Page 78 of Midnight Dissonance

On the drive home, he was mired in doubt and anxiety. The last time he’d been this worked up was when he discovered his ex-wife cheated on him. By the time he arrived home, he was fuming. He slammed his way inside and found Lexi in the kitchen cooking.

She smiled at him the moment she saw him. “You’re home early. I wanted to surprise you.”

“We need to talk.” Josh felt like he was about to explode. Because the dreams he had begun building of the two of them were crashing and burning, and he didn’t see a way to stop it.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, I don’t know. How about the fact that you’re massively in debt and failed to tell me.” He snarled with such vehemence it felt like the words had been ripped from his soul.

She jolted back and her eyes went wide. “Where did you—Lisa told you.”

She didn’t deny that she had the loan. Confirming what Lisa told him. And the truth only made him madder. “So it’s true then? Is that why you’re with me?”

“Is that what you really think?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“I don’t know, Lexi. You tell me. Because in all our discussions, you never once mentioned it. You acted like you didn’t want me to pay for things. Was that your way of drawing me in and getting me to pay off your debt? And then give me a grand old feck off once it’s done.”

“You can’t possibly believe I would do that.”

He exploded, shouting his frustration. “How would I know when you’ve been hiding it from me? Cause I gotta say, it makes me wonder what else you’ve been keeping from me.”

She slapped the spoon against the counter and shut off the burner. “You were the one who pursued me. You were the one who hounded me until I caved.”

“Was it all an act?”

Her bottom lip trembled, and hurt entered her amber eyes. “I can’t believe you would take her side over me. After what they’ve put me through, I thought you were the one person who understood, but I see I was wrong.” She marched past him out of the kitchen.

“Where the feck do you think you’re going?”

“To pack my shit.”

“Like hell you are.” He grabbed her arm and spun her around. “You don’t get to leave until I say so. You’re wearing my collar. You’re my sub. And you don’t get to leave—”

She yanked the chain off and tossed it in his face. “You’re not my Dom. Because I could never be with a man who thought so little of me. Now take your fucking hand off me. If you try to stop me from packing and leaving, I will call the fucking police. And no, I don’t care how it looks at the club or if I’m barred from ever going back.”

“Just proves that you’re delusional, just like you are with your music. And all it shows is that you’re a piss-poor sub,” he spat back, instantly regretting his words.

She jerked back like he struck her and looked devastated. But she’d taken off his collar. He’d never collared another sub in his life. And he felt as if his heart was bleeding out.

“Take your goddamn hands off me.” She yanked against his hold.

“Lexi.”

“Guitar.” Her safeword dropped like a bomb between them. “I was right the night of the singles night event. You really are the worst.” She yanked her arm, wrenching it from his grasp. And he let her go.

She raced up the stairs, and he followed her. He couldn’t believe she used her safeword. Had he been wrong? Had Lisa just been trying to stir up trouble between them? But why? “Where are you going to go, your sister’s house?”

“It’s none of your concern,” she replied, colder than he had ever heard her. The spark of life he’d come to know so well was gone.

He’d extinguished it in his fury.

But now his anger was deflating. And in its place was horror as he watched her pack, shoving clothes haphazardly into her duffel.

“At least take the Beamer if you’re not going to stay and talk this out like an adult,” he snapped, only realizing it was the wrong thing to say when she turned with her mouth open.

“You know what? I don’t care about the rest of my shit. You can fucking keep it.” She reached into her purse and removed the key. She tossed it on the bed and hefted her duffel. And marched out of the room.

Josh followed her down the stairs. She grabbed her guitar from the living room. When she reached the door, he said, “Lexi.”

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