HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION (An Erotic Billionaire Romance) novel Chapter 33

Meadow’s POV:

Alaric didn’t take his eyes off me as he pressed the ‘end call‘ button.

For a moment, I thought he had overheard the call. But the phone wasn’t on speaker, so there was no way he could hear all the things that Tyler was saying to me.

However, the look on his face meant that he’d heard enough of my side to know exactly who I’d been talking to.

Alaric’s jaw ticked, fingers flexing at his sides. His gaze dropped to the phone still clenched in his palm.

Anger wouldn’t be enough to describe the expression I saw on his face.

It was rage–much deeper than anger. I wasn’t sure I’d seen him look like this before.

I swallowed, backing up into the desk. Any more of that and I would disappear through the wood.

“Alaric…” I breathed.

I hadn’t done anything wrong, and Alaric hadn’t made any rule about talking to Tyler, but why did I feel like I’d done something terribly wrong?

“Who were you talking to?” His voice was so calm and fucking quiet, it made my skin crawl.

He already knew the answer to that, but he just wanted to hear me say it. “Tyler,” I replied.

Alaric didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. He just stood there with his eyes locked on mine, jaw tight like he was trying to control himself.

“I didn’t want to,” I said quickly. “He just… he kept calling and I didn’t want to seem-“I broke off, shutting my eyes tightly, regretting why I even mentioned that at all. My words sounded weak. Fucking pathetic.

Alaric’s voice dropped lower, and under the dim light of the room, he looked…dangerous. But I wasn’t the one in danger. Tyler was.

“You didn’t want to seem what?” he asked curtly.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I wasn’t thinking. I just…I needed to hear what he wanted.”

Alaric’s nostrils flared and he nodded once, not saying another word.

But before I could blink, he slammed my phone down on his desk so hard, I jumped, a gasp escaping from my throat.

The silence after that was even louder than the crash. Alaric fisted his hands on top of the table, his head dropping between his broad shoulders.

I wrapped my arms around myself. “He called to ask about Juniper,” I said quietly. “He thinks I know where she is. That’s why he called.”

Still no response.

I closed my eyes for a second. “I didn’t tell him it was you, I swear. He doesn’t even know that you and I are married. I just-”

“He said something to you,” Alaric cut me off, gaze down like he was talking to the table. “Something that made you cry.”

My heart stuttered, and I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Not. A. Word.

“I could see you from the door, Meadow, you were shaking. Distressed. He didn’t just call to ask about your sister, did he?” He scoffed. “He called to taunt you.”

“Alaric…” That was all I could say. His name. Because words had failed me.

And then, fists still clenched on top of the table, he finally turned his gaze to me.

And my heartbeat… it didn’t escalate or thump faster.

It slowed.

He looked at me like his mind had already been made up.

“Give me one reason, Meadow.” His tone was indifferent. “One reason why I shouldn’t have Tyler Cross killed within the next thirty minutes.”

My breath hitched.

And something about the way he said it let me know that this wasn’t a bluff. That Alaric would really-

“What?”

“I dare you to make me repeat myself, Meadow,” he said gruffly, finally straightening to his full height.” One call. That’s all I need to make before his brain matter is splattered all over his fucking bed.”

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