Meadow’s POV:My heart stuttered, and I looked away from him.“Hi, Alaric,” Nova said to him. “Looks like you’ve been busy.”Alaric let out an amused breath. “Hardly.”I didn’t say anything, do anything except stare down at the envelope. This was too much. Way too much for someone like me even if it wasn’t a show of affection. Nova leaned in to whisper. “I think I’m gonna go, Meds. Will you be okay?”I opened my mouth, unable to speak for a few seconds, but when my voice finally came out, it was hoarse. “Uh, yeah.” I forced a smile. “Thank you for coming, Nov. Really.”“Of course.” Nova rose to her feet, smiling back at me despite the heavy concern swirling in her eyes. “Text me later?”“Promise.”I didn’t turn to watch her leave. Because if I did, then I would have to look at Alaric who was still standing by the door.The tension in the air nearly rendered the air conditioning useless and the hair at the back of my neck stood at attention.I hated that my body was too aware of him.
Meadow’s POV: A lady had come out of the passenger seat, and she had a shy smile on her face as she leaned back into the car to talk to someone inside—Alaric..She had on a short, tailored dress, chic and business casual. Her dark hair was slicked back into a ponytail. And she was pretty.Very pretty. The kind that made your stomach twist, even if you had no reason to be jealous.I swallowed.I knew what this marriage was, and I knew what it wasn’t. But there was nothing that could prep me for the hit to my ego when the man that I’d been pining over—no. Horny over—was bringing another woman to the house.Was she supposed to be my replacement? Someone prettier and less complicated who probably wouldn’t even need to be asked if she was ‘ready’?I stood, a bitter taste in my mouth as I prepared to walk back into the house, away from all this.But then the driver’s door opened. And it wasn’t Alaric who stepped out of the car.It was Trip, his bodyguard.The breath that I hadn’t realized
Meadow’s POV: After Alaric left for work, I spent the entire day worrying about the fact that I was going to meet the woman who gave birth to him in less than two days.The truth was, I did want to see her—but only because I was curious. But in hindsight, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea.Maybe Alaric had no problem lying to his family, but I wasn’t a very good liar. How on earth was I supposed to pretend to be in love with a man I barely knew in front of his mother?“Between me and you,” Nova said, leaning back into the cushioned outdoor chair. “I don’t think you’re even going to need to pretend.”We were seated outside on the patio, sipping margarita that Nova had made the moment she got here. I’d asked her to come over and stop me from losing my mind, because that was definitely going to happen if I didn’t stop overthinking things.My brows drew together. “What do you mean?”She arched a brow. “You’re kidding me with that question, right?”“Uh, no?”Nova rolled her eyes. “Oh, come
Alaric’s POV: I didn’t say anything in response, I just fixed her with an indifferent stare, hoping that she would actually see that I was way past my limit already.She tutted, narrowing her eyes at me as she shook her head. “Ten years and it’s still the same damn reaction, Alaric.” Her voice was a whisper. “I wonder what this wife of yours would say if she saw you now. This look in your eyes…” She trailed off.And then she grinned, letting out a weird laugh.One would describe my mother as bipolar, but that wasn’t the term I would use to describe her. Damaged was more like it.“You handsome, devilish son of mine… Scheiße. You think you’re clever.”“Ma—”“You married her to shut me up, didn’t you?” I froze. I knew that she would figure it out sooner, but hearing her say it with that smile on her face… it couldn’t be good. “You married her so I would stop talking about Clarissa.”I flinched, but she was looking away now, so she didn’t notice. “Well, now I have to see her.” Her voi
Alaric’s POV: Something felt… off.I knew it from the moment I stepped into the building. The frantic side eyes that the employees and security officers exchanged with each other gave it away.There was only one person who had the power to make my employees feel uneasy with just her appearance, even without saying a word.And when Tyler greeted me at the elevator, the bastard was pale as fuck, eyes wide like he was terrified.My eyes turned hard as I looked at him. My jaw clenched, hands curling into fists as I tried to fight the urge to slam him against the wall and squeeze his neck until he gave up the ghost.He made her cry. Above all other things, I was pissed that he still had the power to make Meadow feel that way. And no, I didn’t give a fuck that it’d been only two weeks since their breakup.I wanted to kill him. But right now, there was a more pressing issue in my office.“Sir,” he said. “There’s… a woman here to see you.”I didn’t stop walking. I already knew who it was.
Meadow’s POV: I didn’t know whether to consider it a coincidence that Alaric had my favorite flowers planted in a fucking garden in his home.I didn’t know if I even wanted it to be a coincidence. I mean, I already knew that he’d stalked me before he ever met me. Or before I ever met him, rather.He obviously knew I could touch him, which was why he went through all this trouble of getting a ring that was customized just for me and getting clothes in my size…And surprisingly, it didn't freak me out like it was supposed to. That was what fucking scared me.“If you’re done watching me, could you go back inside and leave me alone?”He’d been watching me for a while. At first, I hadn’t noticed, but then, I’d felt it. That prickly feeling that someone was watching your every move.Only, it didn’t feel uneasy. Excitement hummed through my veins, and warmth pooled at the bottom of my stomach.I liked that he was watching.I liked that he had been watching me even before I knew who he was.