ric’s POV:


    The dress clung to her body like it was made for her–which it <b>was</b>. And I had to force my gaze away from that perfectly rounded ass before Cami would notice that I was ogling my own wife.


    I braced myself for what I would see when Meadow turned, but I was still taken aback. The breath was knocked out of my lungs.


    Just one word came to mind.


    “Wunderschon,” I whispered under my breath. I wasn’t sure she’d heard me, but even if she had<b>, </b><b>she </b>


    wouldn’t understand what it meant. ‘Beautiful‘


    “Hey, Ric,” Cami greeted, fighting a smug smile.


    The little devil. She must’ve heard. Cami had been taking German lessons since she was a junior, because apparently, it seemed interesting to her.


    Or maybe she just wanted in on the gossip whenever she was around my brother and I.


    “Cami,” I muttered, my gaze narrowing at her. “Did you do this?”


    “Hell, yeah,” she answered, walking over to the vanity to pack the stuff she must’vee with. “Didn’t see


    you hiring someone else so my mom asked me to make your gorgeous wife even more gorgeous.”


    Meadow let out an amused


    eath and I watched as pink tinted both of her cheeks. But she wasn’t


    looking at me. Not exactly.


    “Where have you been anyway? Cami, ever the nosy one, asked


    “Have I ever made you feel like what I attend to is your business?”


    “No.”


    “Good. So will you leave the room so I can talk to my wife?”


    On her way out, Cami shot me a yful re. “Sure, Ric. I’ll leave you to your… devices.”


    “I didn’t think you two would <b>be </b>so close with each other.” That was the first thing <b>Meadow </b><b>said </b>once we


    were alone<b>. </b>


    I stepped into the room and her gaze roamed over me, taking in the suit I was wearing


    I’d known Cami since before she was born–1 <b>was </b>a teenager then. But I didn’t tell Meadow that.


    Because there were other things to discuss apart from my history with Cami.


    Like her defiance.


    I arched my brow. “I thought I asked you to pick your favorite dress.”


    Meadow finally dragged her eyes to my face, <b>and </b>something shed in them as she shrugged. “This is my


    favorite”


    My gaze narrowed into slits as I stepped toward her, finding joy in the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed, taking a step backward.


    Is it?” I murmured, smirking at <b>her</b>. I seem to remember telling you to <b>wear </b>the one you preferred after I made youe in all three of them.”


    “Exactly,” she replied, biting her lip. “But you didn’t. Instead, you left suddenly after orgasm number two and started avoiding me for no reason.


    My mouth twitched. Meadow was undeniably needy even though she’d never admit it, and I loved that about her. But the truth was that I had my hands filled with work and… other things like Juniper Russell who was still causing a disturbance in the facility.


    And being around Meadow while she didn’t know what was being done to her sister was going to feed on my fucking guilt.


    So yes, in a way, I was avoiding her.


    “So, this was a deliberate act of defiance, then?” My gaze dropped down when she reached for my tie, looking away from me as she slowly knotted it.


    Her voice was light as smoke when she replied, “I had to get your attention somehow, didn’t I?”


    I let out an amused breath.


    “Did it work?” She asked, eyes meeting mine again. “You haven’t said anything about this dress.”


    Meadow’s hands lingered on my tie even after she was done. My hand moved to the nape of her neck and I pulled her closer, whispering into her ear the only words I could formte right this moment.


    “Du siehst hindrei?end aus.” The words rolled off my tongue easily. I hardly ever got in touch with my German side, only speaking it whenever my mother or brother was around. But recently… things had changed.


    Her breath visibly hitched and her hand came around the sliver of exposed skin on my wrist as I pulled back. Warmth spread throughout my entire body, along with relief I felt from her touch.


    “What does that mean?”


    My gaze darted to her lips and back to her soft eyes. God, I wanted to kiss her, fuck her. Own her.


    “<b>You </b>look ravishing<b>, </b>my doe. <b>Fucking </b>love this dress <b>on </b>you.”


    Sheughed shyly. “You keep calling me that. Your doe-”


    “Because you’re innocent, Meadow,” I cut in, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “Too innocent for all the things I’m dying to do to you. And calling you that is a way of reminding myself of it.”


    <b>I </b>pulled back to look at her, and for a moment, we just stared at each other.


    And before I knew what was happening, I was leaning in, my grip tightening slightly around her neck as I pulled her closer.


    “ric…” Meadow whispered when our lips barely grazed each other.


    It was right there. Meadow’s lips. I could just-


    The vibrationsing from the pocket of my jacket were like a bucket of ice water poured over us.


    My damn phone.


    I didn’t need to check the screen. I knew it was Trip


    I spared a nce at Meadow. “Grab <b>what </b>you need to and meet me in the garage, alright?”


    Her brows drew together but she didn’t ask any questions. “Um, sure.”


    I walked out of the room and headed down the stairs nodding at Cami as I raised the phone to my ear<b>.</b>”


    Talk to me.”


    “She’s manic,” Trip grunted. “They upped her dosage like you asked but I think it made her more… irritable. I just got here and she’s definitely not taking it easy on these orderlies”


    “Well, fuck.” I let out a sharp exhale as I pushed through the garage doors. “And they’re sure <b>she’s </b>been taking the meds and not hiding them?”


    “That’s what they don’t know. <b>And </b>she’s so stubborn, she won’t even let them check.” He paused, heaving a sigh. “They say she hasn’t stopped talking about her sister, saying she wants to talk to her.”


    I’d gotten word of that yesterday. For some reason, Juniper wanted to see the sister she felt so strongly towards, I wasn’t stupid, I knew that she was going to try and manipte Meadow.


    Which was why I wasn’t going to tell her about this. Or anything concerning Juniper. I’d figure out what


    to do when Meadow would start demanding answers, but for now…


    “Like hell that’s going to happen,” I grunted, walking over to my Aston Martin.


    Trip was quiet on the other end of the line, and I sensed that he had <b>a </b>question


    And he did.


    “But sir… is this all really necessary? She’s causing a whole lot of unrest in this ce. Maybe it’ll be better


    if you just let her-”


    “I hate unsolicited opinions, Trip. You of all people should know that.” My jaw clenched. “Make sure they have her contained. We’ll discuss what to do <b>with </b>herter, but for now… I have a party to attend with my


    wife ”


    I ended the call, feeling something red and hot boil within me. Juniper rejected my offer to leave town. She chose to stay in there instead of stopping the fucking torture.


    Whatever was happening to her right now was on her. Not me.


    “Is everything okay, ric?”


    Fuck. I hadn’t heard her approach me.


    I turned around to see Meadow right behind me, a small smile on her face.


    I wondered how long she’d been here. If she’d heard anything I said.


    If she had, she didn’t give anything away. And I wasn’t about to make myself look suspicious.


    “Yeah,” I replied with a reassuring smile, walking around to the passenger side to pull the door open for


    her. “Just work. You ready?”