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I swiped a hand down my face. “Ryland, seriously, stop.”
“I took you for granted. I disrespected us both and what we had, but if you give me a chance I’ll prove that I’llneverdo that again.”
“You. Need. To. Stop.”
“I promise you that no one will ever work as hard as I will to make you happy. No one will ever care for you the way I do. You’re the most perfect thing in my world. All I want is to … to …” He looked to the side. We both did. Because a snicker sounded from the doorway.
Oh, heaven and hell, my parents and my brothers, Aiden and Jacob, were stood right there. All were watching the scene in a kind of shocked dismay.
My dad, Connor, folded his arms. “Don’t let us interrupt,” he told Ryland. “You carry on.”
Well of course my dad would encourage him to continue. He was relishing that he’d be able to watch this man who had not only cheated on me but had spouted lies about me to journalists beshot down.
Aiden twisted his mouth. “I’ve got to say, it’s not the best proposal I’ve heard so far.”
Jacob nodded. “Maybe it’ll get better.”
My mum, Jaxxon, arched an expectant brow at Ryland. “You’d better get on with it. We don’t have all day.”
I shot them all glares. They could save me from this excruciatingly awkward moment, but no, they were dragging it out instead.
Ryland looked up at me again, his face flushed, his confidence wavering.
I urged him to stand. “You need to get up and—”
“No.” Ryland cleared his throat, a renewed determination building behind his eyes. “I haven’t finished.” He inhaled deeply. “As I said before, you’re the most perfect thing in my world. All I want is to make you happy.”
I shook my head. “Ryland, you—”
“Don’t interrupt him, Iz, that’s just rude,” Connor cut in.
Oh, for God’s sake.
“I love you, Izzy,” Ryland went on. “It might be hard for you to believe, given all that’s happened, but it’s the God’s honest truth.”
No, no it wasn’t. Not at all. I’d have said as much if he hadn’t spoken again before I had the chance.
“I’ve made mistakes.”
That was putting it lightly.
“Mistakes I hope you can forgive me for. Mistakes I ampleadingwith you to forgive me for. Because I need you in my life.”
What he needed was to leave.
“I promise you now that I will never make you regret forgiving me. I will love you until my dying day. You’re the most important—”
“The fuck is this shit?” burst out a new voice, jagged with a pissed off growl.
Andthe clusterfuck was complete. Because Cole was now here.
I watched as he strode between my brothers and inside the apartment, his face like thunder, his eyes the same ice cold they were when glaring at an opponent in the ring.
Ryland jumped to his feet, notching up his chin in a defiant gesture.
Jaxxon narrowed her eyes at Cole. “And who are you, exactly?”
Like she didn’t know. She might not follow boxing, but she’d recognize him easily enough—he was on posters and billboards everywhere for the clothing designer labels that sponsored him. And considering she’d probably ripped into his life after hearing he was a part of mine, she’d definitely be aware of what he looked like.
