Page 90 of My Favorite Sin

“Dan,” Amabella speaks for the first time, her voice quiet and filled with disappointment. “I can’t talk rationally with you right now. Ally, get in the car. We’re going home.”

Ally nods and walks for the door.

“You don’t have to do what they say,” I tell her. “You’re an adult, regardless if they treat you like one or not.”

“I know,” she whispers. “I want to leave with them to explain everything. I need to fix this.”

What does that even mean, that she’s fighting for us? I can’t tell. She’s so shellshocked by being caught, I can’t read where her head is regarding us.

Ally obeys her mother’s instructions, following her to the door. I want to grab Ally by the waist and hold her close, promising her we can work through this. We can work through anything. I need to see her look at me just once, to see a look in her eyes that tells me we’re still in this together. The night of Ally’s birthday celebration when we were alone in the bedroom, Ally told me she wouldn’t give me up, even if people found out about us.

The heart locket I gave her.I’m never taking it off. I’m yours forever.

I want to believe her, but now that we’ve been discovered, I’m not sure she’ll hold true to her word. She’s always been such a people pleaser, wanting to do the right thing by our parents and Forever Families.

I call Ally’s name, but she shakes her head, still unable to look at me. “Let me handle this,” she mutters. “I’ll call you.”

Fuck. I want to believe she can handle this. I swallow hard, my chest aching at the sight of her leaving. She’s left me so many times before. I hope this time is different.

The moment Amabella opens the door, the cameras are flashing again. I get a glimpse of my brothers, Harper too, all of them in shock, except Felix who is in damage control mode, trying to clear out the photographers.

“Do you see this mess I have to clean up because ofyou,” Dad says as soon as the door shuts, leaving the two of us alone in the office. “Why are you so set on defying me? What have I done?”

“I’m not set on defying you, but if you want to talk about all the ways you’ve fucked me up over the years, how much time do you have?”

He paces in front of the desk. “You’re angry with me, fine. I’ve made mistakes. But stop trying to destroy this family with your reckless behavior. When are you going to get serious about your life?”

“Iamserious.”

“Fucking around with Ally to punish me is not serious. You know how delicate that girl is. First, you almost get her killed by a drunk man because of your poker habits. Now this. I’ve seen the way you move through women. When you’re done with Ally and throw her to the wayside?—”

“Dad, I’m in love with Ally.” My words are firm and I hold eye contact so he can see how serious I am. “I’ve been in love with her for years.”

“Enough.” He spits the word, disgusted. “I have heard absolutely enough from you. You will stay away from her. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to clean up a public mess you created.”

He walks out of the office to deal with all the photographers and reporters. With the doors open again, Liam slips inside, glaring at me.

“Are you the reason she ended things with me?” He stalks up to me like he’s looking for a fight.

For fuck’s sake. I cannot deal with him right now, not when I have doubts whether Ally will ever speak to me again. I head past Liam to get out of this building and back to my car.

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” He grabs my shirt but I shove him away.

The next thing I know, splitting pain shoots through me as his fist crushes into my jaw. There’s a roar from the press as they all rush into the office with their cameras.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

ALLY

My mother refuses to talk to me throughout the entire drive home from the benefit. I don’t hear a single word from her until the two of us step through the front door of the beach house.

“Explain yourself, Ally.”

My mother is a calm woman. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her raise her voice, especially not at me. Yet I can tell from the sharpness in her tone how furious and disturbed she is right now. I can see it in her eyes. I’m not her little girl anymore. She’s disgusted with me. I’m living in a nightmare, having news of my relationship with Dan come to light in this manner. The embarrassment and shame is something I don’t know how to deal with. But out of all the things I’ve done wrong, I know loving Dan isn’t one of them.

“Help me understand why you would do something like this.”

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