HARLEY

“ B abe? You almost ready?” Ace called out to me from the bathroom.

He’d already packed and now we were at my place, getting the rest of my stuff that I hadn’t brought over to his place. A car would pick us up in less than an hour and drive us to a private airport to meet Gage, Rocco, and Devon. In two days’ time, it would be Aria’s last show on the JaylaT tour and we were all planning to be in the front row to surprise her. Of course, that was only part one of Jax’s mega plan and I couldn’t wait. Unfortunately, trying to get this trip going was proving impossible.

Surveying my bed, with its multiple piles of clothing surrounding my empty suitcase. I’d tried on almost every single item and hated all of them. “Ugh. I don’t know what to take.” I complained. “Everything I try on looks like ass!” I growled.

“What’s your problem?” Ace chuckled, popping his head out of the door as he turned on his electric razor. “You look good in everything, baby.”

Fighting to remove yet another shirt that I’d tried on, I screamed out in frustration. “For fuck’s sake! Why doesn’t anything fucking fit!!” I yelled out, before collapsing on the floor next to the bed.

“Okay, okay, enough with the meltdown, H.” Ace said, walking out of the bathroom and towards me. He crouched down and rubbed my shoulders. “You’re super crabby, babe. You getting your period or something?”

Suddenly, a frigid chill came over me. My gaze slowly lifted off the floor and made its way up to his sparkling hazel eyes. “What’s the date today?” I croaked, a lump forming in my throat.

Ace just shrugged. “Uh… the tenth, I think. Why?”

“Oh, my god… this can’t be happening. Tell me this isn’t happening.” I repeated over and over. Pushing Ace off of me, I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. He was on my heels in an instant.

“What the hell is going on?” He demanded.

“I was sure I had one… Fuck!” I cursed under my breath, throwing everything from under the sink onto the floor.

Suddenly, Ace’s powerful hands were around my waist and lifting me up into the air. Dropping me on the counter, he leaned over, framing me in with his arms on either side. “Start talking, now.” He demanded.

My heart raced as my eyes filled with tears. “I’m late… like, really late. I think I need a pregnancy test.”

My words hung in the air between us, neither of us moving or speaking. Finally, he spoke. “Look again.” And we both dove back into the cabinet.

After a couple of minutes of going through the mess and finally, I found an unopened box way in the back.

Ace leaned against the door frame as I ripped open the package. With his arms crossed over his chest and his face void of expression, I had no idea what he was thinking, but regardless; it didn’t really matter. I blinked back the tears. Visions of my life falling apart flashed before me. No more working for the band or with Devon, definitely no longer working at the club. What hurt the most, though, was that I knew it meant the end of us. Of everything that had saved me, mind, body and soul. My one and only, my love… my boyfriend. My Ace.

“Can I get some privacy?” I mumbled, my throat thick with emotion. Sitting on the toilet, I ripped open the package with my teeth as Ace looked the other way. When I was done, I placed the test strip on the counter before cleaning up and washing my hands.

Ace came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my body. Resting his head on my shoulder, he sighed loudly. “It’ll be okay, I promise.” He whispered, gently kissing my neck.

His words broke through my walls, instantly crumbling every carefully laid brick. “No, it won’t! And like, how did this happen? We’ve always been so careful!” I moaned, my tears threatening to return.

“Nothing is foolproof, baby, you know that.” He replied. “Anyway, it’s time. Let’s look.” He motioned to the test.

I shook my head. “Can’t do it, you look.”

Ace chuckled.

“How can you be so calm?” I wailed. “Oh, right… because this isn’t happening to you.”

Ace turned to glare at me. “We are in it together, Harley. I’d never leave you alone to deal with this.”

I nodded, but didn’t move. With my hands still half hiding my eyes, I leaned over his shoulder to see the test. “Oh…” A small sound escaped my lips when I saw those two unmistakable pink lines.