CHAPTER 0005

Meadow’s POV:

My breath stuttered. “What?” I started pulling my hand away again but he had a firm grip on my wrist, so I couldn’t move.

I wasn’t even sure I wanted to.

“Don’t.” His voice was low. “I want to feel you.”

I swallowed, eyes dropping to where my palm rested against his chest. He felt warm, his muscles tensing under my touch as he let out a sharp breath.

He let go of my wrist. And any normal person would immediately snatch their hand away and run for their lives.

But I never said I was normal. My mind was hazy, and it kept screaming at me, telling me that this man was dangerous, but I didn’t listen.

Because right now, at this point—I liked the thought of danger.

“Why are you doing this?” I found myself asking, my voice barely above a whisper. “You say you know everything about your employees, but no boss would be that crazy to memorize every single face their employees have come in contact with.”

When he didn’t respond, I continued. “Somehow, you know that I have a sister, and you know that Tyler was with her. How?”

He didn’t speak. Didn’t even move.

So I kept going.

My fingers moved slowly, tracing small, unsure circles on his chest. I was pushing my luck, but I didn’t care.

The alcohol in my system softened everything. My fear, my self-control, my restraint.

I caught the edge of a tattoo peeking out from under the left collar of his shirt. Black ink, sharp lines that were connected—maybe—to the tattoo on his wrist that I’d caught a glimpse of earlier.

I wanted to see it.

God, I wanted to know it.

Every brush of my fingers over Alaric’s chest made his eyes darken, his muscles tense. Like he was trying so hard not to touch me back.

He wanted me.

No, not just that—he looked at me like he wanted to own me.

“Is that really what you want to know, Meadow?”

My eyes fluttered at the way he said my name. Soft, but with an edge. Commanding, sort of. I had a feeling that if he told me to sit my ass down, I would without hesitation.

My mouth went dry and I swallowed, deciding to answer honestly. “No,” I whispered, shaking my head.

Because truly, I didn’t want to know. I had no idea why, but somewhere in the middle of all this chaos, I’d realized something.

I wanted him too.

Not because he was beautiful. Not because he was rich. Not even because he was Tyler’s boss.

But because for the first time in my life, someone was paying attention.

Not to Juniper.

To me.

Pathetic. I know.

I pulled my hand away, heaving a sigh. “I don’t know why I’m being like this. I don’t even know you.”

His gaze locked on mine. “But you want to.”

I hated how right he was.

I shrugged. “I’m not in the right state of mind right now, Alaric.” I let out a bitter laugh, feeling my emotions overwhelm me as my eyes welled up with tears. “I was played.”

I didn’t know why I was telling him, but I couldn’t stop talking.

“Tyler, my sister… they played me for years and I hadn’t even realized it. I was so stupid. I thought…I thought he loved me.”

It took everything in me not to cry in front of this stranger, but the moment he pulled me into his chest, I froze.

“Don’t hold back,” his voice was deep and raspy as he spoke into my hair. “Let it out.”

I didn’t mean too. Sure as hell didn’t want to.

But I broke.

One second, I was blinking back the tears, and the next, I was crying into his chest, fists clutching the fabric of his shirt, body trembling like I’d finally been given permission to fall apart.

Alaric’s hand slid up and down my spine in slow circles. Comforting me.

“Just say the word,” he suddenly said.

I pulled back, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. “What?”

His hand reached for my hair, and I felt my heart pound hard against my ribcage as he pushed a few strays behind my ears. It was a gentle gesture, but the look in his eyes?

Downright murderous.

“Say the word and I’ll help you get the revenge you want.”

I blinked, brows pulling together as I gazed at him in confusion. “Who says I want revenge?” A nervous laugh escaped my mouth.

Alaric exhaled slowly, a smirk pulling at his lips as he said, “You can’t deny it, Meadow. You want revenge. Against Tyler. Against your sister. You want them to pay for everything they did to you.”

He took a step forward and I took one backward. Not because I didn’t want him near me. But because I wanted him to chase me.

Pretty soon, my back was against the wall and Alaric was leaning into me, his hand resting against the wall, trapping me.

Everything about this man was undeniably sexy. And every single word that he’d just said sounded dangerous.

More than dangerous.

But he wasn’t wrong. I did want payback. Juniper had ruined my life way before tonight, and now, she had taken the one thing I thought I had left.

“Why would you want to help me?”

His eyes dropped to my mouth, and his tongue darted out to wet his. I wanted it to wet mine instead.

“Because you looked at me like I could break you,” he said. “And you touched me like you wanted me to own you.”

He leaned in closer, his mouth just inches from mine and I couldn’t breathe. “I don’t feel, Meadow,” his warm breath fanned my face. “I can’t feel anyone’s touch. But I felt yours.”

His lips grazed mine slightly and I let out a gasp. But he didn’t wait for me to respond.

To ask any questions. Even though I had millions of them.

“I can give you what you want,” he murmured. “All of it. Revenge. Power. A new name. One that they can’t touch. One they’ll choke on once they realize who you belong to.”

I tried to back up, but there was nowhere to go. No escape. ‘Yes,’ I wanted to say. ‘I want it. All of it.’

Alaric’s next words were slow. Intentionally slow, and they knocked the breath out of me completely.

“Marry me.”

I blinked as my brain scrambled for a response. “You’re joking.”

He shook his head once. “No.”

He stepped away from me, and I could finally breathe.

“How can you… h-how… you don’t know me. We don’t even like each o—”

“I don’t need to like you, Meadow,” he said, his jaw ticking. “I just need to have you.”

The air left my lungs once again. “Alaric—” I breathed.

He didn’t take his eyes off me. “I can make them pay,” he said. “All of them. Anyone who’s ever made you feel small.”

“And in return?” I asked again, even though I already knew the answer.

“You’ll be mine.” His voice was so low, so deep. Almost a growl on the word ‘mine.’

A shiver ran down my spine, and warmth pooled at the bottom of my stomach again.

Not that the warmth ever left.

I swallowed thickly, my brain spiraling, my heart hammering as the weight of everything came down on me. I didn’t even realize I was moving until I was only centimeters away from him.

“I have one last request,” I muttered, raising my hand to his chest again, but this time, only focusing on the buttons of his shirt.

“Whatever you want,” he whispered hoarsely, his nostrils flaring at my touch.

I tried to talk myself out of this.

I really did.

But in my drunk state, there was only one thing on my mind.

The need to feel what Juniper felt with Tyler when I walked in on them.

And so, heart in my mouth, eyes firmly on Alaric’s, I made my request.

“I want you to take my virginity.”