ric’s POV:
This was not how I thought today would end. It wasn’t how I nned my time with Meadow was going to end–not when I wasn’t done doing all the things I wanted to do to her tonight.
And this absolutely wasn’t how I nned to meet Juniper Russell officially for the first time. But now <b>I </b>had no choice.
“She stabbed someone,” Trip had said. “A female orderly who’s currently in surgery.”
My grip tightened around the wheel. Not that I was surprised. I had a feeling that since she didn’t know who put her there, she was going to try to cause a ruckus.
I just didn’t think it would be something like this.
I had to lie to Meadow, tell her that it was just something at the office. Because if I’d told the truth, she would’ve wanted to tag along.
And as much as I knew I wouldn’t have let her, I’d rather not have that inconvenience sitting on my fucking head.
When I got to the facility, Trip was already waiting for me in the parking lot. He rushed over to my Aston Martin, pulling the door open before I could reach for it myself.
“Sir.”
“Who the fuck gave her a knife?” My voice was low, calm.
Trip walked beside me toward the doors. “Wasn’t a knife. It was a scalpel,” he grunted. “She must’ve
stolen it from the medical wing.”
“And she was in the medical wing, why?”
The nurses at the reception straightened the moment we stepped into the building, but I didn’t spare them a nce. I only had one destination in mind.
“Said something about an upset stomach,” he replied, as we stepped into the elevator. “Which the other
orderlies now realize was just a ploy to snatch the scalpel.”
“Fuck,” I cursed.
“Yeah,” Trip murmured. “Although, considering the fact that you haven’te to see her once, she’s probably just trying to get the attention of whoever put her here.”
My jaw clenched. “Yeah, I figured.”
Normally, I’d ignore her, let her act however she wanted and still not release her until I was ready, but she stabbed someone. Put an innocent life in jeopardy.
We stepped out of the elevator and Trip led me to one of the private rooms down the hall. There, we waited, and it wasn’t long before I heard her voice.
“Let go of me!” she yelled. “Let me fucking go–fuck you!”
Something settled in my chest. She sounded exactly like Meadow–only difference was that her voice sounded hoarse, probably from all the screaming she must’ve been doing here.
My mouth twitched. This was the perfect punishment for someone like her. I lowered myself onto the
chair behind the desk.
“Yep,” Trip grunted under his breath. “That’s her, alright.”
“What the hell do you want from me? Where are you taking me?!”
The door was pushed open and two male orderlies walked in with Juniper, their grip tight on each of her
arms.
“What are you…” she trailed off when her eyes met Trip’s. “You. I remember… you took me, didn’t you?” she asked, probably remembering the night that she’d been taken.
The night she exhibited wickedness to her own flesh and blood.
Juniper tried to charge toward him. “Why the hell did you bring me here?” she gritted out.
“He’s not the one you should be asking that,” I said calmly, getting bored of her theatrics already.
And then, as if she’d just realized that there was someone else in the room, she stopped fighting the orderlies, and then her eyes shifted to me.
My breath nearly caught in my throat.
I knew that they were identical twins, but nothing on this earth could’ve prepared me for the sight in
front of me.
The only difference between them was the wild look of hatred and annoyance in her hazel eyes, and the
obvious hatred in her heart.
They were pr opposites.
Juniper’s brows pulled together. “Who the hell are you?”
I nodded at the orderlies, silently asking them to let her go and leave the room. And reluctantly, they did. Then, I turned to Trip.
“Sir,” Trip started to protest. “With all due respect, this woman has a penchant for violence.”
I simply arched my brow at him. “I’ve had you beside me for way too long, and now you forget that I can handle myself?”
Trip’s fists clenched, the protest still on his tongue, but he shook his head. “No, sir,” he muttered. “I’ll be right out the door.”
He walked out of the room, but not before shooting Juniper a look that could burn her to ashes.
The moment the door clicked shut behind him, I dragged my eyes back to Meadow’s insufferable twin.
“Sit,” I said, gesturing to the chair across from me.
Her eyes narrowed and she let out a mirthlessugh. “Funny how you think you can juste in here and order me and think that I’ll what? Sit like your little dog?”
She scowled. “Who the hell are you? And why are you keeping me here?”
“I said sit down, Juniper.”
Juniper’s scowl deepened and her hands came down on the table with force. “You will tell me what the hell I’m doing here and how you know my name, or I’ll—”
“What?” I arched a brow. “Pray tell. Perhaps find something to stab me with? But then, if you did that, you’d spend the rest of your life wondering why you’re here, going insane with each day that passes.”
I leaned back, feeling my mouth curve up in a smirk. “With no one toe see you. How is Tyler, by the way? Is your boyfriend a no–show?”
Juniper’s bottom lip quivered, and something resembling fear shed in her eyes.
“Sit. Down. Juniper.” My voice was cold now, void of any emotion whatsoever.
Like a robot, she pulled out the seat and settled down onto it, her eyes never leaving mine like she was trying to figure something out even though she was terrified.
<b>“</b>I swear I’ve… I’ve seen you somewhere before,” she whispered, squinting at me.
“Have you?”
Her eyes narrowed further, but then she stopped, leaning back into the seat. “I don’t know. My head’s
been a bit fuzzytely. The pills they’ve been giving me…” she trailed off<b>, </b>swallowing. “But I suppose I
have you to thank for that, don’t I?”
Her voice went lower, and I let her continue. “Two weeks in here and all I’ve wondered every single day is
how on earth I ended up here and who the hell put me here. But it was you, wasn’t it?<b>” </b>
She ran a hand through her hair, letting out a scoff. “Who are you?”
“Better question,” I muttered. “What do you remember about the night you were brought here?”
Her brows furrowed. “I was at home. At my fiance’s ce.”
I nearlyughed. So the title of fiance had only shifted from Meadow to Juniper.
I leaned forward, rolling my sleeves up my arms and smirking at the way her eyes widened at my tattoos.
I couldn’t get over how much she looked like her.
I linked my hands under my chin, my elbows resting on the table. “And is that all?”
“Yes,” she answered quickly. “I was with Tyler and we were just having f-”
“I hate it when people lie to me, Juniper. Especially since I caught you and your boyfriend in the act. Now,
I ask again, what do you remember about the night you were brought here?”
She sniffed, looking away with her jaw clenched. “My sister was there. Meadow.”
“And?<b>” </b>
Juniper’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. But I didn’t mistake that for remorse or guilt.
“I… beat her up and asked my fiance to fuck her. But why does it even matter?” She asked louder now.” And what is this? Some kind of interrogation? By all means, take me to the police station, I don’t fucking care! I just can’t be here anymore.”
A chuckle rumbled in my throat and her expression grew worried. “How do you know who I am?” she whispered shakily. “And how did you find us?”
I smirked, remembering what I’d said to Meadow that night in Las Vegas. “I make it a point to know everything about my employees.”
“But I’m not…” Juniper trailed off. And then, as though it finally clicked for her, her eyes widened suddenly.
“You’re Tyler’s boss. You’re… ric Ashford!” she gasped.
“Not just that,” I said inly, rising to my feet.
Leaning forward, I rested my fists on the table as I continued, “I’m your brother–inw.”