Chapter 58

Alaric’s POV

I hated the parties my mother threw. They were always filled with self-absorbed asshole relatives who never stopped believing that their opinions were needed in affairs that concerned my own fucking life.

Delusional? Yes, they were. And I could just as easily tell them to stay the fuck away from me, but I wasn’t in such a bad mood tonight.

First, after what Meadow did for me, touching my hand as if she sensed that I was losing my cool earlier, it made me feel a sense of relief. Lifted this fucking heavy rock off my chest that I had no idea was even there.

I hadn’t felt that way in a long time.

So I figured the least I could do was behave, nod through a couple of conversations while she took care of her business in the bathroom.

Which, if I had to admit, was a long fucking time to be in the bathroom.

“Enjoying himself at a party?” My brother’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Never Ric Ashford. Nuh-uh. Not my brot