34. Ally
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
ALLY
Saturday night arrives and I’ve returned to The Hamptons for my performance at the Forever Families benefit, held in the old museum. The whole family is here, under Josh and Mom’s request. A lot of important press is at the event and my parents said it would be a good opportunity to display our blended family united as one. The brothers only agreed, I’m sure, because Mom asked them, insistent that we get a photo taken for the public that includes all the family.
I’ve barely spoken a word to Dan all night. It feels odd distancing myself from him after the last three days at his apartment where his hands never left my body. It was constant kisses. Constant orgasms. A secret smile plays on my lips, thinking back to how we pulled over on the side of the road during the drive up here because we needed each other’s body again.
I steal a glance at Dan from across the crowded room of suits and gowns, finding his eyes already on me. I blush and pull out my phone.
Ally
You can’t look at me like that in public.
Dan
Sorry. I can’t help myself. Your ass looks incredible in that dress.
“What are you smiling at?”
My eyes snap up from my phone and I wipe the look off my face the second I hear my mother’s voice. “Nothing.”
“Is there a new boy?”
“Of course not. I was smiling at something Violet sent me.”
“Relax, sweetie.” She sips from her champagne flute. “All I’m saying is you seem happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen you. I was sad to hear you ended things with Liam, but clearly you’re doing well. Speaking of Liam, have you spoken to him tonight?”
“Tonight?”
“His band is performing next. Did you forget?”
My eyebrows lift in shock. The news of his presence fills me with unease. I’d forgotten all about Liam performing here until this very second. “Why didn’t he cancel?”
“You expected him to cancel because you broke things off with him? That wouldn’t be very professional of Liam.”
“I suppose you’re right. Have you spoken to him? How does he seem?”
“Flat. He hasn’t bounced back as well as you have, that’s for sure.”
Makes sense, considering the way he sped off after our last conversation.
“Oh, here he is now.” Mom nods at the stage.
I turn around, clenching my teeth with nerves when I find Liam and his band setting up their equipment. They tune their instruments and ease into the start of gentle background music. The crowd continues to chat among themselves. My mom moves on from me to a conversation with Tyler and Killian. But I watch Liam, wondering how he is. He’s not the right guy for me but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for him.
I’ve seen Liam play his double bass a few times, and during each of those occasions it was clear how deeply he felt the music. He would put himself into the music, expressing the beat and rhythm with his body. There was always a smile on his face.
Tonight, there’s none of that. Mom was right. He does look flat.
Liam’s eyes scan the audience, pausing when they land on me. Not knowing how else to respond, I smile and wave. He glances away and shakes his head with frustration denting between his eyes.
I gulp hard, feeling the sting of guilt. I tried to not lead him on. I was honest when he came asking for a second chance, telling him we’d hang out and see where things go between us but that I wasn’t ready to jump into a relationship.
I really like you and I don’t want to rush into anything. Those were the words he spoke on our date when he cooked dinner for me at his apartment.
Then on Wednesday… I stopped seeing other girls because I like you so much. I don’t do shit like that for just anyone, Ally.
He gave that whole speech about how comfortable he is with me and how he’s never felt that way with anyone.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. Maybe I fucked up and didn’t realize things were more serious between us than I thought .
I send Liam a text, asking if we can talk when the band finishes performing.
The song ends and another starts. Despite wanting to be by Dan’s side, I keep my distance for appearances’ sake and make my way to Felix, knowing it’s safer this way. When I arrive, I realize Felix isn’t alone. He’s talking with Harper, which is a sight I’ve rarely seen. Whatever they’re discussing has Harper worked up. Her face is as red as her scarlet hair. Their conversation comes to an abrupt stop the second they notice me. The brutal looks they’re giving each other smooth out.
“Ally, hey.” Harper smiles at me, though I can tell the smile is an act. She’s distracted by whatever she and Felix were talking about.
Felix leaves the two of us, muttering, “This family photo better make Amabella happy,” before disappearing into the crowd.
I nod in his direction. “What was that about?”
“Nothing. What song are you performing tonight?” Harper’s subject change is anything by subtle. I don’t push with the many questions I have about her and Felix. She clearly doesn’t want to talk about it, and I don’t have a good enough rapport with her to ask. Instead, I answer her question, and we settle into a conversation about music.
An hour later, after chatting with Harper about her job in the ballet company, Tyler’s busy work schedule in hotel development, and how they hope to take a vacation within the next year if they can get time off, the band announces they’re taking a break.
Surprisingly, Liam approaches me.
Harper gently squeezes my arm. “I should see what Tyler’s doing. I’m not far if you need me.”
