Bradford Brawler (Bradford Bastard 2)

“Don’t do that to yourself,” Addison says. “This isn’t your fault, and I don’t want you carrying the guilt for something someone else did.”

My gaze falls to the muffin, and I feel my chest beginning to tighten when Sara moves forward again, bracing her elbows against the island counter. “Tanner mentioned last week that you had been arrested for involvement in Addison’s case. Now, we’re aware that you truly had nothing to do with it, but how is that going? I’m assuming Orlando Channing is taking care of it? He married your mom, right?”

I shake my head. “Orlando is still representing Colby and refused to take my case because it’s a conflict of interest, but he set me up with another lawyer who’s confident that my name will be cleared. I’m just waiting to hear back. All the evidence that was put forward against me was manipulated so—”

“Wait,” Addison says. “I’m confused. How were you arrested in any of this?”

I give her a tight smile. “Erica made a false statement claiming that I was the one who gave you the drugs and that I was in the room while … you know. She made it seem as though I was the brains behind everything and that I was putting it in Colby’s head to hurt you.”

She shakes her head. “That’s … no. There was no one else in the room. Just me and him. That’s not fair. How can she get away with saying stuff like that?”

Sara reaches across the table, taking Addie’s hand. “You were in a coma, honey. You weren’t there to defend yourself and set the record straight, but you are now, and the ball is in your court. I know it’s going to be hard, and it’ll bring up things you’re not ready to face, but a statement from you will clear everything up. Brielle’s name will be cleared and Colby will be put away.”

“And Erica?” she says. “What’s stopping her from doing this to someone else?”

Sara shakes her head. “I’m not sure, sweetheart. We will have to have a talk with our lawyer, but I’m positive there is something we can do. We won’t allow her to get away with this either.”

Addison takes a moment, considering her options before sparing a glance at me. She bites her lip, her eyes growing watery before turning back to her mom. “Okay,” she finally says, making Sara’s brows shoot up. “I’ll talk to the police and make a statement. People like Bri shouldn’t be getting dragged down with all of this shit, and Tanner is too, and it’s not fair. I don’t want Colby to get away with this, but I’m terrified that he’ll try to hurt me again. He already wrapped Brielle’s car around a tree and then came for me with my breathing tubes. He’s already proven that he’ll do whatever it takes to try and save himself.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Sara says, walking around to our side of the island before wrapping her daughter in her arms, this moment meaning everything to her. The police had come to the hospital the moment Addison woke up and she refused to talk about it, not ready to discuss the heinous things Colby did to her, but this just proves how much of a fighting spirit she has. “You are the strongest person I have ever met. The way you’ve overcome everything over this past week shows just how resilient you are, but you don’t need to be strong all the time. We’re going to keep you safe, Addie. You have my word. Colby isn’t going to be able to get near you. He’ll be charged and locked up before you know it. We’re all going to be okay.”

Addison begins to cry in her mother’s arms, and I look away, wanting to offer them as much privacy as possible, only I’m stuck on something Addison said. She mentioned that Tanner was now being dragged down by all of this too, and that doesn’t make sense. Unless she’s referring to the way he’s holding all the guilt on his shoulders because of his connection to Colby’s older sister. However, if something more was going on, it’d explain the aggravated mood he’d been in all day.

I itch to ask about it but now isn’t exactly the right moment.

Addison takes another minute before finally pulling out of her mom’s arms and wiping her eyes. “Sorry,” she says, glancing toward me. “Didn’t mean to make it awkward for you.”

“It’s fine,” I tell her with a smile, popping another bite of the muffin into my mouth now that the heavy stuff has passed. “Not awkward at all.”

“So … did that asshole really break your ribs?”

I nod, pulling up the side of my shirt to show her the lingering bruises. “Yep, wrapped me around a tree, strangled me, and then kicked me right in the ribs as a warning not to talk to the cops. If it weren’t for Tanner showing up, I think he would have killed me.”