"Look on the bright side, at least it's your cousin that is stuck with him and not you."

I know that was a good thing but I found it hard to find the bright side of anything.

"I'm not that much of an optimistic person Alec. I don't look on the brighter side of things"

"Why?"

"Because growing up I had no bright side to look at and I didn't imagine about a different life because that would have just been teasin' meself."

Alec placed his hand on my intertwined ones. "You had it tough grown' up?"

I slightly smiled. "I had everythin' growin' up. I lived with a parent who was wealthy and would buy me nice things. I was never hungry, thirsty or cold. I had a roof over my head, and a good education. On paper, I had a great childhood."

"And off paper?"

I chewed on the insides of my cheeks for a few seconds before I spoke. "Off paper I grew up in a loveless home. My mother is just a woman who gave birth to me, nothin' more. She doesn't love me, and she never has. She loves her money, all her materialistic things, and she loves Micah."

I spat out Micah's name and looked away as my eyes filled with tears.

"Keela," Alec whispered.

I shook my head. "I'm not jealous over my mother favourin' Micah instead of me. I am just so mad about it. I mean, I'm her daughter and she doesn't want me, she never has," I whispered then quickly wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm bein' stupid."

"Stop that. If this is how you feel, then it's not stupid. I'd be pissed off if my mother loved one of my brothers more than she loved me, but like you, my mother loved things she bought, not the beings she created."

I blinked my eyes and turned to Alec who was lying on his side on the hotel room bed, watching me.

"Your ma wasn't lovin'?"

Alec humourlessly laughed. "She was loving, just not to me or my brothers."

I blinked again shocked that someone who was so different to me shared something so personal in common with me.

"And your da?"

Alec shrugged. "My dad wasn't loving in the traditional way, but he showed his fondness for us by keeping us around I guess you could say. My mother ignored us and probably would have giving us all up for adoption had my dad not needed sons for the business."

I frowned. "You mentioned the business before. What business?"

Alec stared at me for a long moment before he said, "I don't want to tell you, you will think less of me"

I felt my shoulders slump. "Alec, I'm sorry, I hate that you think that. I don't, and won't, think less of you. I actually like you."

"You like me?" Alec smiled.

I reached over and playfully shoved his shoulder. "I wouldn't have agreed to be your girlfriend if I didn't like you is some way, even if it is only tiny bit."

Alec stuck his nose up at me. "You only like me for my voice, eyes, and my ass. I remember that conversation on the plane."

I burst out laughing and rolled forward onto his body. He laughed and rolled onto his back while pulling me onto his chest. I grinned as I sat upright and made his groin my seat.

"I like this view," Alec murmured as he trailed his eyes from where I sat on his body until they reached my eyes.

I snorted. "Because you're a dirty man."

"You love that about me," Alec said, his eyes burning into mine.

I looked away from his gaze. "I'm fifty-fifty on that right now."

"Oh, really?" Alec asked, his tone playful.

I smiled and looked back to him. "Don't even think about whatever you're thinkin'."

Alec's eyes crossed. "You confuse me."

I laughed and leaned down until my face was an inch from his. Alec straightened his eyes and smiled at me, but he didn't move.

"Why aren't you doin' anythin'?" I whispered.

Alec waggled his eyebrows. "I want you to kiss me first this time."

"Why?"

"Because it will show me that you do in fact, like me."

"A whole lottle?" I asked, grinning.

Alec smirked. "Something like that."

I lowered my head further until my lips almost brushed Alec's.

"Keela," he whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"Kiss me."

I smiled. "Why?"

"Because I need to taste you."

All playfulness vanished and before I knew it, I pressed my mouth to Alec's and buried my hands into his hair being careful not to pull it with my fingers. Alec's hands went straight to my behind and squeezed the living daylights out of each bum cheek.

"Arse. Pain," I groaned and tried to deepen our kiss, but Alec drew back and looked up at me.

"Are you calling me a pain in the ass?"

I blinked, pulled back and then laughed. "No, well, yes. You're hurtin' me arse right now by squeezin' so I guess you literally are a pain in the arse. Ha!"

