Page 93 of My Favorite Sin

I groan, biting my fist, and start pacing. “I can’t stay away from her.”

“I spoke to Dad on the phone this morning,” Felix continues, “and he’s livid. You showing up will make it ten times worse. Trust me, you want to avoid Dad at all costs right now. Not only that, he says the house is swarmed by the media. No one is leaving or entering the property. Give everything a couple of days to die down. Let things cool offwith Dad and Amabella. Ally will call you when she’s ready.”

Perhaps Felix is right. Doesn’t make the situation any easier. I’m sick to the pit of my stomach, knowing the last time I gave Ally space like this, I came home to find nothing but a goodbye letter, the Queen of Hearts, and had lost her to a year in France. If she returns the Queen of Hearts to me again,herheart, I don’t think I can recover this time.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

ALLY

Moonlight streams down on me in my bay window, shining on the Queen of Hearts card in my hand. She’s been the only thing keeping me sane these last twenty-four hours. Neither of my parents have spoken to me, other than a warning to stay in the house, away from the reporters that have set up camp in front of our gates. I told Mom and Josh I’d like the three of us to speak about me and Dan, but they turned me away, saying they’re too busy in damage control mode with Forever Families.

It’s part of the truth. They’ve been locked in the home office all day taking non-stop video meetings and giving statements to the public. This step sibling scandal, along with the regular bad press Dan’s poker games bring to the organization, has the public demanding an audit of the charity’s credibility.

The other part of the truth is that my parents don’t want to entertain the idea of Dan and me having real feelings for each other.

Their reaction is beyond upsetting, but not a shock. This is why I tried to keep me and Dan a secret. But now thewhole world knows and I’m being punished for loving him. I lost my job this morning. No surprise there. Principal Sinclair was able to reach me on the home’s landline. The conversation between us was humiliating but is so small in the grand scheme of all my issues. I haven’t bothered searching my name on the internet, knowing I’m better off without seeing the photos or reading what’s being said about me.

My bedroom door creaks open, letting in a trail of light to the darkness I’m sitting in. “Knock, knock.”

I glance at the door, finding Daxton’s head poking inside. I had no idea he was visiting. Ordinarily, I’d be happy to have his company. But I don’t think I can handle seeing him right now if he has anything negative to say. Nor can I deal with him, of all people, thinking less of me.

“Hey, kid. Can I come in?”

“Only if you don’t hate me now too.”

“No one hates you. Certainly not me.”

I squint when Daxton turns the light on. He steps inside, closing the door behind himself, and joins me at my window seat.

I slip the Queen of Hearts into the pocket of my pajama pants. “Mom called you here for support, I guess. How did you get through all the paparazzi at the gates?”

“Your parents hired security.”

It’s that bad out there? Jesus.

I stare at my hands, fidgeting with them in my lap. “You should have seen how angry Mom and Josh were with me last night. They struggle to look at me, their perfect little girl who is not so perfect anymore.”

He contemplates my words, silent for a long moment before nodding. “I’ve never told you this, but I messed up really bad when Jordan and I first started dating.So bad that she broke up with me and I thought I would never see her again.”

I look up at him, a little surprised. Curious, even. But I don’t pry.

“The point I’m making is that I’m not perfect. No one is. And I’m the last person who should be judging anyone. Your entire life, Ally, you’ve always worked so hard to be the perfect daughter. Perfect student. Perfect musician. You’ve never stepped a toe out of line. Perhaps you think people will like you more if you’re perfect. Whatever the reason, I can’t imagine how tiresome the pressure would be. You don’t need to be this perfect girl that other people might want you to be. You need to do what will make you happy.” He stops with the spiel and smiles at me. “Dan makes you happy.”

I lower my head and sigh, fidgeting with my hands in my lap. Daxton might be my favorite person in the world, second to Dan. He always knows the right thing to say. “Can you repeat all of that to Mom and Josh?”

“I’m working on it. But they need time to process you and Dan.”

“You’re a really good guy, you know that? Jordan is so lucky to be marrying you.”

He chuckles. “I remember when Jordan first met you. You were fifteen. She told me and your mom that you had a crush on Dan. Your mother was convinced Jordan was mistaken. She said you were such a lonely child and just happy to have a friend in Dan. The evidence has always been in front of your mother’s face. Perhaps she didn’t want to believe it because she’s had such a rough past and was so set upon having a picture-perfect family for once.”

Daxton again with all the insightful wisdom.

“I wanted a picture-perfect family too after whathappened with Mom’s ex. I tried really hard to keep Dan as a friend. A… brother.” I cringe, using that label for him. “But he’s not. I won’t stop seeing Dan. At the same time, I care about Mom and Josh’s opinion of me, and I want to fix this family. I don’t like that I’ve caused so many issues for them with Forever Families.”

Daxton takes my hand in his, giving it an encouraging squeeze. “Tell them everything you’ve just said to me.”

“I’ve tried. They don’t want to talk.”

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