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She scoffs and rolls her eyes.

Grabbing my hair, I groan loudly. “You’re impossible! I wanted to give you a chance, but you do this every single time.”

“Do what?”

I push past her out of the door.

“Violet! I’m talking to you!”

Turning on my heel, I look her in the eye as I tell her what I should have made clear the last time I saw her. “I’m done with you, Mom. All you do is try to manipulate me, and I’ve had enough. I don’t ever want to see you again. Not at the wedding. Not when these three are born. Never. Again.”

“You don’t mean that!”

I don’t spare her another word. I’m completely done with today. There will be no more second chances for anyone who thinks they can hurt me.

When I storm away from her for the final time, she doesn’t try to stop me. She doesn’t fight for me like you would someone you love. I’m not sure what I ever was to her. A mistake? An inconvenience? Nothing?

I feel free of her, but also the pain of cutting her out of my life stings. Max and Maddox will know how to make me feel better.

As I turn the corner, I wipe the tears brimming in my eyes and bump into a hard chest. “Crap, sorry,” I mumble.

They don’t move out of the way, so I try to step past them, but they block me again.

“I’m surprised they left you alone.”

I look up to see Aaron smirking at me. Can I not catch a break today?

As fast as I can, I step back, but he grabs me by my upper arms and shoves my back against the wall.

“Get off me!” I yell.

“You sent my friend to fucking jail!” he hisses in my face, keeping me pinned. I struggle against him, but he’s too close and he’s huge. I can’t risk the babies.

Max will come for me. He always knows when I’m in danger.

Steeling myself, I force my words out. “What do you expect me to do about it? James is guilty, I can’t change that.”

“I want you to stop swanning around the place like you fucking own it. You’ve nothing to be proud of.” He touches my stomach, and my breath hitches with repulsion. He’s not rough, but his hand there feels like the worst violation, and it breaks me.

“Please don’t hurt me.” The words rush out of me.

Max. Maddox. Please, come. Please.

“You’re a fucking nobody, a slut who ruins lives. You should have been fucking flattered that James took any interest in you at all.” He moves his hand to my throat, and I try to scream, but he cuts it off. “It’s pathetic the way you flaunt your incest relationship around. Everyone on campus hates you. Your only friend is James’ old fucktoy. Now you’re going to stop being so pathetic and do everything I say.”

I look down the hall, praying anyone will come.

Aaron laughs, spittle hitting my cheek, making me squeeze my eyes shut.

“No one’s coming. Look at me.”

I don’t. I can’t.

He lets go of my throat, and I breathe, but the air is immediately knocked out of me by a harsh slap to the face.

“I said fucking look at me!”

This time, I do what he wants, and I’m met with eyes that are filled with so much hatred toward me.