Alec narrowed his eyes at me before he squeezed me hard again. I opened my mouth to either squeal or scold him, but he took my open mouth and used it to his advantage by sticking his tongue inside it. I groaned and let my eyelids shut while I used my hands to grip onto his biceps.

"Unless you plan on riding me bare back stop grinding against me, kitten," Alec said when he pulled back from our kiss and placed his cheek against mine.

My eyes were still closed and my heart was pounding. "I didn't even realise I was doin' anythin'."

"It's the effect I have on you."

If I ever needed a sentence to sober me up, that was the one.

"Are you takin' penis enlargement tablets?" I asked with a straight face.

Alec's eyebrows touched his hairline. "What? Why the hell would you ask me that?"

"Because you're bein' a bigger dick than usual."

Alec burst out laughing and slapped my arse which caused me to yelp.

"Bastard!" I growled.

I tried to slap Alec or claw one of his eyes out. I wasn't really sure which one I was going for, but it didn't matter because Alec grabbed my hands which prevented either one from happening.

"Not my face!" Alec shouted through his laughter.

"You're so fuckin' vain!"

Alec smiled at me then kissed me on my mouth.

He actually kissed me.

I latched onto his lower lip and bit down which caused him to whine in pain until I let go, which I did a few moments later.

"That was uncalled for!"

"You will get over it," I said and ruffled Alec's hair before I climbed off his body.

"Where are you goin'?" he asked.

"The weddin' is in a few days, and after runnin' into Jason last night I want to get everyone else out of the way."

Alec rolled to his left then got up from the bed and stretched.

"Is there anyone at this wedding who you're looking forward to seeing?"

I smiled. "Me Uncle Brandon, he is me Ma's brother, and he is brilliant."

Alec smiled. "I like seeing you happy, your uncle means a lot to you?"

I nodded my head. "He means everythin' to me. He always made me feel wanted, unlike Micah and me Ma. Micah's ma died when we were kids, she was nice and treated me nicely. Unlike Everly, Micah's Stepmother, who is nothin' but a cunt to me. I never told Uncle Brandon about her and her bitchiness, because his face always lit up around her. I didn't want to cause problems since he was happy with her."

Alec frowned. "You're his niece, I'm sure would want to know-"

"Everly hasn't bothered me for years. I've handled her since I was a child, it's fine."

Alec shook his head. "You shouldn't have to 'handle' anyone, Keela."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It is what it is."

Alec moved towards me and halted my movements when he took hold of my arms. "Things are different now, you will be treated with respect, I guarantee you that."

I chuckled. "What will you do? Pound on everyone who isn't nice to me?"

"If I have to, yes."

I raised my eyebrows. "I never pegged you for the violent type."

Alec brushed my hair back out of my face. "I'm not, that trait is left to Dominic, Kane, and my other brothers, but where you're concerned, I'll make an exception."

"Thanks?"

Alec laughed as he reached over a grabbed my red sundress that was hanging from the wardrobe door and placed it against my chest. He then turned me in the direction of the bathroom and slapped my arse.

"Go get ready," Alec said I cursed him as I stomped forward into the bathroom with his chuckling following me. Once in the bathroom I removed my pyjamas from my body then had a very quick body wash in the shower to clean myself up from the sweat that was stuck to my body. After that I dried myself with the hotel's towels and put on my dress. I groaned when I realised I forgot a bra and underwear.

"Alec?" I called out.

"What?"

"Will you do me a favour?"

"Wash your back? Yes!"

I laughed. "Steady on, pervert. I need you to grab me some underwear and a bra, from the small drawer in the wardrobe."

"On it."

"Somethin' comfortable!" I shouted.

"Got it."

I looked at my fingernails and picked out the dirt from under my nails while I waited. I opened the bathroom door when Alec knocked on it.

I tilted my head to the left when Alec held up garments that I have never seen in my entire life.

"They aren't comfortable."

Alec dropped the smile that was on his face. "You haven't even put them on yet."

"I have no clue how to put the bloody things on which tells me they are goin' to be uncomfortable."