Bradford Brawler (Bradford Bastard 2)

I step out of the car and raise my chin, brushing my lips over his in a quick kiss. “Good morning to you too.”

“Seriously?” he mutters, taking my books for me. “That’s all you’ve got to say? Good morning? I was about ready to send out a search party. You can’t just disappear on me, especially after that text you got the other day. I thought something happened to you.”

“I’m sorry,” I say as I lean back against Mom’s car, smiling up at him. “I was sworn to secrecy, but now that it’s all done, I’m allowed to tell you.”

Tanner puts my books on top of the car and leans into me, his eyes narrowing on my mischievous stare. “The fuck are you talking about?” he rumbles, his deep tone vibrating through his chest and making my knees weak.

“Well,” I start, unsure why I feel so nervous. “Yesterday, your mom and Addison sorta kidnapped me and—”

“The fuck?”

I stare up at him, shooting daggers. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”

Tanner groans and rolls his eyes before making a show of zipping his lips and patiently waiting for me to continue, and just to be an ass, I give him the most dazzling smile I can possibly give. “As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted,” I continue. “They caught me when I got home from school yesterday and your mom lured me in with muffins, which is really not hard to do, and we started talking. Addison was having a hard time wrapping her head around us because of my involvement with Colby and wanted a bit of clarity with everything that’s been going on. So, we spent some time getting to know one another, and I’m not going to lie, Addison might even be cooler than you.”

Tanner scoffs, his lips pulling up into an impressed smile. “Not possible,” he says. “But that doesn’t explain where the hell you’ve been all morning.”

“Oh, Addison and I have been hiding out in your room setting fart bomb traps to go off spontaneously through the night. Apparently, it has something to do with seven weeks of torture she needs to make up for.”

Tanner gives me a blank stare, seeing right through me. “Spill it, Killjoy. Where have you really been?”

I push up onto my toes and kiss him again, unable to get used to just how good it feels to call him mine. “Well, yesterday when I was with your mom and Addison, we were talking about me being arrested and how she didn’t want more people to be dragged into all of this. So she decided to make a statement if I went with her, so of course I did. We even went and had milkshakes afterward and got our nails done. See,” I say, holding up my hand for him to see the blood-red paint across my nails.

Tanner just stares at me, completely dumbfounded and unaffected by the stunning state of my nails. “Addie spoke with the cops?” he confirms.

“She did,” I say with pride. “She was amazing, and I think when you get home, you need to remind her how much you love her and that you’ll never let anything happen to her because she’s scared shitless. She thinks Colby will try and wrap her around a tree like he did to me.”

“Over my dead fucking body,” he says. “Colby will never touch her again.”

My hands curl around his strong biceps, holding on for dear life. “I know,” I tell him, having complete faith that this is the end of it. Colby is going to get charged and locked up for good, and Addison will never have to fear him again.

Tanner looks down at me, a soft smile playing on his lips, and he goes to lean in when that smile begins to fade and his eyes narrow with suspicion. “Hold up, why didn’t she tell me she was going to make a formal statement? And why the fuck are you two spending so much time together now? I don’t like it.”

My eyes widen just a fraction, a pang of hurt slicing through my chest. “You don’t want me hanging out with Addison?” I ask, unable to hide the hurt from spreading across my face.

Tanner is quick to shake his head. “No, no, Killer. It’s not that. I fucking love that you two are getting along. I just don’t trust it,” he says, his voice filled with suspicion. “You and Addison together … that’s fucking terrifying. That’s two against one, and I don’t like those odds.”

“Technically, it’s three against one,” I tell him, relief pulsing through my veins. “We’ve got your mom, too. We discussed prank wars over milkshakes, and your mom is all too ready to throw you under the bus. You’re fucked, Tanner Morgan.”

Tanner laughs and shakes his head. “Nah, you’re lying,” he tells me, unable to accept what he’s hearing. “I’m Mom’s special little guy, she wouldn’t do that to me.”