It’s my mom.

Jace looks over at me and I suck in a breath. “Shit, it’s my mom.”

“You gonna answer it?”

Damn it. Nodding, I hit answer. “Hello?”

“Avery, what did you do?”

“What?”

“Don’t what me, young lady. Your brother just sent me a picture of you and your boyfriend from Facebook, and apparently, it means you got married!”

“I did,” I say as strongly as I can.

Jace’s hand slides into mine as my mom cries out. “Are you insane? Why? Why would you do that?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Oh God, Avery, what in the world? Why are you ruining your life? I thought you were smarter than that. Do you know how embarrassing this is?”

“Embarrassing?”

“Yes! Everyone in the club knows. They are all talking about it. My phone is ringing off the hook ’cause you went off and got married. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Would you have cared?”

“Are you serious? Yes, we would have! I mean, is this a cry for attention? I don’t understand.”

Unable to even process what she is saying, I shake my head. “No, Mom, it’s not a cry for attention. I love him.”

“So? You don’t go and marry him. Or hell, get knocked up. How stupid can you be? You’re only eighteen.” Biting into my lip, I look up as the car comes to a stop in front of the Bullies’ house, while my mom continues to scream. “I don’t understand why you would do this. Haven’t you put all of us through enough hell?”

“It isn’t about you,” I say firmly, trying to sound stronger than I feel. “I love Jace, and yeah, this is unplanned, but we got this.”

“You have nothing. You live off us. We pay for everything.”

“And I thank you for it.”

“You thank us… Thank us by not embarrassing us. By being smart.”

Closing my eyes, I hear Jace mutter something, but I can’t hear him over the roar of my heartbeat in my ears. “So that’s why you’re upset, because I’m embarrassing you.”

“Yes! Your dad is going to freak. I just don’t understand why I had to find out through Facebook? What the hell, Avery?”

“Because you wouldn’t care,” I yell once more, tears running down my face. “You don’t fucking care about me. All you care about is how you look. A normal mother would be upset ’cause she’s worried about her daughter, about what this means for their life. But all you care about is how you look in front of that damn club. Well, guess what? I don’t fucking care about the club and what they think.”

“Avery Rose, that’s not fair. I do care and I do worry about your future, but you are shitting it down the shitter. It’s like you are dead set on ruining yourself.”

“I don’t see it that way. For the first time, I’m happy,” I say, my voice breaking as Jace kisses my shoulder. “For the first time, I don’t feel completely alone or forgotten. I feel important. I feel loved.”

“What are you saying? We love you, Avery. All of us.”

“No, not all of you. Maybe some of you do love me, but you don’t care.”

“That’s not true.”

“Mom, I spent maybe an hour with you when I was home. You cared more about Dad and the boys than me. You didn’t even stop Matty from hurting me.”

She lets out a long breath. “Oh Avery, that wasn’t even his fault. You attacked him and lost your footing. Siblings fight.”

“What the fuck?” Jace says, clearly able to hear her through the phone, and just like that, I lose it.

“No, he pushed me,” I scream, my voice hoarse and full of emotion as my tears stream down my face. “And you didn’t care. You don’t care about me. You never have.”

I close my eyes tightly, but she doesn’t say anything and I know I’m right.

Shaking my head, I hang up and throw my phone to the floorboard, wrapping my arms around myself as I cry. But it’s only for a second before Jace is holding me, kissing my forehead, and telling me it’s going to be okay.

But will it?

As he holds me, my phone keeps ringing, sounding with texts, but I don’t check them. I can’t. Not now. A part of me is glad that Jace holds my heart because if he didn’t, I’m pretty sure it would be broken right now. By the one person who is supposed to love and care for me, no matter what. Instead, she is more worried about the club.

How is that fair?

When Jace’s phone rings, he looks at it and shakes his head. “I don’t know who that is.”

I look down at it. I know that number. “What the hell?”

Reaching for his phone, I answer it despite his confused expression. “Dad?”

“Avery Rose, what the hell is going on?” he yells, his booming voice ringing in my ears.

“How did you get this number?”

“Don’t forget who I am. I am capable of anything. But I asked you a question.”

“What, Dad? I got married. I’m pregnant. What else do you need to know?”

“Watch your tone with me, Avery Rose.”

“No. You watch yours. Don’t try to act like you care. You don’t.”

He draws in a sharp intake of breath and roars, “The hell I don’t. I love you.”

“Whatever,” I say, shaking my head. “You’re embarrassed.”

“What the hell? Did you come off your meds?”

Wow. “Okay, and I’m done.”

“You hang up on me, I swear…” he threatens and I don’t know what he is swearing to, but his voice does scare me.

Pausing, I shake my head. “What, Dad? What do you want?”

“I want to fix this. This can’t happen. I won’t let you ruin your life like this.”

“I’m not ruining my life.”

“The hell you aren’t. You’re a baby. We will get this marriage annulled. And the baby, we’ll find a good home for it. We can fix this.”

“It isn’t a dog, Dad, it’s my baby,” I cry as I shake my head. “And, for once, I don’t feel broken, I feel whole. I’m happy.”

But he isn’t convinced. How would he be? He doesn’t even know me. “This isn’t smart. You don’t even know the guy.”