HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION (An Erotic Billionaire Romance) novel Chapter 90

Meadow’s POV:

‘No, please. Anyone but him.’

I never realized it before, but recently it hit me that when Clarissa was advising me against Alaric in the bathroom, her intentions may not have been wholly pure.

‘Whatever you’re getting from him, it’s not worth it. Stay away from him.’

I was stupid enough to think that she was really just looking out for me. And maybe she was–Hell, I didn’t know who Alaric truly was. But knowing that she and Alaric had something real and intense when they were younger… It just made me feel like Clarissa wanted something from him.

In less than two hours, I arrived at the restaurant where she’d asked me to meet her.

My aunt was seated at a table in the corner. Not a lot of people were present, seeing as it was a sunny Tuesday afternoon, unfortunately. I didn’t much like being around so many people, but in a situation like the one I was about to be in with Clarissa, I wouldn’t mind a number of people surrounding us.

It was so I could have something else to drown myself in–the noise–whenever it got too much.

Once she spotted me, a wide grin stretched her red lips and she rose to her feet. Clarissa had on a red sundress, and her dark hair was tied in a ponytail so her slender neck was exposed. Dangling prettily around it was a simple gold necklace accentuating her collarbone.

Compared to Clarissa, I looked… bland in just my jeans and off–shouldered croptop. If a man–Alaric, for instance–was to walk in here, the first person he would notice was her. She always had that effect on people. On men. I aspired to be her when I was a teenager.

“There she is,” she drawled as I got to the table. “My favorite niece.”

She pulled me into a hug before I could even react. A hug that would’ve been longer if I hadn’t pulled away.

My gaze narrowed instantly. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure your favorite niece is Juniper. Not me.” I lowered myself into the seat across from her.

Clarissa’s brows drew together as she followed suit, settling into the chair so elegantly.

God. She was perfect for him.

I shook my head fiercely, biting on my tongue hard so I could focus on something else. Anything else, really.

“Why would you think that?” she asked.

I scoffed. That was a no fucking brainer.

“Because Juniper is everyone’s favorite, Yvonne. Including you. If you’ll ever be brave enough to admit it anyway. Did you order anything yet?” I added, picking up the menu to distract myself.

I wasn’t hungry, but if I was to get through this conversation–which I had a feeling was going to take a while–I needed something strong.

She stared at me wordlessly for a little too long, before she sighed, shaking her head. “I would’ve ordered cocktails but I wanted to wait for you since I wasn’t so sure what you would like.” She paused, and then finished under her breath: “Seeing as you ghosted me for five whole years.”

My jaw clenched and I tucked my hair behind my ear. “I thought you asked me to come here because you owed me explanations. I didn’t realize I’d be the one doing the explaining.”

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