CHAPTER <b>0033 </b>


    Meadow’s POV:


    ric didn’t take his eyes off me as he pressed the ‘end call‘ button.


    For a moment, I thought he had overheard the call. But the phone wasn’t on speaker<b>, </b>so there was no way he could hear all the things that Tyler was saying to me.


    However, the look on his face meant that he’d heard enough of my side to know exactly who I’d been


    talking to.


    ric’s jaw ticked, fingers flexing at his sides. His gaze dropped to the phone still clenched in his palm.


    Anger wouldn’t be enough to describe the expression I saw on his face.


    It was rage–much deeper than anger. I wasn’t sure I’d seen him look like this before.


    I swallowed, backing up into the desk. Any more of that and I would disappear through the wood.


    “ric…” I breathed.


    I hadn’t done anything wrong, and ric hadn’t made any rule about talking to Tyler, but why did I feel like I’d done something terribly wrong?


    “Who were you talking to?” His voice was so calm and fucking quiet, it made my skin crawl.


    He already knew the answer to that, but he just wanted to hear me say it. “Tyler,” I replied.


    ric didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. He just stood there with his eyes locked on mine, jaw tight like he was trying to control himself.


    “I didn’t want to,” I said quickly. “He just… he kept calling and I didn’t want to seem-“I broke off, shutting my eyes tightly, regretting why I even mentioned that at all. My words sounded weak. Fucking pathetic.


    ric’s voice dropped lower, and under the dim light of the room, he looked…dangerous. But I wasn’t the one in danger. Tyler was.


    “You didn’t want <i>to </i>seem what?” he asked curtly.


    “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I wasn’t thinking. I just…I needed to hear what he wanted.”


    ric’s nostrils red and he nodded once, not saying another word.


    But before I could blink, he mmed my phone down on his desk so hard, I jumped, a gasp escaping from my throat.


    The silence after that was even louder than the crash. ric fisted his hands on top of the table, his head dropping between his broad shoulders.


    I wrapped my arms around myself. “He called to ask about Juniper,” I said quietly. “He thinks I know where she is. That’s why he called.”


    Still no response.


    I closed my eyes for a second. “I didn’t tell him it was you, I swear. He doesn’t even know that you and I


    are married. I just-”


    “He said something to you,” ric cut me off, gaze down like he was talking <i>to </i>the table. “Something that


    made you cry.”


    My heart stuttered, and I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Not. A. Word.


    “I could see you from the door, Meadow, you were shaking. Distressed. He didn’t just call to ask about


    your sister, did he?” He scoffed. “He called to taunt you.”


    “ric…” That was all I could say. His name. Because words had failed me.


    And then, fists still clenched on top of the table, he finally turned his gaze to me.


    And my heartbeat… it didn’t escte or thump faster.


    It slowed.


    He looked at me like his mind had already been made up.


    “Give me one reason, Meadow.” His tone was indifferent. “One reason why I shouldn’t have Tyler Cross


    killed within the next thirty minutes.”


    My breath hitched.


    And something about the way he said it let me know that this wasn’t a bluff. That ric would really-


    “What?”


    “I dare you to make me repeat myself, Meadow,” he said gruffly, finally straightening to his full height.” One call. That’s all I need <i>to </i>make before his brain matter is sttered all over his fucking bed.”


    “ric,” I pushed away from the table, ignoring the sharp pain I felt on the sole of my feet as I stood on


    my own now. “What are you saying? You can’t-”


    “I’m sorry, Meadow. Did I ever give you the impression that you could tell me what I can and cannot do?”


    He took a step toward me, towering over me now, the tattoos on his arm looking a little more threatening than they usually did.


    No. Way more threatening.


    “No,” I found myself whispering. “But it’s Tyler. You can’t… you can’t kill him, ric. He-”


    “Nearly assaulted you,” he finished inly.


    I stumbled back, my hands curling against the edge of the desk now as I used it to ground myself.


    “Had Trip and I not showed up, he would’ve raped you, and your sister would’ve watched it happen with glee in her eyes. And as if that wasn’t enough, he called you to taunt you about it.” His gaze narrowed as he leaned in slightly. “Dare I say more?”


    I couldn’t respond. How could I?


    Everything he just said was true. Tyler did nearly rape me. Juniper would’ve watched. In fact, she was the one holding me down for him. But still, something inside kept trying <i>to </i>protect them. My sister, most especially.


    And I hated it.


    “I know what they did.” My voice shook. “But that doesn’t justify killing him or sending her to a padded facility, ric. Locking her away like she’s some kind of monster-”


    “She IS a monster.” His growl sliced me open.


    Something coiled in my stomach, and I couldn’t help but raise my voice frustratedly. “She doesn’t even know who fucking put her there!”


    ric’s jaw clenched even harder. “Just like your ex–boyfriend isn’t going to know who put a fucking bullet in his head if you don’t give me a reason not to.”


    I flinched. Something pulled at my chest. Something that was d that ric was willing to do something like this for me.


    But something else hated it. Hated him for being so cruel to my sister and talking so tantly about killing someone.


    Yet, when hisrge hand gripped my waist through his shirt<b>, </b>something warm fluttered in the bottom of


    my stomach.


    ric raised me one–handedly onto the desk. “You’re not supposed to be on that foot.”


    I held my breath when he leaned in close. “Still waiting for my reason, Meadow,” he muttered, eyes dropping to my parted lips for only a second before they darted back to my eyes. “Don’t make me ask again.”


    I started to look away but he gripped my jaw and forced me to look at him. I swallowed.


    I had to give him a reason not to kill the man I used to love and there was nothing I could think about. Nothing I could say.


    “Just please, ric. Please, don’t kill him.” My voice trembled, heart beating hard against my ribcage.


    <i>” </i>


    And let my sister-”


    “I can’t let her go, Meadow,” he hissed. “Don’t you fucking get it? She’s not good for you and you want-”


    “She’s my sister, ric,” I shot back, forcing my face away from his grip. “I want peace, and I’m not going to get it if I keep pretending that locking her up in a ce like that is some form of justice.”


    ric swiped his thumb along his jaw, ignoring what I just said. “Last chance <i>to </i>save Tyler.” He dragged his eyes up to my face. “Just one reason, Meadow. That’s all I’m asking.”


    There was nothing I could say, no reason I would give that would prevent ric from doing what he wanted to do. I could see it in his eyes. And I didn’t know him that well, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to test


    him.


    “I can’t give you a reason,” I found myself muttering. “But I can give you an outlet.”


    ric didn’t say anything. His eyes only narrowed into slits, and when my hand reached for his chest, he


    nced down as his muscles tensed beneath my touch.


    “You’re angry, ric,” I continued softly, hands roaming upward. “Right now, you feel the need to punish


    Tyler. But you don’t have to do that. I can provide you with an outlet for your anger, so just… don’t punish


    him. Not like that.”


    My hands paused on his shoulders, and I swallowed.


    I was going to regret saying this. Or I wouldn’t.


    Either way, I had to say something.


    My eyes met his hard ones as I finally whispered the words-


    “Punish me instead.” 1