Page 94 of My Favorite Sin

“They’ll come around. Give them time.” Daxton stands from the window seat. “In the meantime, come downstairs and eat ice cream with me.”

I smile, about to take him up on the offer, but something more pressing comes to mind. “Ice cream sounds good. Would you mind if I borrow your phone first to call Dan? I left mine at the benefit and haven’t been able to contact him since.” Nor have I been game to ask Mom or Josh if I can borrow their phone to make this call.

“Sure. I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.” Daxton hands me his phone and steps out of my room.

The moment I’m alone, I’m left staring at the screen, wondering how I plan to contact Dan when I still don’t have his number. I scroll through Daxton’s contacts, hopeful to find Dan’s name. It’s not there, nor can I find anyone else’s name who would be able to pass Dan’s number to me. Goddammit. I don’t know why I thought this would work.

I take a long shot, calling Jordan in the hopes that she can help me find Dan’s number. When she doesn’t answer, I give up, knowing I’ll have to resort to the dreaded option of asking one of my parents for their phone. I’m betting they’ll turn me away when I explain I’ve lost my phone andwould like to use theirs to speak with Dan. But I’ll take my chances.

I head downstairs, straight for the office, a ball of nervous energy as I knock on the door. Nobody answers. My palms are sweating, anxious over disturbing them in a meeting. I knock a second time, and when there’s still no answer, I open the door, finding the office empty and… my phone laying in the middle of their desk.

My purse is there too. A slither of pink lace peeks out from the zipper and I realize it’s my panties I left behind at the benefit.

Jesus Christ. My parents have had these items the whole time? What, did Josh grab my belongings at the benefit, realizing I’d left them behind? And now they’ve kept them here in secret, knowing that without my phone I can’t contact Dan.

I don’t care how much stress they’re under, how disappointed and even angry they are in my choices, keeping my phone from me isn’t right.

My blood pumps hot around my body with frustration. I live under my parents’ roof but it’s not because I’m reliant on them.Theywere the ones who were so eager for us to live together when I returned from Paris. I have my own money. I pay for this phone myself. Yet they’ve kept the phone from me like I’m a rebellious teenager instead of a fully-grown adult. Just because they don’t like me being with Dan doesn’t mean they can act like this.

I lean against the desk and hold my head in my hands, wondering if it’s all my fault they’ve kept my phone from me. They believe they’re doing right by me. They’re treating me like a child because I’ve always let them treat me this way.Mybehavior needs to change.

With a heavy exhale, I unlock my phone to call Dan,finding our text message conversation already open. There are a bunch of messages from Dan, asking if I’m okay and why I’m not returning his texts or phone calls. Then I see the last message from me.

Ally

Please stop trying to contact me. I need space from you after everything that happened.

My hand tightens around the phone, my blood pressure rising.

I never sent that message.

Someone sent it. Who?

I’m riddled with disbelief, not wanting to face that my parents could have sent Dan a message, pretending to be me. They wouldn’t… They’re mad with me but…

I grow hotter by the second,seething, not seeing any other possibility when they’re the ones who have been in possession of my phone. If they did send the message, this is crossing the fucking line. Do they think they’re protecting me? Whatever the answer is, I don’t care. There’s no acceptable excuse. Sending this message is deceitful and an invasion of privacy.

I storm out of the office, searching for Mom and Josh. Voices come from the kitchen. I search there first, finding them in a conversation with Daxton, the three of them sitting on stools around the island counter.

“You hid my phone from me?” I interrupt, my voice revolted but level.

The three of them turn my way, startled by my tone.

“Yes,” Mom admits. “We didn’t want?—”

“You sent Dan a message, pretending to be me.”

She falters, looking to Josh for support. “We did what we thought was best?—”

“Howdareyou,” I shout. I’m shaking, having an out of body experience, never having raised my voice like this in my entire life. I always speak to my parents with the utmost respect, but I’m too angry to care right now. They don’t deserve my respect when they don’t respect me.

They’re sitting wide-eyed, stunned by my outburst, Daxton especially. He’s the first one to move, his gaze shifting in confusion between me and my parents. “Ally, take a breath.”

I ignore him, unleashing myself on my parents. “Do you even care about Dan in all of this and how that message will impact him? You say you don’t recognize me anymore. I don’t recognize you two either. I stayed with you last night instead of going to Dan because I love you and thought you deserved an explanation about my relationship with him, but you don’t want to talk. You want me to fall into line and take orders. I amnota child. And I amnotstaying here another night.”

“Ally, you’re upset,” Josh says carefully. “There’s a lot of high stress going on in this household right now and you’re not thinking properly.”

“For the first time, I’m thinking properly.”

---