Marco burst out laughing and even my uncle shook his head while smiling.

"No, I'm saying you're gullible and you trust people too easily."

I opened my mouth to snap off a snarky reply, but when I happened to glance to my left to Alec, I seen he was sitting upright now and he shook his head at me.

"You don't want me to speak to him?" I murmured.

Alec shook his head again.

Okay.

He knew Marco better than I did.

I ignored Marco and refocused on my uncle. "If Alec goes home, so do I."

My uncle narrowed his eyes at me. "You're purposively bein' difficult, Keela."

"Yes uncle, I am."

My uncle didn't break eye contact with me for a few moments and I made a point not to blink to show him how serious I was. It got a little hard to keep my eyes open so when my uncle sighed and looked down, I blinked so many times in ten seconds that I might have set a new world record.

"Keela, I don't want you mixed up with anyone in my world."

I swallowed. "Alec isn't in your world anymore."

Marco laughed and rubbed his right shoulder. "Yeah, him, his brothers, and a certain bitch made damn sure of that."

I didn't know what he was talking about so I looked at Alec and said, "What is he wafflin' on about?"

Alec's hand suddenly touched my thigh and his thumb gently rotated in a circle as he said, "I'll tell you everything later, I promise."

I nodded my head to him, then looked back to my uncle. "He is stayin' with me."

My uncle's jaw set as he watched me. After a moment he flicked his eyes to Alec and said, "I want to speak to you without her present."

Her?

"Her can hear perfectly fine," I snarled.

My uncle grinned when Marco chuckled and said, "Are you sure she is not your daughter?"

My uncle cut his eyes to Marco then softened them when he looked back at me.

"She is my niece by blood, but my daughter by every other means... I can't be angry when she acts like me, can I?"

Marco chuckled and shook his head.

I looked my uncle in the eye and said, "I want your word that you won't have dickhead Timmy, or anyone else, lay a finger on him."

My uncle sighed. "You have my word."

I looked to Marco and spat, "He doesn't like you for a reason, so leave him alone or I'll bite a chunk out of your hairy face."

Marco raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Damn, I could use someone like you for-"

"Don't make me punch you Marco," my uncle cut him off making Marco laugh.

"Noted, and noted," Marco said to my uncle then to me.

I eyed him and my uncle.

My uncle gave me the nod to leave the room and I felt sick because I did not want to leave Alec alone with him and Marco.

I turned to him. "Will you be okay?"

Alec smiled. "I can take care of myself kitten, but having you defend me is pretty awesome, I won't lie."

He nodded down to his groin, and when I looked down and saw the bulge of his penis, I rolled my eyes.

"Only you could find something in this situation to get hard about," I whispered making him laugh.

I made a move to get up but Alec grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me back down to my chair.

"Kiss me before you go," he whispered.

I didn't know what to say, so I did as he asked and kissed him. I placed my hands on his cheeks and pressed my lips against his and got lost in feeling his mouth and tongue on mine.

"Slater!" my uncle's voice growled.

Alec pulled back from our kiss with a sigh, before he moved his head from mine he kissed my nose and said, "I'll be okay."

"You better be," I whispered.

He smiled and kissed my nose once more before he let me go.

I stood up and turned to face my uncle and Marco. I looked my uncle in the eye and said, "You gave me your word. Don't forget it."

My uncle nodded.

Marco blew me a kiss and waved at me. I narrowed my eyes at him suddenly taking a huge disliking towards him. Before I turned I gave his disgusting self the finger and that made everyone laugh, even Alec.

I left the room and re-entered the ballroom where guests were dancing and drinking like nothing serious was happening in the room next door.

I was going to go sit down at our table and wait for Alec, but I suddenly felt a hand on my left arm halting my movements.

"Keela, sweetheart. You look... put together."

I looked to my left and wanted to die.

"Hello, Everly."

"How are you, darlin'?" Everly asked me.

The smile on her face was as small and as fake as the botox in her face.

"I'm... not too bad Everly, thanks. How are you?" I asked and looked over my shoulder at the double doors of the conference room that Everly was leading me away from.

"I'm fabulous, sweetheart. My little girl is gettin' married after all."

I swallowed down a snort.

Everly was a wicked stepmother - not a mother, not even to Micah.

"Where is this boyfriend I've heard about?" Everly asked me as we walked.

I jammed by thumb over my shoulder and said, "In that room with Uncle Brandon."

Everly smiled. "Your Uncle is probably just givin' him a talkin' to."

I rubbed my neck. "I hope so."

"What is your boyfriend's name?" Everly asked.

Why did she care?

"Alec Slater, he is- Ow!"

I pulled my hand back from Everly's grip and held it to my chest.

She pinched me.

She actually pinched me.

"What the hell was that for?" I snapped.

Everly looked like she was in her own world before she looked back in my direction.

"I'm sorry, hun."

She didn't fucking look sorry.

I rubbed my stinging palm and followed her when she began walking again.

"How long have you been with Alec?" Everly curiously asked over her shoulder.

She was interested?

"A little over three months now."

She didn't reply.

I closed my eyes when I realised Everly was bringing me to the head table. I opened my eyes and smiled when I was greeted with smiles and hellos.

"Where is Alec, Keela?" Krista Bane asked.

She was sitting on her brother's lap because there were no free chairs at the table. Loads of people were at it, Jason's siblings as well as his mother, Everly, Micah, and her bridesmaids, the Brennan sisters.

"He is havin' a chat with me uncle, he will be along soon enough."

Krista smirked. "I hope so."

Bitch.

I raised my eyebrow. "Yeah, you can ask him for another dance. I'm sure he won't mind dancin' with a little mutt in heat."

Whoa, were did that come from?

"Keela!" Everly bellowed.

Everyone at the table - and I mean everyone - gawked at me.

"Yes, Everly?" I asked, sweetly.

"You watch your mouth!" she hissed.

I looked her up and down. "Or what?"

Her face went red with anger.

"Or else I'll have to have a talk with you, cuz," Micah's voice chimed in.

I looked at her and laughed. "We aren't kids anymore Mi, your sly threats don't worry me."

Micah furrowed her eyebrows when I looked at her.

"What is with you... you're actin'... different."

I was... I really was.

I shrugged. "I don't feel like bein' a doormat to people anymore."

Micah looked surprised for a moment then smiled. "Good for you."

Huh?

Everly angrily folded her arms across her chest and spat, "Wait till I tell your mother about this."

I looked to her and laughed. "I'm twenty-three Everly, me ma can't do anythin' about me not taken shite off a Bane."