Meadow’s POV:


    All ric had told me was that he wanted to feel, and he could feel me. But that couldn’t be the only


    Teason.


    At least, I didn’t think so.


    The man was giving me a hundred million dors for marrying him just because I could touch him? <b>I </b>mean, I knew what I wanted–to lose my virginity. And he made me understand that I needed revenge.


    But at the end of the day, I was the one getting the most out of this.


    Maybe I’d talk to him about itter.


    But for now….


    “Yes,” I whispered back, turning around in his arms and wrapping my arms around his neck. It was barely


    noticeable, but his eyes fluttered.


    ric always reacted whenever I touched him. Whether it was a tension in his muscles or jaw. And now


    his eyes. “I don’t think I like your brother very much,” I continued loud enough for Nn to hear.


    I had to stand on the tips of my toes to be able to look at him over ric’s shoulder. The mischievous glint in his eyes was gone now, and it was reced by an indifferent one.


    But he didn’t take his eyes off his brother’s back.


    ric let out an amused breath, finally stepping away from me–to my disappointment.


    “He’s just cranky because someone stole his bike after he abandoned it on the roadst night.”


    “Thank you for reminding me, Ric,” Nn drawled, tossing an apple in the air and catching it. “I mean, it’s not like you could’ve picked up my fucking calls ande pick up your drunk brother.”


    “Whose fault is it that you got fucking drunk?” ric asked. He pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.


    and I grabbed my coffee mug, shuffling over to the far end of the counter.


    I hopped onto the stool, and the moment my ass grazed the edge, I let out a sharp hiss.


    Okay… fuck,


    <i>“</i>You good?” Nn asked, to my utmost surprise.


    I gritted my teeth as I adjusted on the stool, trying to ignore the pain in my ass–literally. It was still fresh from ric’s whipping.


    “Uh–yeah,” I stuttered. “Just my foot, you know? Since I stepped on the ss you brokest night?<b>” </b>


    That was a lie. My foot barely even hurt anymore, but that was way better than telling him that I bent over and took a fewshes.


    I risked a nce at ric just in time to see him close the cap of the bottle and wipe the amused smirk from his mouth with the back of his hand.


    I felt my neck heat up and I raised my mug to my lips, taking a small sip.


    “Right,” Nn whispered, looking away. “Sorry about that.”


    Huh. I guess he wasn’t aplete asshole after all.


    “So, when are you going to introduce your wife to our mother?” he asked ric. The amused glint was back in his eyes now.


    I didn’t quite understand Nn, and I didn’t think I ever would. He didn’t seem afraid of getting his nose punched again even though he knew ric didn’t want him asking those questions.


    However, I didn’t mind.


    I wanted to understand the kind of rtionship ric had with his family, even though it wasn’t my right to. I needed to know why he didn’t tell them he was getting married.


    Not even his mother.


    And Nn seemed to be quite close with her.


    So I shifted my gaze to ric as well, waiting for his response.


    His attention had been on his phone, and for a moment, it was like he didn’t even hear what his brother just asked.


    But I could see the slight shift in his shoulders. The way his jaw ticked.


    And the flicker of something cold in his eyes as he looked up.


    Yeah, he heard his brother. And he was pissed.


    “Come on,” Nn pushed, letting out augh. “You may have hidden her from Mutti,” ‘Mother.” “But she knows about it now. And she had to find out about it from someone else. You know how she gets when we keep secrets. Remember what happened when she found out about my Berlin sneaky link?<b>” </b>


    ric’s expression didn’t change, but he shoved his phone into his pocket, ncing at me for about half a second before he finally replied.


    “She’s not ready yet.”


    “You guys keep talking about me like I’m not here,” I muttered under my breath, though I was sure at least one of them had heard me.


    But they didn’t take their eyes off each other.


    “She?” Nn echoed, his gaze flicking to me and back to ric. “Or you?”


    ric didn’t flinch. “Both.”


    My gaze narrowed at ric. This entire conversation was weird and ufortable as hell, but for some reason, I wanted to stay. I was curious.


    Nn made a sound in the back of his throat as he ran a hand through his hair. “That’s rich, considering you married her without warning any of us. But yeah, sure. Tell yourself it’s about readiness and timing.”


    ric shot his brother with a death re. “Don’t fucking push me, Nn. Just do whatever the hell you came here for, and get out of my house before I throw you out.”


    And then, as if he didn’t just threaten his own brother in front of me, he walked over to where I sat and picked up my mug. I swallowed as I watched him raise it to his mouth and take a sip while keeping his


    dark eyes on me.


    How he could be mad at his brother one second and the next, do somethingpletely sexy like put his lips over the same spot mine were just in…


    He had control over his emotions like I had never seen before.


    Nn let out a sharp breath. “Yeah, but the thing is, this is what I came here for.”


    He leaned forward. “Mutti’s holding some kind of party for the fucking elites and she wants you to be there.” He paused, grabbing another apple and raising it in a ‘cheers‘ gesture. “With your wife.”


    ric mmed the mug down onto the counter so hard that I jumped. And then his jaw ticked, grip still


    tightening around the mug.


    I wasn’t sure he even realized that he was holding it so tight.


    Letting out a sharp exhale, I slowly reached for his hand on the mug. The moment my fingers brushed his knuckles, he looked down, releasing his grip. “Sorry.”


    “What the…” I heard Nn whisper, and when I turned to look at him, his eyes were on my hand. Slowly, they moved to my face, and then to ric’s.


    “Holy shit,” he cursed. “She can touch you?”


    ric didn’t respond, but Nn–being Nn–didn’t see that as a sign to shut up.


    He continued. “Well, now I can see why you married her. This shit hasn’t happened since-”


    He didn’t get to finish that sentence.


    Because in one second, ric was standing beside me, and in the next, he was on Nn.


    The stool screeched violently as he yanked his brother up by the cor and mmed him against the nearest wall with so much force, it even knocked the breath out of me from where I was sitting.


    “Shut your goddamn mouth!” ric growled.