  “We haven’t talked about what he did.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “Avery…”

  “He was going to rape me, Aiden. I could see it in his eyes. If you hadn’t been there…”

  Tears welled in her eyes. I stroked her cheek. I didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been there. If that sick fuck raped my girlfriend, he wouldn’t have walked out of that building alive. Fuck the consequences. I would’ve killed him on the spot.

  “I was there and he didn’t.”

  “It was horrible. He was saying all sorts of crazy things like I owed him and he was going to punish me for telling my dad I wouldn’t marry him. I was terrified he’d go through with it. He’d have made it hurt. I couldn’t stand it.”

  If keeping Tristan alive for now wasn’t so fucking important, I’d go around there right now and beat the shit out of him. I’d fuck him up so badly, he’d be unrecognisable. Tension rippled through me, rage flooding my veins. I wasn’t into inflicting pain, but fuck if I didn’t want to make it hurt before I snuffed his life out.

  “I’ll put him in the fucking ground for this.”

  “Put who in the ground?”

  I looked up, finding James standing in the doorway with a bundle of clothes in his arms.

  Well fuck.

  Avery looked behind us, her eyes going wide.

  “No one. It was just a figure of speech, wasn’t it, Aiden?”

  James came further into the room, eyebrow raised.

  “And I’m the fucking pope. Who are you talking about?”

  She looked at me. I gave her a nod.

  “Tristan.”

  “What did that cunt do?”

  At least he wasn’t under any illusions about Tristan Shaw. I knew from Avery the three of them went to the same school.

  “He pinned Avery to the sinks in the toilets earlier today,” I said. “I stopped him before he could do anything to her, but only because I had a meeting with Chuck.”

  James dropped the clothes on the sofa. His expression turned dark.

  “Seriously? Why didn’t you tell me, Ave?”

  She turned back to me, her eyes filling with tears again. For fuck’s sake, she really was in a state today. I blamed the Shaws and whoever else was after her. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest. She let out a pitiful sob. My heart cracked at the sound.

  “Shh, it’s okay, princess,” I whispered.

  Turning my head up towards James, I gave him a dark look.

  “I’ll talk to you about it later,” I told him.

  He gave me an apologetic look, shuffling on his feet.

  “I’ll just go see what I have in the kitchen for dinner,” he said.

  He retreated from the room.

  “I’m not hungry,” Avery sobbed into my chest.

  I stroked her back.

  “I know, but you need to eat. Here, James brought you something more comfortable to wear. Do you want me to help you change?”

  She nodded against my chest. She pulled away, her face tear streaked. I unbuttoned her blouse, tugging it off her shoulders. I helped her out of her bra and put on the t-shirt James had left along with a jumper, both of which swamped her small frame. I unbuttoned her trousers and pulled them off her before helping her into jogging bottoms. I folded her clothes up and placed them on the side table next to the sofa.

  “Do you feel a bit more comfortable now?” I asked.

  She nodded. I picked up a blanket which was lying over the back of the sofa and wrapped it around her. I gave her the remote from the coffee table.

  “Why don’t you find something for us to watch whilst I go talk to James?”

  “Okay,” she sniffled.

  I wiped her face with my coat sleeve and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She tipped her face up to me before I got up. I kissed her lips, careful to be soft and gentle with her. Avery didn’t need rough right now. She needed me to look after her. I was fucking glad it was Friday because if she had to go to work tomorrow, I’d have lost my shit.

  I pulled my coat off and went through into the hall. I hung it up behind the front door where James’ coats were and found him in the kitchen. I leant against the doorframe, eying him warily.

  “Is she okay?” he asked.

  “Not really. I can cook if you want unless you don’t have anything.”

  He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

  “Well, I wasn’t exactly expecting you guys to show up here. I’ve been meaning to go shopping.”

  I whipped out my phone, pulling up an app and searching through it for a nearby takeaway.

  “Pizza okay?”

  “Sure. I’m not fussy.”

  I ordered us two large pizzas along with sides and a bottle of coke, checking with him about toppings. I was well aware of what my girl preferred.

  “It’ll be here in half an hour,” I said.

