HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION (An Erotic Billionaire Romance) novel Chapter 132

Meadow’s POV:

I’d been here a few times before, when I was still in a relationship with Tyler and he used to make me come meet him here or wait for him.

It felt different now, though.

Maybe because I was going as the CEO’s wife, and not an employee’s little girlfriend or fiance.

I didn’t text Alaric to let him know I was on my way, and as I stepped out of the car, I wished I had. But I was already here. And I needed to speak to my husband.

I turned to face Trip, and then paused.

He hadn’t gotten out of the car.

“What?” I breathed. “You’re not coming in with me?”

Trip smirked. “Not my territory. The moment you step through those doors, you’re the boss’s problem, not mine.”

I shot him a glare, rolling my eyes so far back into my head. “Great. The one moment I need you to be clingy and that’s when you decide to pull back,” I muttered, turning to stare up at the building.

It looked as tall and magnificent as it was the first time I came here.

A shiver ran down my spine. I was anxious, nervous, and I had no idea what to expect when I entered the building. A lot of people still didn’t know me as Alaric’s wife.

However, that was going to change today. I didn’t want to be some kind of… secret, whether our marriage was real or not. But since I didn’t let Alaric know I was coming here, I had no idea how he was going to react.

Pissed? Annoyed? Would he send me back home? Would he say I was embarrassing him?

Somehow, I knew he wouldn’t do that, but some pessimistic part of me only expected the worst—especially since that was how things used to be with Tyler.

“If you’re done reminiscing, Mr. Ashford’s office is on the top floor.” Trip’s deep voice broke into my anxious thoughts.

He was standing beside the car now, hand on the roof. His shades were back on, but I could see the hint of a smirk on his lip. “You terrified?”

“I don’t think you’ve ever said more than two words to me before today,” I said, tilting my head. “What changed?”

Two whole seconds passed before he replied. “You’re the boss’s wife, Mrs. Ashford.”

And he left it at that.

I spun around to face the building again, taking in a few deep breaths. My nerves were already a wreck from everything that Juniper had told me.

Everything that she had done. My father, who already hated me with every fibre of his being, now thought–No, knew that I was the reason the woman he loved died.

I had to pull it together and talk to Alaric. Although, I couldn’t help but feel bad about the way I treated him earlier. Asking him if he was ever going to feel the way I felt for him was wrong. An overstep.

We’d only known each other for a little over two months–it was still way too early for him to have those kinds of feelings for me.

I swallowed, moving toward the entrance. The automatic doors slid open for me, and as I stepped into the building, a fresh wave of nervousness hit me.

There weren’t a lot of people loitering–just a few who I supposed were employees.

I approached a woman who didn’t seem to be much older than me, maybe an intern, and when I told her who I her eyes widened and she turned flustered. But she pointed me to the elevator.

That was way easier than I thought it would be.

“Aren’t you suspicious of me?” I asked the woman. “What if I’m lying or something?”

She got a bit flustered. “Um…” she narrowed her eyes. “Something tells me you’re being honest. And frankly, even if you were someone dangerous who had a gun on you, you wouldn’t succeed in doing anything to that man.”

I only laughed.

When I arrived at the top floor, the elevator dinged and my heels clicked against the floor as I stepped into the executive level. My heart hammered in my chest.

Tyler worked here. He was Alaric’s assistant.

I hadn’t seen him since the night he tried to rape me.

Just as I approached a pair of doors that looked like they might lead somewhere important, a voice stopped me.

“Mr. Ashford is in a meeting, Miss, and you’re not supposed to… wait. Babe? That you?”

Meadow’s POV:

I stopped in my tracks.

Tyler.

Tyler was right behind me, and he thought I was Juniper. I suppose he was aware that she was out there dressing like me.

My heart thumped hard against my ribcage, the hairs on the back of my neck rising and causing my skin to itch.

I didn’t turn at first. It made more sense that he thought I was Juniper even though she wasn’t supposed to be here. There was absolutely no reason for Tyler to think that I would come here when he didn’t know I was Alaric’s wife.

“Hey,” he drawled, amusement lacing his tone. “What are you doing here? Couldn’t wait for me to get home, huh?”

I wasn’t sure why, but I couldn’t move. And then, I felt Tyler’s hand on mine and a gasp tore from my throat as I snatched my arm back, spinning around to face him.

The confused expression on his face slowly turned into one of surprise.

Oh, no.

Fuck no. I wasn’t going to take this from a piece of shit like Tyler Cross.

I was married to his boss. I was above Tyler in every way and manner that ever existed. There was nothing he could do to me without risking Alaric’s wrath on him.

Nothing.

A breathy laugh left my mouth and I stepped closer, lifting my chin. “I came all the way here to see my husband, Tyler.”

Tyler’s gaze narrowed for a second, and then he scoffed, his eyes twinkling with dark amusement. “Your husband?” He lowered his voice, eyes flashing in a way that nearly made me blink. “In case your head was too thick to comprehend what I said to you that faithful night in Vegas, I don’t want you, Meadow. I never did, and I never will.”

I felt a smirk pull at the corner of my mouth.

Tyler was pathetic. I could see that now. I didn’t understand how I could’ve ever been in love with him. How I could’ve ever wanted to be his wife!

One thing was for certain–he and Juniper deserved each other.

“Bold of you to think I would come here for you, Tyler,” I said smoothly, intentionally bringing my hands together so I could twist the diamond ring on my left finger.

The movement attracted Tyler to my hand, and when he saw the ring, he was silent for a while. I watched as she raised his eyes to look back at me. And this time, they were dark with fury.

A victorious feeling fluttered in my chest, but it disappeared the moment Tyler grabbed my wrist. His grip was hard as he lifted my hand to his face.

“Let me go,” I gritted out, trying to snatch my hand away from his.

Tyler only smirked, his gaze narrowing at the ring. “Where did you get this?” he murmured, pulling it out with a whistle. “Damn. I knew you were stupid but I never tagged you a thief. I could get a pretty penny for this.”

My other hand swung toward his face but he caught it, twisting my arm behind me as he pulled me in closer. “Shhh,” he whispered harshly. “You came here thinking I’d see the ring and come back to you, didn’t you?”

“I came here to see my husband,” I said firmly, and then a chuckle escaped my mouth. “You should really let me go if you know what’s good for you, Tyler. Alaric wouldn’t like that.”

One eye twitched at the mention of his name and I knew I had him exactly where I wanted him. It seemed Alaric had been busy with him these past few months. And it seemed he couldn’t quit.

“And what? You’re married to him?” he laughed. “Nice try, baby, but we both know that man would never look your way more than once.”

I laughed harder. “Oh, but Tyler,” I leaned in closer. “Be didn’t just look once. He claimed me. Something you could never ever dream of doing.”

And then, just to punctuate my sentence, I stomped on his foot hard, causing him to let go of my hand for only a second as he grunted.

And then, he started to reach for me again. But before he could, a deep, commanding voice cut through. “Touch my wife again, Cross, and you’ll wish I cut those filthy hands off a long time ago.”