HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION (An Erotic Billionaire Romance) novel Chapter 152

Alaric’s POV:

My body went completely still. Clint’s words hung in the air like a dark and heavy cloud. His gaze remained on mine, and I didn’t look away either. Didn’t move, didn’t say a fucking word.

I didn’t try to deny it. Hell, I didn’t even want to. It’s why I was here.

To accept the fact that I killed my own father.

“Nothing to say, huh?” he asked, gaze narrowing. “You won’t try to deny it?”

With every second that passed, the expression on Clint’s face soured even more. He was in disbelief. Almost like he wasn’t sure I did it at first, and was only guessing when he tried to accuse me just now.

And me not denying his accusations only confirmed it.

Yes, I killed my father.

I was thirteen years old and completely fed up. My father had done too much, consistently beating up my mother, and even though I tried so hard to defend her, it was never enough. He still locked her up in psychiatric facilities and made her look crazy, releasing her whenever he wanted and putting her back whenever she defied him.

But then, he touched Nolan. Beat him up. I wasn’t around when it happened, only to get home and find out that he had passed out and was receiving stitches at the hospital.

I told Meadow all that, but what I didn’t tell her was what I did after.

My father was a reckless man. I knew where he kept his gun. And at that point, I was fucking pissed. More than pissed. No thirteen year old should’ve ever had to know things like this, but I wasn’t just a regular thirteen–year -old.

I needed to protect my family–Mutti and Nolan–before my father killed us.

I went to his office during one of his late nights, when no witness was around.

And then I…

I shot him.

I didn’t say a word to him, I just pulled the trigger.

I didn’t flinch when my father’s body hit the floor. I didn’t think I was even capable of flinching. But that moment ruined me forever. The image.

The way his eyes widened in surprise. His last word: “Why?”

Why?

Clint scoffed. “Ruin your family? If there’s anyone who ruined your family, it’s you,” he spat. “You killed your own father, and then you had the guts to put it on me.”

My gaze narrowed. “You seem to have forgotten that murder isn’t the only reason you’re here. Sit,” I added, nodding toward the chair. Clint opened his mouth, about to protest, but I silenced him with a look and he lowered himself into the chair, his fists clenched together.

“You stole from people, Clint, did you forget that? Did you forget the amount of people who were ready to testify against you because you swindled their money and used it to build your own company?” I leaned in, pressing my fist against the surface of the table. “Did you forget that my father was among the unfortunate ones you conned, and that you were the reason he became bankrupt? Do you know how fucking selfish you have to be to con your own friend out of his life investments? I mean, you were friends, weren’t you?”

He clenched his jaw and my gaze narrowed as I lowered my voice. “Answer me, Clint.”

He shot me a glare. “Don’t blame me because your father was fucking easy to manipulate.”

“Oh, but I will blame you,” I replied, finally lowering myself onto the seat. The air was thick with tension. Both of us wanted to break each other’s jaws. Maybe even a spine.

Me? I wanted to break his fucking neck.

Leaning in, I continued. “You want to know why? After my father lost everything, he turned to drugs, turned to fucking alcohol. Before then, he still wasn’t father of the year, but at least he was bearable. But after you ruined his life and somehow made him turn to you for help, it crushed him. I hated the man, but I could see the pain in his eyes. He hurt my mother, hurt my brother, hurt me…” I shoved out a breath as my brows drew together. “So you see, Clint, you are the reason my father is dead. You’re the reason I had to kill him, you’re the reason my life was fucking ruined!” My voice was louder now and I slammed my fist against the table.