Her sister was only eighteen, a college freshman. Was she supposed to spend her beautiful, vibrant youth living in constant fear at Shanley''s side?


    Ebony Fox knew all too well what it was like to be hunted, and she would never let her little sister suffer the same fate.


    "I do," Juniper nodded.


    "And you still..." Ebony Fox''s brow furrowed in confusion. "Did Shanley force you into this?"


    "It was my choice," Juniper said, shaking her head. A faint smile touched her lips as she looked directly into her sister''s eyes. "The guys didn''t approve at first either. But... I like Shanley."


    "Juniper, you''re only eighteen," Ebony Fox said softly, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you sure it''s really love? What do you even like about him?"


    "I don''t know," Juniper admitted after a moment''s thought. She couldn''t pinpoint a specific reason. A corner of her mouth lifted. "If I had to say, it''s because he''s good- looking."


    "What?" Ebony Fox''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    She was drawn to his face? On second thought, the man was undeniably


    handsome. Her sister was at that age, susceptible to... being seduced.


    "How did the guys ever agree to let you be with him?" Ebony Fox asked, genuinely curious. It was obvious how much they doted on Juniper.


    "Money," Juniper said calmly, wiping her hands on a napkin before peeling arge purple grape and offering it to her sister. "To prove his sincerity, Shanley transferred all of his personal assets to my name."


    "All of his assets?" Ebony Fox knew Shanley was the richest man in Borealia, backed by the century-old powerhouse of the Schwartz Group.


    "Yes, all of it," Juniper confirmed with a slight curve of her lips. "So now, he and his money are all mine. If he ever dares to mistreat me..."


    "You''ll kick him to the curb?" Ebony Fox finished for her. She''d never been in a


    rtionship, but she''d seen enough movies to know the script.


    "No." Juniper paused, her fingers gently caressing the small bottle he had given her.


    She let out a softugh. "I''ll tie him up and whip him every day."


    ??


    Hearing her sister''s words, Ebony Fox''s tension eased, a nearly imperceptible smile gracing her lips. Her sister had broken records in obstacle courses, excelled in climbing, and was a crack shot She had clearly underestimated her.


    So what if he was older? At least he knew how to take care of someone. If Juniper liked him, then let them be together. The day she didn''t, she could just kick him out. And if he ever dared to hurt her sister, she would be the first to make him pay With her connections at the Huntsman Institute, she could have him beaten to a pulp, even without a weapon.


    "I hear you two are living together. So..." Ebony Fox hesitated, running a hand though her hair How fachave things gone? Shanley hasn''t done anything inappropriate, has he?"


    "Inappropriate?" Juniper, who was sipping a milkshake, tilted her head in confusion.


    "Like..." Ebony Fox''s cheeks flushed slightly. "Kissing, or... anything more?" she whispered.


    "We''ve kissed. Nothing else," Juniper answered without a second thought.


    "What?" Ebony Fox''s eyes widened. The man had actually made a move!


    "But I was the one who kissed him," Juniper rified, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "He was actually pretty upset about it, sulked for two whole days."


    Ebony Fox was speechless. For a moment, her silence was deafening.