Page 66 of Discover Me
Jordan and Liam tune their guitars together, their heads bent close as they discuss something about the setlist. They're steady as always, the foundation that holds the rest of us together.
Then I see Micah come backstage, his smile wide and genuine. He's wearing a loose shirt and well-worn jeans, casual and comfortable like he doesn't care about impressing anyone. He belongs here, in this world I was terrified to share with him months ago. My life isn't separate compartments anymore—music and personal life kept carefully divided. It's all integrated now, messy and complicated and perfect.
I step up to him immediately, needing to kiss him before I go out there. His lips are warm and familiar, grounding me when anxiety threatens to spiral.
"You're going to do fucking amazing," Micah says against my mouth, his hand coming up to rest against my chest. "I've heard you practice. You're ready for this. They're going to love you."
"I hope so." I press my forehead to his. "Everything's riding on this, you know? If we tank, if nobody shows up or they hate what we're doing—"
"They won't." Micah's certainty helps quiet my doubts. "Trust yourself. Trust your band. You're making music you actually care about. That matters more than anything Tom ever manufactured."
He pulls away and I immediately miss his warmth. "I'm going to grab my seat. Front row center, right where I can see you the whole time."
"Show off." But I'm grinning.
"Your show off." Micah winks and heads out into the venue.
The stage manager gives us the five-minute warning. My bandmates gather around, the four of us standing in a circle like we used to before every show in the early days.
"This is it," Jordan says quietly. "New beginning. Everything changes after tonight, one way or another."
"No pressure," Rex adds, but he's smiling.
"We've got this." Liam's confidence is infectious. "We're better now than we ever were under Tom. Freer, happier, making shit we actually believe in. The audience will feel that."
I nod, rolling my shoulders to release tension. "Let's fucking do this."
The lights dim and the crowd noise increases, anticipation building. We take the stage and the cheering is immediate and overwhelming. Every seat is filled, people packed in tight and screaming our names. They showed up. They chose us over Tom's version of the story, chose to give us a chance as something new.
I step up to the microphone, guitar slung across my chest. It feels right in a way drums never quite did, even though I loved playing them. This is me, fully myself, nothing hidden or compromised.
"Thanks for coming out tonight," I say, my voice carrying through the speakers. "We know there's been a lot of noise and drama and bullshit. So we're just going to cut through all of that and play some music. This is Ransom."
The opening chords of our first song ring out, and muscle memory takes over. My fingers find the right positions, my voice comes in on cue, and suddenly we're not four nervous guys trying to prove something. We're just musicians doing what we love.
I glance back at Rex on drums and he grins at me, his rhythm solid and energizing. Jordan and Liam flank me on either side, their playing tight and complementary. We're so much happier than we used to be, and it shows in every note.
Three songs in, I open my eyes fully and look down at the audience. They're into it, bodies moving and voices singing along to songs they've only heard once from when we released preview tracks online. The energy feeds back to us, this electricconnection between performers and crowd that makes every nerve ending light up.
Then I spot Micah down in the front row, right where he said he'd be. His face is tilted up, watching me with an expression of pure joy and pride. He's not just here because we're dating. He's here because he genuinely loves what we're creating, believes in what we're doing.
The song ends and instead of launching immediately into the next one, I swing my guitar around my back and crouch down at the edge of the stage. Micah realizes what I'm doing and steps closer, his eyes widening.
I kiss him in front of everyone. Not a quick peck for the cameras, but a real kiss that shows exactly how I feel. The crowd goes absolutely wild, screaming and cheering and taking photos. I don't care. Let them document this, share it everywhere. This is real and I want everyone to know it.
I pull back just enough to mouth "I love you" where he can see it clearly.
Micah's smile could power the entire city. He mouths back "I love you too."
Yeah. This is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
Epilogue 2
This epilogue makes most sense after reading Love in Excess but can be read through without it.
Detective Caldwell
I sit at a small desk in an interrogation room, trying to make sense of the Beta sitting across from me. Micah Davis shifts uncomfortably in his chair, his healed arm no longer in a cast but still wearing a brace. His boyfriend sits beside him.
