35. Dan
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
DAN
“What is going on here?” my father shouts.
I’ve done many things in life to earn my father’s disapproval, but never have I seen him this furious. He’s quick to shut the office door and lock it, blocking out the photographers. What good that will do, I don’t know. They’ve already got their shot of Ally’s legs around me. Within an hour, those images will have hit the media and will be plastered across all news outlets. Amabella wanted a photo to show how united our family is. The public is about to see how united I am with my stepsister.
Now that it’s just me, Ally, Dad and Amabella in the office, Ally steps far away from me, her face red hot and her shoulders tight. I reach for her hand, but she shakes her head. She won’t look at me. She won’t look at anyone. Her eyes are on the ground and she’s clutching her body.
She’s beyond embarrassed and ashamed, I get it, and let her have her own reaction. Unlike Ally, I don’t feel as shameful as I expected to now that the truth has come out. In fact, I don’t feel shame at all. I stand by what I said to Ally the first time we slept together, that the two of us are perfect for each other. I don’t care how wrong the world thinks we are. It’s far from ideal how people have found out about us, but it doesn’t change anything for me. I still love Ally. She’s still mine and I’m not letting her go.
“Get away from Ally,” Dad demands. “What on earth were you doing to her?”
“Do I really need to explain it?” I answer.
“Is this another one of your defiance games? Well, congratulations, you have successfully humiliated me and Amabella in the public eye, as well as privately. Not to mention the damage this will bring upon Forever Families. This is low, Daniel, even for you, to defile your sister?—”
“She’s not my sister,” I cut in, unable to listen to another word. “None of this is about defiance.”
“I have never been more disgusted in my life,” Dad continues. “Ally, did he force you into anything?”
“No. Of course not.” She shakes her head, continuing to stare at the ground. “This isn’t Dan’s fault.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.”
Of course he doesn’t. My father’s opinion of me is that low. I look at Amabella to gauge her reaction. Her silence is far worse than my father’s anger. Her bottom lip quivers as she looks between me and Ally, too horrified to talk.
“Amabella, I care about Ally.” Making her see the truth is somehow more important to me than with my own father.
“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 of you,” 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?”
“I am serious.”
“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.