Chapter 57.5 — "Corporate Leverage"
The Afterlife thrummed with low, dangerous energy. Alaric leaned against the bar, chrome fingers tapping lightly against the glass. The mission with Hanako left waves in the city's underbelly… and opened doors he hadn't considered.
Meredith Stout slid onto the stool beside him — black corpo suit sharp, eyes sharper.
"Alaric," she greeted, tone cool, eyes tracking him like a predator sizing up another.
Meredith's eyes raked over Alaric with slow, calculated interest — the kind of look she usually reserved for hostile takeovers or threats to her career.
But when his hand slid over her thigh beneath the bar — firm, unapologetic — her cool mask cracked just a fraction.
"Bold," she murmured, voice low. "Didn't peg you for the aggressive type with corpos."
Alaric smirked, leaning in, lips brushing the shell of her ear.
"Didn't peg you for the wet type before drinks."
Her sharp intake of breath was all the confirmation he needed.
Moments later — in the Afterlife's back room, door locked — Meredith's hands tore at his belt with a mix of frustration and heat.
And when his cock sprang free, thick, long, pulsing in her grip — her expression froze.
"You're… fucking with me."
Alaric's grin sharpened.
"Not yet."
Meredith swallowed — eyes flicking from his size to his smirk — then let out a low, breathless curse.
"Fucking hell…"
Her corporate bravado cracked completely when he pushed her down over the table — bending her with one hand pressed between her shoulder blades — the thick head of his cock teasing at her slick entrance.
"Ready for this, corpo?"
"Do it…" she hissed, nails clawing at the table's edge.
When he slammed in deep — slow, brutal, stretching her to her absolute limit — Meredith let out a strangled, guttural moan, eyes wide, mouth open.
"Fucking… shit—!"
Alaric leaned over her, voice a growl against her neck.
"Consider this a hostile takeover."
He didn't ease in.
Didn't give her time to adjust.
Alaric slammed into Meredith with a force that knocked the air from her lungs — his cock splitting her open, pushing her limits until her cry echoed off the walls.
"Fuck…!" she gasped, clawing at the table as his hips ground into her ass.
"You're… bigger than— fuck—"
Alaric grabbed a fistful of her sleek, corporate hair, yanking her head back.
"You thought you were running this?"
Meredith's eyes rolled back as he started pounding into her — relentless, deep strokes that sent shockwaves through her frame.
Her voice broke on a raw moan.
"Shit… you're— you're fucking splitting me—"
He grunted, slamming harder, the wet slap of skin on skin brutal, merciless.
"Take it, corpo. Take every fucking inch."
Her legs buckled.
Her breath came in ragged, shattered gasps as her tight walls clenched desperately around him.
"You're insane…" she panted.
"It's too— f-fuck—"
Alaric just fucked her deeper — brutal, punishing thrusts that had her body jerking forward with every hit.
"Who owns you now?" he growled, voice a harsh rasp in her ear.
Meredith's pride snapped with a choked sob.
"You— fuck— you…!"
Her climax hit like a wave — tearing through her, ripping a scream from her throat as her body shook under him.
Alaric didn't stop.
Didn't slow.
He fucked her straight through it — relentless until she was moaning, trembling, begging under her breath.
And when he finally came — hot, thick inside her — Meredith collapsed against the table, body wrecked, nails clawed deep into the surface.
Alaric leaned in, biting softly at her neck.
"Now you know what real leverage feels like."
All she could do was gasp — sweat-slick, used, and completely owned.
In the dim afterglow, Meredith sprawled across silk sheets, red marks tracing her thighs and collarbone. Alaric lit a cigarette, standing shirtless at the window.
"You'll come running again," he said, not a question.
Meredith smirked, lazy and satisfied. "Only if you beg… or threaten."
He glanced back, grin sharp. "I don't beg… but I'll definitely threaten."
She gave a low, dangerous chuckle. "Deal."
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