  He turned to me and leant against the counter.

  “What is going on, Aiden?”

  “With those guys who were after her? I have no fucking idea. It’s not Frazier. Not his style. Chuck is all but insisting on her having a bodyguard so it can’t be him either. I can’t think who else would have their eye on her.”

  “And with Tristan?”

  I folded my arms across my chest.

  “I think you know what he would’ve done if I hadn’t been there.”

  James looked at the floor, his blue eyes dark with anger.

  “In her own fucking building. No wonder she’s traumatised.”

  That was one word for it. I should really get back to her, but me and him needed to have it out. If I was ever going to get over what happened between them, then James and I should come to an understanding.

  “I’ll take care of her.”

  I shifted, dropping my arms to my sides, trying not to let my emotions show. Being around him didn’t do me any favours.

  “Hasn’t she been through enough already? I get why she needs to deal with the shit her family is involved in, but surely there’s a better way.”

  A way that didn’t involve getting our hands dirty is what he meant. We were in too deep for that now. No one was coming out of this unscathed. This was war. War is messy and takes no prisoners. So no, there wasn’t a better way.

  “This is how it has to be.”

  He didn’t reply, eying me with no small amount of trepidation. Now or never. I took a breath.

  “Avery told me what went on between you two before I met her.”

  His face paled and he looked away. She wouldn’t have lied to me about it, but this just confirmed the truth.

  “Look, I’m not mad. It is what it is, but I have a question for you,” I continued.

  “And that is?”

  “Are you in love with her?”

  I didn’t really want to know the answer, but I had to ask. Boundaries needed to be established and the only way we could do that is by having the truth out in the open.

  He fidgeted under my gaze and I knew.

  “No… I mean yes… Fuck. It’s not like how you think. I love her like she’s my family, like my sister. That sounds really fucking wrong given what happened, but it’s the only way I can describe it. I’m not in love with her romantically and even if I d
id feel that way at one point, it’s in the past. We promised each other we’d never let it get in the way of our friendship.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “You do realise you’re like her entire world, right? The way she talks about you, there’s a light that comes on in her eyes. She loves you, I mean like really loves you. I think she’d follow you to the ends of the earth if you asked her to. So whatever it is you think about me and her, just don’t. There’s nothing between us and there never will be. I mean, you should’ve seen her when she was getting ready to go on that date with you. I’ve never seen her fret so much about her appearance. I swear she was going to burst into tears at one point because she couldn’t get her hair just right.”

  He looked up at me, giving me a shrug and a smile.

  “All I want is for her to be happy. She’s different with you. She’s just Avery, almost as if she’s left the Daniels part of her identity behind. I’m glad she finally admitted it to you though because secrets only hurt people. It wasn’t my place to say anything.”

  Of all the things I expected he might tell me, that wasn’t it. I believed her when she told me she loved me, but to have the person who knew her the best tell me just how deep her feelings ran. It caused my heart to pound in my ears. She cared for me that much. Fuck. I needed to do right by her. Now and always.

  “We’re good, right?” he continued. “I wouldn’t really want to get on your bad side like Tristan or anything.”

  That made me snort.

  “We’re good.”

  And I meant it. I didn’t need reassurances nothing was between them. All I wanted to know was the truth from him. I’d got that. So we were good. We had to be for Avery’s sake. Not sure she would forgive me if I didn’t try to get along with her friends. I knew how important James was to her. He’d been there her whole life. I couldn’t get in the way of that. It might have made me fucking pissed off and jealous before, but things were different now. I was secure in the knowledge Avery was my girl. I trusted her.

  “I should go be with her. I left her to pick something to watch.”

  James gave me a horrified look.

  “You’re letting her pick? Oh no. No, no, no. We need to fix this unless you want to get stuck watching cooking shows or a sappy love film.”

  I laughed, stepping back and going towards the living room with him following me. I’d let her watch whatever she wanted as long as it made her happy. I hated seeing her so distressed. It reminded me of when she’d been in the cell. I was never putting her back in that place again. In all honesty, I was thinking of getting rid of it completely. Reconverting it back into what it should’ve been, a part of the second bedroom which was currently my office.