As soon as she’s gone, Liam digs his hands into his pockets. The look in his eyes is a long way from pleasant. “You wanted to talk?”
Nausea creeps over me. My mouth turns dry and it’s hard to swallow. “Yeah. I’m sorry again for hurting you. I have little experience with relationships, not that that’s an excuse. I just wanted to see how you are. So… how are you?”
“What kind of a question is that?” Liam’s voice is harsh. He sighs, attempting to cool his frustration, and scratches his jaw. “Something has been playing on my mind. You said there isn’t anyone else, but it feels like a lie. Things were good between us. I can’t see why you would end it unless there was another guy.”
My chest tightens, nervous over what to say. If I answer yes , not only does it hurt him but also leads to the question of who .
“There’s no one, Liam. You’re a great guy?—”
“Don’t give me that generic crap. Fuck, you girls are all the same.”
He groans and walks off, and I’m left hot and flustered, my muscles seizing up at his anger. That sick feeling in my stomach intensifies, and I’m in more of a panic when I realize I have to perform on the piano in ten minutes.
Harper returns to my side. “Hey, that sounded pretty nasty. You okay?”
“Not really. I need a moment to calm down. I’m going to find somewhere quiet.”
“Do you want company?”
“No, thank you.”
I rush off, slipping through the crowd and out of the main hall in the museum. This doesn’t feel like a panic attack, but I need silence and somewhere private to center myself and focus on my breathing, otherwise I’ll be a wreck playing the piano .
The first few doors I try to escape into are locked. The fourth one opens and I rush inside, finding myself in a small office. I shut the door and switch the light on, then lean against the desk, closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths to calm myself.
The door opens, and when I look up, Dan is standing in front of me with concern. “You all right? Harper told me you had a rough conversation with Liam. I saw you come in here and wanted to check up on you.”
I brush my hands through my hair, pulling at the nape of my neck. “I’m fine, I’m just worked up and stressed because I don’t know how I’m supposed to perform in this state of mind.”
Dan locks the door and steps right up to me, stroking gentle patterns along my arms. “Maybe I can help you calm down.”
I let out a long breath and close my eyes again, focusing on the light sensation of his fingertips running up and down my skin. His lips brush along my jaw, making me shiver. I laugh softly.
“I know, I’ll stop,” he whispers.
“No. It’s helping.” I look up at Dan, at his lips, and suddenly don’t feel so tense. “How am I going to survive this next week without seeing you?”
“I have no fucking clue.” He lifts me onto the desk and pushes himself between my thighs.
I grab Dan’s collar, pulling his lips to mine. The kiss is soft at first, and I lean into his embrace, taking comfort in the feel of his body against mine. When I feel his erection between my thighs, I lose myself in memories of our last few days together, how Dan has claimed my body in every possible way, and how I’ve never known someone could take me to such extreme physical and emotional heights .
My legs tighten around his waist, forcing his dick to grind against me. This is the last thing I should be doing right now, but the door is locked, and my God, I need this to calm down.
Dan groans into my mouth, leaning forward and resting his hands behind me on the desk. Our kisses turn fevered. His mouth trails down my neck, to my cleavage. His fingers skim up the front of my panties, making me gasp, and then they slip beneath the fabric, straight into my wetness.
“This is what you really want, isn’t it?” Dan whispers against my ear. “An orgasm to calm down. I know you, Queen.”
I nod, and Dan slides my panties down my legs, dropping them in a pile on the floor.
“How long do we have before your performance?”
“Long enough.”
“Ally looked upset.” I hear Harper’s voice from beyond the office door. “I saw her enter that room.”
My mother answers. “Oh, I hope she’s all right. We need to get this family photo taken.”
Shit. A streak of panic rushes through me. The door handle rattles. Dan locked the door and I know we’re safe, but we don’t have long to compose ourselves.
A door opens, not the one we entered through, a second door on the opposite wall I wasn’t aware this office had. Dan and I push away from each other, but not fast enough.
It’s not only Mom and Harper at the door, witnessing everything. We have the entire family as an audience, all of them catching me with my dress hoisted around my hips and Dan’s shirt untucked. My panties are on the floor.
Photographers are crowded in the hallway for this family photo Mom is so desperate to capture. Cameras start flashing in my direction, dozens of them, blinding me.
All I can hear are shocked voices. Disgusted voices, gasping at the sight of Dan and me. I’m on display, with humiliation and dread striking me hard in the chest.
Dan steps in front of my body, shielding me from everyone’s sight. But it’s too late. My deepest secret has already been caught on camera and eternalized for the world to see.