I heard Ally sigh deeply and I moved my mouth to her ear to whisper, “She’s gonna be okay, carina.”

“Firstly,” Rome looked right at me and said, “I wanna thank you for bringing Molly and me here. I fucking fell apart, but you brought us here and she’s safe now. I can’t repay that.”

Ally relaxed hearing her cousin’s sincere thank you, but then Rome dropped his hand and looked to her. “But secondly,” he shook his head in disbelief, “You’re with Axel, Al? Are you fucking kidding me?”

Ally’s eyes tightened and she looked at me. “Yes, I’m with Axel,” she replied, nothing but pride in her voice.

“You told us you were with that artist. You fucking lied?” he half-asked, half-challenged, looking like he couldn’t wrap his head around everything that was happening.

Ally’s hand froze on mine. My heart pounded wondering what the hell she was going to say to that.

“Yes,” Ally whispered, “I lied… I lied to y’all because I knew you wouldn’t approve.”

I exhaled sharply as Ally lied to her cousin to protect my secret, when Rome’s mouth dropped open. “Ally, what the fuck are you thinking?” he asked loudly. Ally sucked in a hurt breath. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”

“No,” Ally whispered, “I’m thinking real clear. For the first time ever, I’m thinking perfectly clear… and I want him. I’m with him.”

Rome’s eyes narrowed, when Lexi spoke up. “There’s no artist? Axel’s the guy you’ve really fallen for?” There was nothing but concern on Lexi’s face. That kinda fucking gutted me. I knew we weren’t close. I knew she still expected me to fail in life, but I didn’t expect to see fear in her eyes over my being with her friend.

“Yes,” Ally told Lexi who darted a glance to Cassie who, surprisingly, for once, seemed to have shit all to say.

“You don’t ever have a boyfriend, and when you finally get one, you chose a fucking drug dealing ex-con?” Rome snapped. Anger started build in my blood as I heard Ally start to cry. My breath was growing faster and faster, and as Rome’s eyes met mine, I stepped forward. I was gonna kill this fucker for upsetting my woman.

Ally stepped forward putting her hands on my chest. “No, querido, stop.”

“Shit, Ally!” Rome exclaimed. I stepped forward just then Austin moved in front of me and faced his best friend.

“Quit it, Rome, now,” Austin ordered. Rome stopped dead and by the expression on his face, I could tell he couldn’t believe what my kid brother was doing… having my back… I almost couldn’t believe it either.

“Are you serious, eighty-three? After everything he did to you, to Lexi, to Lev, you’re gonna defend him being with my cousin? My cousin!”

Austin’s jaw worked and I felt like shit. I could see him hating the fact that he was hurting Rome, but I could also see how much he wanted to defend me. “Rome, I’m just as shocked as you at them being together, and honestly, I ain’t sure what to think of it right now. But Axel’s been doing real good. So just back the fuck off with all the hating for a damn second, yeah?”

“Back the fuck off?” Rome repeated through gritted teeth. “Back the fuck off? He’s trash. He’s always been trash. He always will be trash... and Ally?” Rome looked right at Ally and said, “He’ll make you trash too. You’ve already been lying for his ass to your family and best friends.”

And that right there broke me. Ally was anything but trash. And I knew the guy was in pain, his wife was sick, and he looked like shit. But nobody was calling Ally trash, cousin or not.

Leaping forward, I nearly got a good crack on Rome’s face but Austin managed to hold me back. JD was on Rome as he tried to rush at me. Just as he did the door to the waiting room flew open and the two guards, from before, walked in.

As soon as they saw me being restrained their eyes darkened. Ally rushed to me and put her palms on my face. “Axel, please, calm down,” she whispered. As I looked at her face, I could see she was more than upset, then I looked down at my hand still in a fist. I ripped my arms from Austin and wrapped them around Ally’s shoulders.

“Sir, we need you to leave,” the bigger of the two guards said to me. I could feel Ally crying into my chest. I nodded to the guy that I would go. Glancing back, I saw Austin with his hands behind his head, watching me… but I could also tell that even he didn’t approve of me with Ally. The one person who I thought had my back really fucking didn’t. When it came down to it, he still thought me unworthy.

“Carina,” I said, “You stay with your friends. I’ll leave. You need to be here for Molly.”

Ally’s head snapped up and her eyes looked huge. “No,” she replied. I caught Cassie cussing from behind.

Ally threaded her hands through mine and turned to her friends, Rome watching us like a hawk. Straightening up, she announced, “I lied about who I was with because I knew y’all would act this way. Yes, I’m with Axel, and I don’t care what any of you have to say.” She looked across to Rome and he shook his head at her in disbelief. “I know he’s done wrong in his past. I know that y’all will find it hard to forget it, but he’s a good man.” Her face flushed and she added, “And I’m twenty-seven for Christ’s sake! I’m old enough to choose who I want. And I choose him. I don’t need, nor do I seek your approval.”