CHAPTER 0154
Alaric’s POV:
The last thing I thought I would ever do–asides go to therapy–was to come here.
This was a bad fucking idea. I knew it from the moment I got in the jet. Knew it from the very second I landed in Louisiana and throughout the entire drive to my destination.
But there was nothing else I could do except this. I needed some kind of closure, and where else was I going to get it except here, in the Louisiana State Penitentiary?
Fuck, yes. I was here to see Meadow’s father–the man who was in prison for killing my father.
My fists curled on the surface in front of me and I stared down at it. I hadn’t seen this man in many years. And even before then, I never saw him enough. But I knew. I knew everything he did.
I couldn’t tell Meadow that I loved her when I didn’t have a clear conscience, and I would never have a clear conscience if I didn’t speak to Clint Russell.
A loud buzz signified his entrance, and I slowly raised my gaze, watching as two prison guards hauled Clint Russell in. He was dressed in the usual orange jumpsuit, his wrists cuffed in front of him.
I was so fucking glad that Meadow didn’t bear any sort of resemblance to him.
Clint Russell was a huge man, and even prison didn’t change that, although, he had aged accordingly in the past thirteen years. Scruffy beard that I was certain he was choosing to keep, bald head, and a hard expression on his face.
I wasn’t scared of him. I wasn’t scared of anyone. But I could see why and how Meadow would’ve been terrified living in the same house with a man who looked like this, treating her like she didn’t matter.
A friend, an acquaintance–that’s what he was to my father before he turned around and stabbed him in the
back.
And triggered a fucking chain reaction.
Clint’s gaze narrowed as he settled down into the seat across from me. Not like he was trying to remember where he knew me from. No. The man knew who I was. I was sure of it:
“Hm,” he scoffed, smirking. “Bold of you to come here, boy. I assumed you had enough resources to organize a video chat if you ever wanted to speak to me.”
The corner of my lips tilted up in response. He was right about that. “True,” I muttered. “But somehow, I thought it would be better to see you in person. You know, for… better communication.” My gaze shifted to the prison guards who brought him in.
They knew what to do. This was a conversation that was going to be completely private, no cameras, no recorders… nothing. A video chat wouldn’t have exactly assured that.
The guards nodded, and then they stepped out of the room, leaving me in here with my father–in–law.
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Clint Russell sized me up, his jaw working, and then his gaze fell to his wrists on the table between us. “Such a shame they cuffed me, like I’m a danger to anyone. Can you fucking believe that?” He chuckled, shaking his
head.
“Nice try.”
His smile fell, eyes flashing. “What do you want, boy?” he finally asked. “Haven’t seen you since that day in the courtroom when you testified against me. And now, all of a sudden, you’re here.”
A memory flashed in front of me.
Me–twenty years old on the witness stand, staring at Clint from across the room, looking into his eyes as I told the judge that I saw him pull the trigger on my father when I was thirteen, and that I was too scared to say anything because Clint had threatened to kill my brother and mother if I told anyone.
A weak, little thirteen year old boy. That was who I was when it all happened.
I shoved out a breath, leaning back into my chair without taking my eyes off him. “I hear you’ve been getting regular visits from your daughter.”
I wanted to know if he really fell for it. If he fell for Juniper’s lies and tricks, and all the things she confessed to while pretending to be Meadow.
Clint sneered at me, leaning forward. It was easy to read him. Way too easy. And I supposed that was one thing he had in common with Meadow.
“And I hear you put a ring on her finger.” His nostrils flared. “So what? You put me in prison and then proceeded to marry my daughter?”
I smirked. “You sound more offended that you’re in prison than the fact that I married your daughter, Clint. Do you not think you deserve to be in prison?”
For a moment, Clint’s eyes remained narrowed. His fists curled, and I knew he was resisting the urge of get out of that chair and come at me.
But he also knew that it wasn’t going to end well for him.
He let out a bitter chuckle, looking away. “I don’t know how many times you lot want me to say this, but I did not fucking do it.” His teeth were gritted together. “I didn’t kill your father, Ashford. I don’t know what the hell you think you saw, but it wasn’t me.”
My jaw tightened, and I tilted my head. “That so?” I muttered, keeping my voice low and steady.
Clint had always denied that he killed my father. But he was never cleared. The evidence was too strong, too potent. It was him. Everyone fucking knew that.
“Yeah,” he snapped, leaning forward again. And then he lowered his voice. “You know, I’ve had thirteen years to think about it, to replay that day over and over in my head, and I still can’t figure out why, for the life of me, you would stand there and lie about something like that. Why you would swear to tell nothing but the truth, and then look a man like me in the eye and tell an entire courtroom that you saw something that never happened.”
“I didn’t lie.” My voice was still calm. “And by the way, you should know better than to continue appealing for a
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release or pardon when you know I can easily keep you in here for the rest of your life.”
Which was what I planned on doing.
No way I was letting him out so he could hurt Meadow. I’d kill him myself before I let that happen.
The air between us thickened, and Clint’s cuffs clinked as he leaned back in the chair, scowling at me. “Why the fuck are you here, then?” he asked, tilting his head. “Thirteen whole years and you finally came to see me. If you didn’t lie, why else would you be here?” His brow arched. “Unless you feel guilty all of a sudden? For throwing an innocent man in jail?”
“You’re hardly innocent, Clint. And I know we both know that.”
“I admit, I did some shady things, and I will never apologize for that because that is how life fucking works. But I did not kill your father.” He paused. “You already knew that, though, didn’t you?”
I didn’t respond.
Clint’s eyes flashed. “You lied then on the stand, and you’ve been lying to yourself ever since.” He scoffed. You’re more like your old man than you think.”
My chest tightened. “Watch your fucking mouth,” I said quietly. How I managed to remain quiet? I didn’t fucking know.
Clint tilted his head again, his gaze dropping to the watch around my wrist and then back to my face. “Or what?” he drawled. “You gonna kill me too?”

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
Summary & Review: Fallen