Page 91 of My Favorite Sin

My throat feels as if there’s a huge ball wedged in it. “I love him,” I whisper, my entire body shaking as I stare at my feet.

“Oh, Ally, please tell me you are not foolish enough to believe whatever this is between you and Dan is love. And please, for the love of God, tell me you haven’t slept with him.” I don’t say anything, and she reads my silence perfectly. “I amsick. Were you sleeping with him behind Liam’s back? I thought I raised you to know better.”

My shoulders rise closer to my ears, and I clench my eyes shut, whispering, “I didn’t cheat on Liam.”

“How long has this been going on behindmyback?”

“Since I first met Dan. We fought our feelings for each other from the start. I know Dan is like a son to you, but he’s not my brother. He’s never been a brother to me.”

“Sixyears,” she gasps, furious. “You’ve been lying to me, doing God knows what right beneath my nose, forsixyears? Who even are you? Certainly not the daughter I thought I had.”

My vision grows blurred with tears, hearing her talk like this to me. I wipe my eyes before they start leaking and try to remain strong.

“This…thingyou have with Dan stops now. Do you understand me? It’s wrong. I don’t want you around him again, at least not until Josh and I have figured out how to deal with you two. He’s a bad influence on you. Do not call Dan. Do not text him?—”

“Mom, you’re treating me like a child.” Somehow, I find my voice, but she’s quick to cut me off.

“Because you’re acting like a child. Tomorrow, there will be photos everywhere of you with your dress around your waist, looking like a whore, and with your brother, of all people. You know how hard Josh and I have worked to make Forever Families thrive. I’ve poured everything into it, and for what? We’ll be ruined when this hits the media. Did you ever stop to consider how your actions would impactthose around you, even yourself? You’ll be fired from Sacred Heart, for sure.”

I’m vibrating, burning up over the way she’s speaking to me. Maybe I’m expecting too much of her in this moment, considering the bombshell of information that’s been dropped on her about me and Dan. But it would have been nice to have my mother’s empathy considering I’ve been caught on camera in such a vulnerable position.

“I need a drink to deal with this.” She hangs her coat and purse on a hook by the front door and sighs, heading out of the entry way.

I watch the back of her head as she leaves, wondering if it’s best to give her space. She’s not in any state to have a reasonable conversation with and I’d like to avoid being labeled with more derogatory terms. I don’t know if I can express myself adequately even if I try speaking with her about Dan. But there’s one thing I’m certain of.

“I won’t stop seeing him,” I say before she disappears around the corner.

My mother pauses, listening to my words but not turning to face me.

I’m holding back tears. My voice is weak, but this she needs to know. “I didn’t come home with you tonight because you ordered it. I came here because I love and care about you and thought we could talk about this properly. I understand this is a lot for you to take on board. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be in my bedroom.”

She doesn’t respond. The house is deathly silent, all but for the sound of my mother’s high heels on the marble floor as she walks away from me.

Now that I’m alone, I let the tears fall down my cheeks. My emotions run raw, wishing I could rewind time andhave chosen to stay in the city with Dan this weekend, where I was so stupidly happy.

I reach for my purse to call Dan and tell him I’m sorry for not being more careful tonight, that I love him and despite the nightmare we’re in, I’m not running away this time. But only now that I’m alone and have a moment to breathe, do I realize my purse isn’t on me.

I left the benefit in such a hurry, I must have left my purse in the office where Dan and I were discovered. I never even had a chance to put my panties back on. They’re still there in that office, probably having been photographed a hundred times already, solidifying the proof of what Dan and I were doing.

Without my phone, I don’t have any means of contacting Dan. I don’t know his number off the top of my head, and he doesn’t use any form of social media. What a perfect end to this horrendous night.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

DAN

Someone is banging on my front door. Paparazzi, I assume. I don’t know how they got into my building, but they’ve been having a field day ever since this scandal hit the media last night. They’ve spent the entire day on the street, staking out my building in the hopes they catch me leave and can get another photograph.

I made the mistake of looking at the news earlier in the day and had to stop when I saw how much coverage this story is getting. I can’t look anywhere without seeing photos of me and Ally or gossip columns about us. As expected, there are dozens of articles questioning the credibility of Forever Families.

To make things worse, Ally won’t answer my calls. All I’ve received is a text early this morning from her that saidPlease stop trying to contact me. I need space from you after everything that happened.

Reading those words fucking hurt.

They feel wrong, especially after the last few days we spent together at my place.

The declaration she made on the night of her birthdayparty:I don’t know how, but we’ll find a way to make this work. I’m yours forever.I want to believe Ally meant every one of those words. That she’s changed from the girl she was before Paris and won’t run away from her feelings and desires just to please the people around her. We’ve been through so much together these last few months. Grown more intimate, physically as well as emotionally, than I ever knew possible between two people.

But she’s cut off communication between us before. It’s what I’ve been so afraid of for months, ever since I got her back from Paris, that she’ll run off again.

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