Meadow’s POV:


    It all happened so fast.


    Juniper lunged at me, her fingers twisting into my hair so hard I cried out.


    “You fucking bitch!” she screamed, dragging me backward by the roots of my scalp. “You think you can fucking touch me? p me like you’re better than me?”


    “Let me go!” <b>I </b>yelled in return, twisting under her grip. I tried as much as possible to pry her hands off, but with the way her nails dug into my scalp like ws, it was practically impossible. She was already drawing blood.


    And I never actually stood a chance against her.


    Juniper mmed me head–first into the wall.


    My head hit the dry hard surface with a sickening thud and an intense pain shot through my skull, white


    and hot and unbearable.


    I gasped, stunned. The room tilted for a second.


    “You were always the mistake,” she spat in my ear, pushing my head hard against the wall again. “Mum


    should’ve killed you when she had the chance.”


    A hateful look crossed her face, and my knees buckled as the realization hit me.


    I knew that look.


    Juniper was going to kill me.


    <b>“</b>Juniper, stop,” I whimpered, trying to push her away. “Please… please, just stop.”


    She wasn’t listening. She grabbed a fistful of my dress and mmed me into the wall again. My shoulder


    mmed into an art frame and ss shattered on the floor near my feet.


    I tasted blood.


    My eyes darted to Tyler. If he couldn’t help me out, he could at least mourn his favorite painting, right?


    But that wasn’t the case. Tyler was still sitting on the couch, eyes zed over like he didn’t even know what was going on<b>, </b>stroking his still hard dick like a fucking animal.


    And even through my blurred vision, I could see that he had azy smile on his face.


    A smile.


    This was someone whom I thought loved me. How heartless could he be that he didn’t even feel anything while his girlfriend beat me up?


    “Ty…” I sobbed. “Please, say something. Tell her to stop. Please,” I let out a sharp cry when Juniper pped me right across my face.


    “You were always kinda cold, you know that?” he slurred. “I should’ve fucked you when I had the chance.


    You were practically throwing yourself at me and I didn’t take the bait.” He chuckled, letting out a groan,


    hand still wrapped around his dick.


    My stomach churned.


    Juniperughed, kicking my shin hard enough to make me fall on my knees and double over. “You sure


    she threw herself at you, baby? She was saving herself, remember?” she sneered. “Little virgin Meadow. So pure, so fucking perfect. Well, not anymore.”


    I gasped for air, something wet already trickling down my forehead and nose. I wiped it with the back of


    my hand, smearing a deep red across it. Blood.


    <b>“</b>You want your fairytale ending?” Juniper hissed, kneeling in front of me. “You think you’re gonna ride


    off into the sunset with some Prince Charming and forget that I exist? You think you’re ever going to be


    rid of me?” She let out a sharpugh. “No, sis. You don’t get to walk away untouched.”


    My vision swam. Hot tears ran down my face, mixing with the blood, my heart pounding hard in my ears.


    Juniper turned to face Tyler.


    “Ty,<i>” </i>she purred, walking toward him. “You wanna help me teach her a lesson?”


    Tyler blinked slowly, his eyes ssy, pupils too damn wide. I let out a gasp, pushing up from the floor so I


    could get on my feet and out of the apartment.


    However, the kick Juniper delivered to my shin had made my legs weak, and I stumbled the moment I


    began to move.


    Juniper cackled, not even rushing to catch me.


    She pulled me by my hair again until I was in front of Tyler, and then she tossed me onto the floor.


    And then she stood, turned to Tyler and said the words that made my blood go ice–cold.


    “Fuck her.”


    Tylerughed, staggering to his feet and not hesitating to push his pants the rest of the way down.


    “No,” I whispered.


    Tyler pulled me up as if I weighed nothing, tossing me onto the couch.


    <b>“</b>No!” I screamed louder now. “No, no, no, please! Please, Tyler, don’t. Don’t do this.”


    Sobs began to rack my body as Juniper crouched beside the couch. I joined my hands together in a pleading gesture, begging my own twin sister not to make my ex–fiance rape me.


    But she gripped my jaw so tight, I could already feel the bruises forming. There was nothing in her expression. Nothing that spoke of humanity orpassion or kindness.


    This was who Juniper had always been.


    An evil, selfish bitch.


    Just like our mother.


    “Don’t you dare pretend you’re better than me,” she whispered. “You’re not. You’re weak. And I’m going to


    prove it.”


    Tyler had taken his pants offpletely now, and he stood above me, his eyes empty, devoid of any


    emotion.


    I screamed. Scrambled for something–anything–to fight back with.


    But there was nothing.


    Tyler got on top of me, and he might have been inebriated, but Tyler was a big guy. He could overpower


    me in whatever form he was in.


    “Please!” I screamed when he parted my legs with his knees, tearing my panties from the side so he could get ess to me. “Tyler–Tyler, please!”


    But all Tyler did was look me dead in the eyes and say, “Oh, shut the fuck up, Meadow. I’m sick and tired of hearing you bitch and moan all the time.”


    And then he leaned in, his dick prodding at my opening despite my protests. “I’m gonna enjoy this so


    much.”


    And then-


    Bang!


    The front door mmed open.


    And everything stopped.


    A tall, broad figure rushed in, his moves silent, focused. And I barely had time to register the movement before Tyler was ripped off me and sent flying across the room like a ragdoll.


    Juniper spun toward the man, fuming. “Who the f-”


    She didn’t get to finish her sentence before the man’s hand cracked across her cheek in one hard blow.


    She copsed sideways, and when she wasn’t moving, I knew she was out cold.


    And so was Tyler.


    I shuffled backward into the couch, shaking and bleeding, not sure whether this man was here to rescue


    me or kill me.


    And then he turned to face me fully.


    That face…


    I squinted. I knew that face. It was the face of the man who hade to fetch me for ric. His


    bodyguard.


    <b>“</b>You…” I whispered, blinking through tears. “You-”


    I trailed off, unable to finish, because another person had just walked in.


    And even amidst all the blur, I knew it was him.


    ric.


    He stood there, all six foot three inches of fury.


    His eyes scanned the room like a predator looking for his prey. Theynded on Tyler<b>, </b>crumpled and moaningzily on the floor.


    Then on Juniper, who was unconscious.


    And then, theynded on me. His eyes changed from fire to ice. “Fucking hell,” I heard him growl.


    In only a few long strides, he crossed the room, dropping to his knees beside me.


    “Meadow,<i>” </i>he whispered, and I may have imagined it, but his voice broke.


    And just like that, everything in me shattered.


    He took me into his arms and my body copsed against his chest, and I felt silent tears run down my


    face just as I began to feel lightheaded.


    And thest thing I heard before I allowed the darkness to take over were his words. His voice.


    “I’ve got you,” he said. Over and over. “I’ve got you, baby girl. I’ve got you.”