ric’s POV:


    “Oh god…” Nova gasped when Meadow’s face fell ck in my hands. I gently lowered her onto the bed, feeling my heart m against my ribcage.


    I didn’t know she was sick.


    How the fuck had I not known that my wife was ill? This morning, I’d only thought she was ignoring me, and I didn’t want to push her when she wasn’t ready, especially since I was the reason she was pissed.


    But I’d already nned to see her this evening. So when I received the text from Mel that she sent hours ago, saying I needed to call the doctor because she was sick, I rushed home immediately, calling a close friend of mine I only reached out to during emergencies.


    “ric-”


    “She needs air.” My voice was clipped as I spoke, pushing the duvet away from her body. Meadow had a panic attack that had led to her losing consciousness. “Take off her sweater.”


    Nova didn’t hesitate to do as I asked. She took off Meadow’s sweater, leaving her in a loose shirt and sweatpants. Left to me, I would’ve taken the shirt off too, but I didn’t want to put Nova in an


    ufortable situation.


    I shoved out a breath, trying not to let my guilt consume me as I propped Meadow’s legs up, hooking them. over my arm to keep them elevated. If this was anything like what I was used to, Meadow would wake up


    in less than two minutes.


    My eyes drifted to her phone on the bed. She had been on a call–a call that had put her in this situation. I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed, gently pushing away her hairs from her face. Her skin was burning up. She was running a fever.


    Turning to Nova, who had a bewildered expression on her face, I asked: “Did she tell you who she was on the phone with?”


    “N–no,” she stuttered, running her hand through her hair. “It was an unknown number”


    My jaw clenched Tyler. It had to be him His number was blocked on Meadow’s phone so he must’ve used another number to reach her. “I swear to fucking god, if it’s that bastard-”


    “Tyler? I don’t think it was him” When I looked back at Nova, her brows were furrowed. “It couldn’t have been him. There’s nothing Tyler would say to her that would make her…” Her throat bobbed. “How’d you know what to do anyway?”


    She gestured at Meadow’s elevated legs hanging over my arm I couldn’t feel them, because they were on my shirt, and I wanted nothing more than to rip the fucking shirt off and feel her bare skin on mine.


    My chest tightened. “My mother.” I would’ve left it at that, but for some reason, I continued. “She used to faint a lot.” Especially after receiving a beating from my father. But of course, I didn’t tell her that.


    Back then, we had a family doctor who woulde over to treat her wounds afterwards, and as long as my father was paying him handsomely, he never said a word, never asked any questions.


    We quickly learned how to revive my mother whenever she fainted. Well–I learned.


    I always did everything I could not to involve my brother.


    Nova nodded, but I could tell she had more questions. Thankfully, she didn’t ask. I wouldn’t have


    answered, anyway. I wasn’t obligated to.


    From my peripheral vision, I could see Meadow stir, and her legs twitch. I lowered them gently.


    “She’s waking up,” Nova exhaled in relief. Just then, the doorbell rang. I instantly knew it was the doctor-


    He had the ess code to the gates, but not the house.


    “Could you get that?” I asked Nova. “It’s the doctor.”


    The moment she was gone, I reached for my wife’s face again.


    Meadow’s eyes fluttered open. “ric?” Her voice was a whisper, so calm and tired.


    “I’m here, baby,” I murmured, stroking her cheek with my thumb. “I’m here.”


    Her brows creased. “Are you taking me to the hospital? I don’t think I want to go…” she finished with a


    sniff


    My lips twitched. She looked so small, so vulnerable this way–like anything could break her.


    “How about I bring the hospital to you instead?”


    Her eyes widened. I leaned toward her, pressing my lips to her forehead, and then to her nose. And right as I was about to press a kiss to her lips, she turned her head away slightly, letting out a nervousugh.


    “I don’t want you getting sick too.”


    Brow arched, I scoffed. “I don’t get sick.”


    “Yeah, that’s what I thought t-“I cut her off with a light kiss, cradling her cheek in my palm. I wanted to


    touch her. Needed to touch her. And there was no sickness. NOTHING, that would ever make me want to stop feeling her.


    And Meadow must’ve epted that, because her hand reached for my own face <b>as </b>she kissed me back. However, before I could take it deeper, she pulled away. “I’m still so mad at you, ric. Don’t use your addictive kisses to try to make me forget”


    I smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”


    Her gaze drifted to her phone, and all of a sudden, the air in the room thickened. She inhaled shakily, and when she exhaled, her eyes shifted to mine.


    They were wet. Teary.


    She started to shake her head, like she already knew I was going to ask, but was silently begging me not <ol><li>to. </li></ol>


    But I needed to know.


    “Who did this to you?” I asked softly.


    “ric, please don’t…”


    My jaw clenched. “Who was on the phone with you, Meadow?”


    “No one,” she breathed. She was lying straight to my face–then again, that was all we did to each other.


    Lie.


    But I wasn’t going to stand for it. Not this time.


    “No one.<i>” </i>I echoed. She nodded.


    “You had a panic attack and fainted, Meadow, and you’re telling me no one was on the phone with you?”


    Her throat bobbed. “I’m tired, ric.”


    My gaze drifted to her phone. “You gonna tell me the truth or are you going to make me take it forcefully?”


    If it was an unknown number like Nova had said, I could easily have Trip track it down. But it would be nice to have Meadow tell me herself. I didn’t want to have to do this to her.


    <i>“</i>You have your own secrets,” she choked out. “Why can’t I have mine?”


    Jaw ticking, I started to reach for Meadow’s phone, and her eyes widened as she quickly grabbed it and stashed it under her pillow. I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling slowly. “Meadow…”


    “Here he is,” Nova announced Doctor Kent Barley followed behind her, stepping into the room in a simple outfit, stethoscope around his neck and a bag hanging over his shoulder.


    “Kent “I rose to my feet.


    “Ric,” he greeted with a slight tilt of his head. “This how I find out that you’re now a married man?!


    thought we were friends, man” He let out a deep chuckle.


    “Hardly,” I joked, although my mind wasn’t on him. It was on my wife. Meadow was already looking at me when I turned to face her. Her eyes were swirling with fear and worry and something else I couldn’t


    recognize


    <i>3/5 </i>


    But it didn’t matter. I was going to take that phone from her. It was only a matter of when.