Fallen 112

APTER 0112

Alaric’s POV:

“Fucking hell.”

It had been a long fucking while since I had a bad day.

Drama with my family, with Clarissa… I never considered those as bad days. Those were just minor

inconveniences.

But today?

Somebody was going to end up regretting why they ever applied to work at my company–if they even lived to regret it, that is.

Fifty million dollars. That was what someone had moved from the company’s account to the wrong beneficiary.

“I didn’t authorize this, sir.” Dana breathed, looking straight into the screen of my laptop with her brows pulled together. She glanced at me nervously, and I watched her throat bob as she swallowed, turning

back to face the screen.

Whatever expression I had on my face was enough to make her fidget. And I watched her every move.

The way her fingers dug into the edge of the mahogany desk, the light sheen of sweat that had coated her

face.

Dana wasn’t guilty–I knew that. But she was still terrified of what I might do.

“I p–promise, I… I don’t know how this happened. It was just an hour ago I received an email from Mr.

Morales-”

“So why are you shaking, Dana?” I asked firmly. She glanced at me again, her eyes widening as she stood

upright. I leaned back in my seat. “If you didn’t authorize this, why do you look so guilty?”

“I’m not guilty, I’m nervous.” Her jaw was set tight. “I’ve been working here long enough to know what happens to those who cross you. And to be honest…” Her gaze dropped. “You’re looking at me like you’re

certain I did it.”

My jaw tightened. “I’m certain someone did it.” My gaze shifted to the door as three knocks sounded on it. “And it looks like he’s here. That’ll be all for now, Dana,” I muttered. “Have the tech department trace the

scam account.”

The money was gone, and it was going to take everything inside of me to control my anger around my fucking assistant.

I hadn’t spoken to him yet, but I knew it was him. I fucking knew it.

+15 BONUS

Over the past few weeks, he’d been doing everything he could to impress me–especially after that day I caught him unconscious in my mother’s gardening shed after Clarissa had drugged him with her sleeping pills.

It was still fucking crazy when I thought about it, and hard to believe it happened. But Cross tripping over his own damn shoes just to attend to my needs was a constant reminder that it had indeed happened.

Tyler pushed the door open just as Dana approached it. She shot him a dirty look–one that had him jerking his head backward in shock and confusion.

But when he shifted his gaze to me, he instantly knew that something was wrong.

“Come in, Cross,” I muttered. “And pour me a cup of coffee from the coffeemaker, will you?”

He nodded fiercely, heading toward the coffeemaker, but then I clicked my tongue, narrowing my gaze at

him.

“You know what? I’m suddenly in need of something stronger. There’s a half–empty bottle of bourbon on

top of the mini fridge. Bring it, and a glass.”

Tyler froze, his eyes widening as he turned to me. “Um, sir, I—”

“Finished my bottle of bourbon?” I murmured, feeling my lips twitch. “Oh, I know, Cross.”

The bastard had come into my office when I was absent, and had drank my bourbon, swiveled in my chair, put his fucking feet on my desk…

“Do you think I don’t have cameras in my office?”

His face paled until it was as white as a sheet, and he looked around the corners, just like I’d seen him do in the camera feed when he was searching for them. “You can’t see them. Don’t bother.”

“S–sir, I…”

I tilted my head. “The empty bottle. Bring it.”

He complied without question, although his movements were jerky. When he stopped in front of my desk, the bottle in hand, I studied him. His hard face, the terrified expression on it, his lanky build covered in a blue shirt tucked into a pair of slacks.

He was such a fucking loser. It pained me so much that Meadow was ever with him. That she ever loved

him.

He didn’t deserve to be loved by anyone–especially her.

“You want what I have so badly that you would dare sit in my chair?” I rose to my feet.

He shook his head profusely, stuttering. “N–no, sir. I only-”

+15 BONUS

“Well, go on,” I urged, stepping aside. Sit.”

Tyler’s eyes had widened way past their limit. He swallowed. “Sir-”

“Do not make me repeat myself.” My voice was firm and cold. So cold, it made him jump out of his skin

“Yes, sir,” he murmured. He tried to move past me to the chair, but a single arch of my brow and he was turning around to go through the other side.

Tyler made eye contact with me before he slowly lowered himself into my chair. He didn’t sit back–be was more… perched on the edge of the seat than anything.

“Hands on the desk,” I ordered, picking up the slightly heavy bottle from where he had dropped it.

“S–sir?”

I fixed him with a look and he swallowed, raising his shaky hands and placing them on the table, palms facing down.

“Just out of curiosity,” I started, walking around the table until I was directly across from him. “Do you have any idea who my wife is?”

Tyler shook his head. “No, sir.‘

My brows drew together. I’d assumed by now that Juniper had already told him. That it may have been the reason he decided to fool around in my office.

But that didn’t seem to be the case.

Even fucking better.

I felt a smirk pull at the corner of my lips as I moved the bottle in my hand until it was hovering over his splayed hands.

Just one quick movement and I could smash his fucking fingers and it would take a long fucking time before he can ever use a keyboard again.

But that wasn’t the kind of man I was. Not anymore.

Of course, if Trip were here, I’d have him do it. Not me. But seeing the look of fear flash in Tyler’s eyes was worth it all.

“So you had no reason,” I continued. “No reason at all to step into my office, drink my bourbon, sit in my chair and hang those filthy legs on my desk?”

I didn’t think it was even possible for his face to get any paler. But here he was, proving me wrong.

“No, sir,” he replied quickly. “No reason at all.”

I hummed. “And no reason whatsoever to authorize a fifty million dollar transaction without a second

authentication from me?”

He sucked in a breath. “Sir, I was only trying to-

〃

BANG! +15 BONUS

CH