Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 11

Carrying her wet, dirty clothes, Alicia had just stepped up to her front door when Vincent shoved her inside and pinned her against the wall.

His expression was dark, his voice tight as he looked her over. "Who brought you home?"

The room was pitch-black—he hadn't bothered with the lights—but Alicia still felt his stare burn right through her.

"You don't know him…" Alicia started calmly, brushing past Vincent to flick on the light.

Under the harsh glare, her bare legs—she was in shorts—were streaked with bruises and scrapes, each one more shocking than the last.

Most of Vincent's anger drained away then. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a backhug. "About what happened today… I'm sorry."

Alicia stood there, stiff and numb, letting him hold her.

Sorry…

Suddenly, she remembered her freshman year—how, when Mira bullied her so badly she could barely stand, Vincent had slapped Mira across the face, right in front of her, and forced his own sister to apologize in public.

Back then, she thought Vincent almost glowed. He'd stood up for her, protected her, even gone so far as to hit his own sister for her sake.

Now, looking back, she realized how pathetically naïve she'd been. How ridiculous, how utterly pitiful.

Apologies were disgusting words.

The hurt was done. The scars were real, permanent.

An apology was just another way for the person who did the hurting to trample her all over again.

"Mr. Lawson… did your confession go well?" Alicia's voice was hoarse as she changed the subject.

She didn't need Vincent's insincere apology.

It grated on her.

Vincent's arms went still around her. He gave a low, noncommittal answer. "She just got divorced—she's not ready for anything serious yet. So for now, you don't have to worry about me leaving you…"

Mina was freshly divorced, still tangled up in her past, and she was stringing Vincent along.

And Vincent was letting her.

But while Mina kept Vincent on the hook, Vincent refused to let go of Alicia.

"I really didn't know Mina had called her brother… Henry's been studying overseas for years. Mina never told me he was back…" Vincent tried to explain, as if it mattered, as if he hadn't sent Alicia into a lion's den.

"I transferred ten thousand dollars to your account. If there's something you like, just buy it, okay?" Vincent's tone turned coaxing, like he was dealing with a child, as he pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you, Mr. Lawson." Alicia didn't pretend to be above it. She needed money for her studies abroad, and she wasn't about to send it back.

He thought he was good to her. Thought he was protecting her.

And so she should be grateful.

"On my way back, I ran into Mr. Lynch… He just had the housekeeper bring me some clean clothes and asked his driver to drop me off," Alicia explained, hoping Vincent would let it go.

Of course, Vincent didn't believe for a second that someone like Tyrone could really be interested in Alicia. But he knew the glint he'd seen in Tyrone's eyes. That predator's excitement.

Vincent didn't like it—his things being coveted by someone else.

"Get some rest. You're coming to a gala with me tomorrow night." Vincent's mood shifted; he grinned, raising an eyebrow.

Tomorrow's event was the Seaview Chamber of Commerce Gala. Tyrone would be there too.

Vincent was taking Alicia to stake his claim.

He might never marry her—but he sure as hell wouldn't let anyone else have her.

"Mr. Lawson, I've resigned…" Alicia tried to refuse, a cold sense of dread crawling over her.

"Your resignation was rejected. Be at work on time tomorrow." Vincent pinched her cheek, eyes lingering on her face. "I remember you wanted to study abroad. Only a few spots left at your university, right? I heard most are already spoken for. One slot remains, doesn't it?"

He loved to see her cry, sometimes even found a twisted pleasure in pushing her until she begged.