ric’s POV:


    I expected a lot of things when Meadow stepped out of the building.


    I expected her to be feisty, snappy, pissed at me or evenpletely ignore me.


    But what I didn’t expect was the relief in her expression, and then the tears that choked her as I <b>caught </b>her in my arms. Her sister had said something to her, which I wasn’t surprised about. Nothing good woulde from Meadow going to see her sister.


    My chest tightened, and I wrapped my <b>arms </b>tightly around her waist, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she sobbed quietly.


    “Hey..” I whispered. “I’m here ”


    Meadow shivered from the cold. Her dress was wet. My jaw clenched. I wanted to go in there and demand


    an apology from Juniper, but I couldn’t. Not when Meadow needed me.


    I pulled away slightly, swiftly taking my suit jacket off, and then I dropped it carefully around her shoulders. Meadow sighed, tugging the jacket around her closer.


    “How long have you been here?” she asked, looking away from me as she wiped her tears with the back of


    her hand.


    I wanted to <b>kiss </b>those damn tears away.


    <b>I </b>decided not to lie. “A while.”


    “And you didn’te in to get me,” she scoffed, shaking her head. I may have been imagining it, but she sounded a tad disappointed.


    I tilted my head slightly. “Would you have liked me toe in and get you?”


    She hesitated, running a hand through her long hair. “No,” she replied, a slight edge to her voice. “And you shouldn’t havee at all either. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to order an uber.”


    I froze. I couldn’t have heard that right.


    But I did. She started tapping away on her phone, trying to step away from me. Meadow was still annoyed with me, but there was <b>no </b>way I <b>was </b>going to let her order an uber when I came here for her.


    “I mind, Meadow. Very much. Put the phone away. I’m taking you home.”


    She shrugged, eyespletely focused on her phone. “Well, I don’t really feel like being in the same space with you right now.”


    She was being stubborn, feisty–just what I was expecting when I got here.


    My jaw ticked. “You cried on my damn shoulder and you expect me to just drive off and leave you to wait for a stranger to pick you up?”


    She dragged her eyes to meet mine. “Better a stranger than someone who wants to use me as a rebound.”


    Her words riddled my chest with guilt. Any normal guy would walk away and give Meadow the space she needed But I never imed to be a normal guy.


    Exhaling sharply, I reached for the phone in her hand and tossed it into the car through the rolled down


    windows.


    Meadow’s eyes widened, and red creeped up her neck as she charge for me, pushing against my chest.” What the hell is wrong with you, ric?”


    Meadow was frustrated. Angry. Whatever conversation she had just <b>had </b>with her sister obviously hadn’t gone the way she thought it would. And if she needed an outlet for that anger, I would give it to her.


    Not like I could feel her through my shirt anyway.


    ??


    I came here alone, and I’m leaving alone” she yelled. “And I don’t want you with me.”


    My gaze hardened and I reached for her wrists which were still pushing against my chest. “And I just said I’m not leaving you here alone. Now, if you’d like your phone back, get in the car, Meadow. Or else, I’ll drive away with it. And without you


    I didn’t mean that, of course. And Meadow had to know I didn’t mean it either, but her eyes shed, and before I knew what was happening, she reared her hand back and pped me right across the face.


    For the very first time.


    My head snapped to the side from the impact of her palm. It stung, but only for a second.


    And when I turned to look at Meadow, her hands were sped over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.


    “Oh God,” she muttered, stepping back. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry, ric.”


    My lips twitched. I wasn’t upset with her. Not over this. But the fact that she’d pped me after I said I was going to leave without her only meant one thing.


    “Well.” My voice was low and <b>calm</b>. “Obviously, you don’t want me to leave without you, Meadow.” I


    paused, my brows furrowing as I asked. “Did you get it out<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    “Get what out?”


    “All that anger you’re feeling.”


    Her cheeks reddened as she looked away, hesitating before she responded. “Maybe a little.”


    CHAPTER D065


    I scraped my


    teeth along my bottom lip, nodding once. “Then there’s nothing to apologize for. If anything.


    I should be the one apologizing to you for everything.”


    She rubbed her forehead with her shaky fingers. “ric…”


    “I spoke with my mother,” I cut in, and she froze. “And she told me what she did to you


    Meadow swallowed nervously as I stepped toward her, her grip tightening around the jacket. “You should’ve told me the second it happened.”


    “Oh yeah?” she breathed. “And what would you have done, then? She’s your mother.”


    “And you’re my wife,” I said firmly. Her eyes snapped up to mine. “Whatever circumstances we got married under, you’re still my wife. And the second you mentioned she hit you, I would’ve taken you out of there, and then have the same fruitful conversation I had with her this morning.”


    Those hazel orbs widened ever so slightly, wet with unshed tears.


    “Come here,” I murmured. Meadow hesitated for just a second before she stepped closer to me.


    I reached for her jaw, tilting her head up so she was looking directly into my eyes and nowhere else. I was never going to stand for anyone hurting her, <b>not </b>even if that person was my own mother.


    “She’s not going to touch you or disrespect you again. I swear it. Not unless she never wants to see me


    again


    And if there’s one thing my mother values other than herself, it’s her sons.”


    Her lips parted and a soft gasp escaped. <b>My </b>gaze dropped to her lips–lips that I hadn’t been able to get my mind off ever sincest night. Lips that I had jerked off to just to calm my hard throbbing cock.


    Meadow chewed on her bottom lip and a rock formed in my throat. My cock twitched in my pants as her eyes darted to my mouth.


    And then she whispered two words I wasn’t expecting. “Kiss me,”


    My brain nked for only a second before I went into action, capturing Meadow’s mouth with mine.


    She sighed into the kiss, melting against <b>me</b><b>. </b>I didn’t rush this time, I savored the taste of her mouth, her tongue, taking my time to learn the soft warmth.


    I kissed her like we had all the time in the world, and with the way her hands snaked around my neck, she didn’t want me to stop.


    But I had to


    We were still in public. And I was afraid that if I went too deep, nothing was going to be able to stop me.


    I pulled away.


    CHAPTER DOGS


    “You ready to get in the car now, baby?”


    Meadow shivered, and I was fully certain that it wasn’t from the cold. “I’m sorry I left without telling you,”


    she breathed.


    “How did you find this ce?“


    “Your GPS history,” she muttered, although I could detect something smug in her tone. “But I shouldn’t


    have left. I know that now.”


    My mouth twitched. “Smart girl,” I rasped, stroking her cheek. “You can make it up to me when we get home. And you will.”


    Meadow exhaled sharply. “Is that a threat?”


    “No.” I smirked. “It’s a promise.”