Bradford Brawler (Bradford Bastard 2)

“Fuck,” she gasps, her eyes going wide as she gapes up at her mom, probably already regretting her decision to make a statement. “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

“No,” I say. “Don’t be scared. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that Colby won’t act out. He will, but you’re the one with the power here. He’s scrambling for his freedom, and you hold the power to put the nail in the coffin.”

She presses her lips into a tight line before nervously watching me. “Do you think that maybe … you’ll come with me to the police station?”

“Of course,” I tell her. “I don’t think they’ll allow me to go in with you, but I’m happy to sit in the waiting area, and if you’re up for it, we can go and have a spa day after it to get your mind off it.”

Sara squeezes Addison’s shoulder as Addison smiles back at me. “I think I’d like that,” she tells me before biting the inside of her cheek. “I think I owe you an apology.”

“Huh?” I grunt. “What the hell for?”

“I judged you too soon,” she explains. “The moment Tanner mentioned that you used to be with Colby, I wanted nothing to do with you. Just the thought of being in the same room with you was making me feel sick, but you’re not at all how I imagined. I should have known Tanner wasn’t going to have anything to do with someone who had a hand in what happened to me. I need to give that guy more credit, but don’t tell him I said that. I’ll deny it until I’m blue in the face.”

I can’t help but laugh. I’m starting to really like Tanner’s sister. “Any other questions?” I ask.

“Just one.”

“Shoot.”

Addison holds my stare, her eyes starting to liven up as the weight releases off her shoulders. “Are you in love with my brother?”

I gape at her, my eyes widening as Sara sucks in a breath. “Oh, Brielle, honey. You don’t have to answer that,” she says before focusing her attention on her daughter. “You can’t just ask people that.”

“Why the hell not?” Addison argues back. “She told me she was an open book and that I could ask her anything. Was I not supposed to take her quite so literally? Besides, you can’t tell me you’re not the least bit curious, Mom. This is Tanner we’re talking about, your little baby boy, the first child of your womb. Don’t you want to know if this girl he’s madly in love with feels the same way?”

Sara’s brow arches as she considers her daughter’s argument, and I feel my face flush, knowing what’s coming next.

Sara glances back at me. “I mean, who am I to argue with that logic?” she says, her lips pulling into a grin. I have to give her credit, at least she tried.

I press my lips into a hard line, desperately trying to hide the wide grin stretching across my face. I don’t say a word, but my response is clear as day. “OMG!” Addison cheers, her eyes lighting up like the Fourth of July. “She totally does.”

I laugh it off and bury my face in my hands. “I haven’t told him that yet,” I explain, “so the same rules apply. If you tell him, I’ll deny it until I’m blue in the face.”

Addison laughs and holds out her hand. “You have yourself a deal, Brielle Ashford,” she says as I reach out and shake her hand. “Welcome to the family.”

Chapter 17

BRIELLE

A grin pulls across my face as I drive into the student parking lot well past ten in the morning. I don’t think I’ve ever been this late, but when Addison knocked on my door at seven in the morning and said she was ready to make her statement, I couldn’t refuse her. Screw school, showing up for her this morning was important.

Sara came with us, and it wasn’t until after Addison had made her statement and we were chilling with breakfast milkshakes that I realized Tanner had no idea what was going down. I wonder what was going through his mind when I wasn’t in my room this morning or didn’t show up for the start of school.

Tanner leans against the side of Logan’s Dodge RAM, his arms crossed, and his heavy gaze locked on me as I make my way around the student parking lot. I bring Mom’s car to a stop beside Logan’s truck, and by the time I cut the engine, Tanner is opening my door, clearly having bailed on class this morning.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he questions, almost sounding hurt that he hasn’t heard from me all morning, but Addison said she didn’t want him to know until afterward because firstly, he’d make a big deal about it, and secondly, she wanted to mess with him over the fact that we’ve been spending time together.