She studied him for a long, assessing moment, then added, almost casually—
"Or would you like me to clean up your reputation as well?"
Ryley could endure only so much.
Those words—fix your reputation—were the final blow.
There was no world in which he would allow anyone to decide what he should or should not do with a problem that bore his name.
"I…" The blond drew in a breath, sharp and measured, forcing it past the knot in his throat. He swallowed his pride like poison. "I sincerely apologize for my response toward those people earlier today."
The admission scraped its way out of him.
"I…" His jaw tightened, a muscle jumping as he pushed through the bitterness. "I promise I will do better next time."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Madam Beckett's eyes widened—just slightly—but enough. Enough that Ryley almost mirrored her surprise himself.
