Page 86 of Midnight Dissonance

“Lexi? As in Lexi Williams from the Eros Pit? That’s who you felt the Ryan click with?” Jase asked with a laugh.

“Bloody hell, yes. Will you help me out? I buggered it all up and need to go apologize and win her back. I’ve got a bloody ring. Dammit, man.” He wanted to strangle his cousin. But his mum would be put out with him if he did that.

“Fine. I’ll contact my pilots and have them set up a flight plan. I’ll text you your flight time.”

“Appreciate it.” He finally felt like his life was moving in the right direction toward Lexi. And he’d do whatever it took to make her his forever.

“Oh, and Josh? Congratulations.”

“I haven’t even proposed yet. She could say no.”

“I know. But the thing is, when a Ryan feels the click, even when we mess up, we’re meant to be with them. And we tend to win whenever we set our mind to something.”

He was right. And he was the best at arguing his case. Now he had to argue the most important one of his life. “Thanks, Jase.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me not to tell the others?”

“Nope. Because Lexi’s mine.”

Jase hung up, laughing his ass off. But he didn’t care. They could make fun of him all they wanted, but he wouldn’t bite. Because by this time tomorrow night, Lexi would be his fiancé.

Jase texted him within the hour with his flight time. It was just enough time in the morning for him to run two errands. He had to go pick up something his woman was surely missing.

Lexi bolted up from her seat. Josh paid no heed to Jan, who was rather shell-shocked when he waltzed right past her and came and stood in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” her eyes drank him in.

He looked disheveled. Josh was always a neat freak, every hair in place. But he hadn’t shaved in days. He was in jeans and a tee and looked as if he hadn’t slept in weeks. She knew the feeling.

“I came for you, Lexi. I’m so sorry, lass. I was a total ass. It’s my past that made me jump to conclusions. You see, my ex-wife used me to get through law school. We met our first year of law school and fell for each other. We got married before the end of that year. But being newlyweds in law school, we didn’t have a lot of money. So, we made a deal where I would support her while she was in school and would work my job at the local grocery until she graduated. And then we would switch. Once she got a job as a lawyer, she would support me. Instead she cheated with a partner at the firm she was interning at, and once she graduated, she asked me for a divorce. She used me to get through school before she went and latched on to the next poor schmuck. She used me for my money. And hearing about the loan just made me think I had been duped again. Only this time it hurt even worse, because I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

During his speech, tears welled in her eyes and slowly slid down her cheeks. Because she saw his pain. And she understood. Even though he had been cruel, he’d been hurt as badly as she had and acted out of fear. And as much as she wanted to make him pay for it, he’d flown all this way. How could she not forgive him?

“You love me?” she asked, searching his face for the answer, and what she found made her heart tremble. Could it be? He loved her.

“Yeah, I do. And I brought you something.” He held it up.

And for the first time since he entered Jan’s apartment, she looked at what he was carrying and did a double take. “My guitar.”

He set the case down beside her and cupped her face. “Lass, you should never give up your music. It’s what you’re meant to do. I’m so sorry if I made you think otherwise. Please forgive me. I was hurt and scared and acted out. And know that I will support you in whatever manner you need me to. Just come home with me. This isn’t you. Going back to school like this.”

“No. I need to get access to my trust. I don’t want anyone thinking they need to support me,” she said through tears.

“It’s already done.” He pulled up his phone. “On the way to the airport, I spoke with your parents. I told them you had retained my services. And unless they wanted to be sued, to release the trust and grant you immediate access. They transferred the funds into an escrow account. All I need to know is where you want the funds transferred, and it’s yours.”

He’d gotten her guitar back and ensured she didn’t have to jump through her parents’ hoops to get her money. She couldn’t stop the waterworks if she tried. “I can’t believe you would do this.”

“Lass, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I love you. I want you by my side. I want you to come home and live with me.” It was all there in his eyes. Everything he felt for her.

“And wear your collar again?” she asked, breathless because in her wildest dreams, she never imagined he would love her.

“No. I don’t want to just collar you, lass.” He went to one knee and withdrew a ring from his pocket. “I want to marry you. I don’t ever want to be apart from you again.”

“But my music, what happens if the band gets big? What if?”

“Lass, don’t you get it yet. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, woman. If your band becomes a household name and you need to tour, I’ll go with you.”

“But your job?”

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