Meadow’s POV:


    I hadn’t spoken to my father in years. Juniper and I were only ten years old when he was arrested on the counts of embezzlement and murder. I never liked to think about it.


    When the detectives had asked me if my father was capable of murder, my answer was yes. Because he was capable. He was cruel and mean–especially to me.


    I had no idea who he killed, and frankly, I didn’t care. I was just happy that I didn’t have to live with him anymore. Not that my mother was any better.


    One less devil was enough.


    And now, that devil was trying to reach out to me.


    And ric was so determined to find out who it was. While Doctor Kent worked on me, checking my temperature and whatnot, Nova stood beside the bed, asionally squeezing my fingers.


    But ric? He stood at the threshold, sleeves folded now, hands in his pockets, top three buttons undone. And he never took his eyes off me.


    Not once.


    I couldn’t read the expression on his face, but his gaze was dark, his jaw clenched. Was he pissed at me for not speaking up or pissed at me for hiding my phone from him?


    “You’ve got a high fever,” Kent said, after a few minutes of doing a check up. “Add to that an extreme headache and cramps? Your body’s just shutting down because you’re overworking it.”


    “I’m not overworking my body,” I said nervously.


    Kent smirked, and I noticed the way his eyes twinkled with mischief. “So you haven’t been engaging in… honeymoon activities?<b>” </b>


    “Kent,” ric snapped as heat crept up my neck. Nova choked out augh and I shot her a re. We never even went on a honeymoon. People don’t go on honeymoons for transactional marriages, do they<b>? </b>


    <b>“</b>Overstepping,” Kent murmured, amusementcing his tone. “Got it.” He reached for his bag, searching for something in it. “Rest, take a lot of fluids, and I’ll write you a prescription to get rid of the flu. But for now<b>, </b>take these for the pain.”


    I was barely even listening. I was too busy holding my breath, wondering what ric was going to do. Because <b>I </b>knew he wouldn’t let it go.


    He went and got some water for me to take the pills with. I was so tired, it took me a full minute <b>to </b>sit up and sip from the ss. As I drank, I nced at him over the rim of the ss. Concern flooded his eyes,


    and that was when I realized that he wasn’t pissed at me. He was just worried.


    The doctor droned on some more and then ric escorted him out.


    “You’re gonna be okay,” Nova whispered to me as she gentlybed her fingers through my hair. It was making me sleepy.


    I didn’t want to fall asleep. ric would take my phone away.


    But I had no control over my already exhausted body. I eventually drifted into sleep. And when I slept, I had a dream.


    N


    “Worthless little bitch,” a very familiar deep voice seeped in through my ears. “All the money I spend is wasted on you.”


    My lips quivered.


    I was eight years old again, locked in my room after Juni had tricked me into giving her my food. She said she only wanted a spoonful of rice, but when no one was looking, she pushed my te down onto the floor, knowing Dad and Mom would be upset with me.


    They were always upset with me, even when I didn’t do anything. Even when Juni did something bad, it was me they yelled at.


    “I’m sorry, daddy. It was a mistake.” My voice was tiny, and a gasp escaped my throat when he pushed the door to my room open and lunged for me.


    “You will be sorry, Meadow<i>,</i>” he bit out. “I’ll make sure of it.” And then he raised his hand to hit me.


    “No!” I gasped, shooting up in bed.


    My heart was mming hard against my ribcage, my breathing so loud I could barely hear ric’s voice as he spoke to me.


    “Hey, hey, I’m here.” He pulled me into his arms and I wrapped my arms around his bare torso, sobbing into his chest. “I’m here, baby. It was just a nightmare.”


    I shook my head fiercely. “But it wasn’t.” I could barely recognize my own voice.


    “What?”


    He pulled back to look at me. We were both in my bed, and the only light on was the bedsidemp on his side of the bed. We had to be far into the night now.


    My lips quivered as his hand cradled my cheek. “It… it wasn’t just a nightmare, ric. It happened.”


    ric brows drew together like he was confused. “What happened?”


    His voice was so deep, so calming, and yet, my heart was still beating faster than I could count.


    I stopped having these damn nightmares a long time ago. And now, they were back, all because the man I hated the most had tried to contact me from prison.


    I didn’t answer at first. I just buried my head into his chest again–his warm, firm skin. ric pressed a kiss to the top of my head and a shiver racked my body.


    “Your fever’s better,” he murmured.


    I didn’t feel as weak as I did before I fell asleep.


    Fell asleep.


    All of a sudden, realization hit me. I had fallen asleep with my phone under my pillow. I pulled away from


    ric, reaching for the pillow. And when I snatched it away…


    It was still there.


    Confused, my gaze shifted to ric. “ric…”


    His jaw clenched. “I didn’t take it, Meadow.” He sighed.


    I expected a wave of relief to wash over me at that fact, but it didn’t. It was as if some part of me had… wanted him to take my phone, to trace the call and then figure out that my father was in prison.


    I didn’t want to have to tell him.


    “Come here,” he murmured, lying back down on the bed and pulling me against him. And a few minutes of silence passed before he spoke again. “You know I’ll always protect you, right? From everything and everyone who would ever want to harm you.”


    My throat thickened. I didn’t look up at him even though I wanted to. My head just remained on his chest.


    “I know,” I answered truthfully.


    “Good girl,” he praised. “But… I can’t protect you if I don’t know what exactly I’m protecting you from.”


    I let out a shaky breath.


    “I could’ve taken your phone if I wanted to, but I didn’t. You know why<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    Slowly, I shook my head. “No.”


    “It’s because I wanted you to tell me yourself,” he whispered. “I don’t want to have to steal information from you when all I want is for you to trust me.”


    I looked up at him then. His eyes were filled with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.


    “Do you trust me. Meadow7<i>” </i>