Never Say Never

58. We'll Fix This

                                                                                    R Y D E R

I have missed him like fucking crazy and the feel of his hands wrapped around my waist as I whip through traffic feels fantastic. Especially when I know that prick Connor cannot keep up with us. The smile on my face just will not go away especially when Josh lays his head on my back and tightens his grip on me. This fucking man has made me weak, but stronger than I have in a long while in a short amount of time that I have known him. Hell, it took me longer to get attached to any woman I was ever with.

Josh taps my shoulder and points at a dainty little Italian restaurant called Lil Tuscany. When I pull over and park the bike Josh holds on for a moment longer and I squeeze his hand before he gets off the bike. I don't care what he told his father I am not going anywhere. I get off the bike and put our helmets in their compartment. I go to put my hand on his lower back but think twice because I am not sure at the moment about anything. Josh grabs my hand and tugs me to the front door with a little bell chimed when you walk in. The place is cozy and makes you feel welcomed. Oh God, I sound like a damn woman. I shake my head as Josh's eyes light up when a older woman comes barreling towards us.

"il mio piccolo raggio di sole" (My little ray of sunshine)

"Maria, sei troppo gentile. Come stai?"  (Maria, you are too kind. How have you been?)

If my mouth could drop to the floor, it would. He fucking speaks Italian. I know I have heard Lucas speak it from time to time, but it sounds fucking sexy coming from Josh.

"Missing you." She says as she grabs his cheeks and pinches them. His face turns a bright red and fuck he looks adorable. I can't help but chuckle as he shoots me a glare, but his eyes soften when this Maria lady looks his way again.

"Where are my manners? I'm Maria. I used to be the cook for the Harlan's but then when Josh left so did I and I opened up my own little restaurant."

"Nice to meet you." I go to shake her hand, but she pulls me into a hug. "You hurt him, and I will kill you." She whispers in my ear, and I have no doubt that she would. I shake my head as I pull back. "Never." I say as I look between the two of them. "Never say never dear child. You do not know what life will throw your way." I look at Josh and I know that him coming into my life has changed me from who I was when I came home. I am free from most of demons from the past, but I will never fulling get rid of them. He has helped me cope with them and I love him even more for that. Maria pulls my attention away from Josh when she grabs my cheeks and now I hear Josh giggle. "I believe you." She smiles at me and pats my cheek before stepping back.

"What can I do for you bello?" (handsome)

"I need a place where we can talk without any interruptions."

"Or interference from your father." She spits out.

"Yes."

"Sì, follow me."

Josh takes my hand and I look around, but the place does not even look like it is opened yet. She leads us downstairs to a basement and but it's not an ordinary basement there is a pond with a garden inside. Natural light come in from the windows. 

"When you are done, you come up and have some food. I will prepare you something special."

"Non sei obbligato a farlo." (You don't have to do that.)

"I do anything for you, amore." She is not the only one. " I adore you and your mother; God rest her soul. No one will disturb you."

"Grazie." He bows his head and I see the emotion in her eyes when it comes to the humble man beside me. She dismisses his thanks with a wave of her hand and walks back up the stairs as the door shuts.

Josh looks up at me and I can see a million emotions stirring through him and I already know what he is going to do so I prepare myself as he jumps into my arms, and I hold him with ease as he clings to me like the spider monkey he can be. His body shakes as I try to soothe him. What hell has got him so worked up.

"Please don't hate me, Cowboy."

I pull back slightly so fingers swipe his hair from his face. "Why the fuck would I hate you?" I trace his lips with my thumb, and I am transfixed on them like every time I am around him. I am always craving more from him. I kiss his lips softly and pull on his bottom lip. "I did something Ryder." I pull back at that and when he slides down my body it doesn't have the same affect it usually does.

"What did you do?"

"I was scared Cowboy, so fucking scared for you."

"Why?"

I am so confused because what the hell could have him shaking like this until it clicks in my head.

"The trial." 

He clings onto me, and I don't shake him off. I can see the relief in his eyes when I do not push him away. I need to hear the whole story before I let emotions cloud my judgement. Josh takes a deep breath and guides me over to a bench that glides back and forth if you want it to. He holds onto my hand, and I run my thumb over his to try and soothe him.

"Someone set you up Ryder." Yeah, I know. "When I walked in and saw her on top of you." He shakes his head and I pull him into my lap. "I should have known you would not betray me like that." He chokes on a sob, and I hate that he is crying. "Anyone could have thought that given what you saw." Not going to lie that it hurts that he thought that. He jumps off my lap and loses his footing, but I catch him by the waist before he slips into the little pond. When I bring back up, I kiss those delectable lips to try and calm him down, he is so damn worked up.

"But if I just stayed none of this would have happened." He lets go of me and starts pacing the room. "Candice would not have been killed, you wouldn't have been arrested and I wouldn't have had to go to my father."

"Josh, she would have died anyway." He looks at me shocked. "It's true, she pissed someone off so much they killed her and framed me. What does your father have to do with this?"

"He bribed the judge, Ryder. Now I have to be his fucking minion as part of the deal." I pull him into my chest, and he holds onto me tight. "He wants to keep me here and be just like him."

"You're an idiot."

He pulls back and glares at me.

"Well, you are. You should have let the trial play out."

"Who is the idiot now?" He huffs out at me. "If they put me on the stand, I will have to tell them what I saw, and it does not paint a pretty picture." 

"My beautiful fucking idiot." I chuckle as I kiss his forehead even though he tries to push me away. "Mama Kate is good at what she does, and she would have got the evidence to prove my innocence." 

"You don't know that."

"I do." 

I run my fingers through his hair as he looks up at me with his lips trembling. 

"Oh god, Cowboy. What have I done?" He covers his face with his hands and his cries pierce my heart. "I didn't want to lose you." He chokes out and then he starts hitting me in the chest. "It was never supposed to be like this. You made me fucking care. Damn you Ryder Dawson." 

"You made me care too, my light." I stroke my thumb along his cheek. You made me fall in love. So, deeply in love that I do not know how to handle it. 

"I'm sorry Ryder."

"We'll fix this." 

I lean down and kiss him again, because I live for feeling his lips on mine.

"There is so much against us." He breathes out as he pulls away.

"We'll fix this." I pull him again towards me and kiss him with more passion than before. When we pull back, I rest my forehead against his and just breathe him in. "I promise, we will fix all of this. We will find out who is behind all of this and end it, then it will be just us."

"Just us." His eyes shine so bright and for the second time since I saw him in his office, I see hope in them. I promise to see that light in him more and more. "I like the sound of that."

Me too...more than you will ever know.