Bradford Brawler (Bradford Bastard 2)

Reaching up, I place my hand on the side of his face, brushing my thumb over his strong jaw. “That’s cute. She said you’d say that,” I taunt, my condescending tone making his confidence falter. “But Addison was quick to remind her that she just woke up from a coma, and your mom was like putty in her hands.”

Tanner stares back at me, realization dawning on him as he sucks in a horrified gasp. “I’m fucking screwed.”

“Big time,” I laugh, enjoying Tanner’s horror far too much. “Your sister is some kind of evil genius. The shit she has planned for you is epic. You need to watch yourself.”

Tanner lets out a heavy breath before reaching up and grabbing my books off the top of the car, simply accepting his fate. “Come on,” he says with a heavy sigh as the bell for our first break sounds through the school. “Let me get your ass inside.”

We start making our way up to the main entrance when I glance up at him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” he says, looking down at me, his brows furrowing at the tone in my voice.

I bite the inside of my cheek, wondering how to word this, then think better of it and just allow the words to fall out like word vomit. “Yesterday when we were talking about your sister making her statement, she made a comment about you being dragged down by everything that was going on, and I just wondered what she meant by that.”

Tanner’s lips press into a hard line and his eyes soften. “It’s really nothing,” he says, his arm curling around my side and pulling me in closer as we make our way to the entrance. “Just my father’s usual bullshit. He was nervous that me being with you was rubbing Addison’s attack in her face, and not so subtly requested I end things with you, and I suppose that’s part of the reason Addison and Mom asked you over yesterday. Addie wanted to make up her own mind about you, and considering she asked you to go to the police with her, I can only assume that she really likes you.”

I nod, knowing he added the part about Addie liking me to lessen the blow of what he said about his father. But my mind is stuck there, unable to move past those comments. “Is that why you were in such a bad mood yesterday? Because your dad said we had to break up?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that,” he says. “My father just has this gift for making my life a living hell, but don’t worry, I have absolutely no plans to end this. My father can get fucked for all I care. What you and I have is far more important than his thoughts on the matter. Besides, Addie is cool with it, so there’s no issue.”

“Okay,” I say, feeling better about it all, despite the overwhelming need to throat punch Tanner’s dad.

We reach the top of the school and Tanner holds the door open for me. We walk into the busy hallway, students shoulder barging one another as they make their way out of class, desperate to eat and find their friends before being dragged back to the confines of a bland classroom.

We stop by my locker so that I can shove everything in it, but before I’ve even closed the door, Ilaria and Chanel are by my side with Riley quickly joining the fray. “Where the fuck have you been?” Riley demands, leaning his shoulder against my locker before taking a massive bite out of an apple, all but splitting the thing right down the center.

“Yeah,” Ilaria says. “What he said.”

Tanner grins, all too proud to not say anything. “She went with Addie to make a statement,” he says, grinning from ear to ear, and Riley looks like he’s about to shit himself out of pure happiness.

“Thank fuck for that,” Riley says as we all break away from the lockers and make our way to the cafeteria. “So, what happens now?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Assuming everything goes as expected, my charges will officially be dropped, and Colby will be charged with rape and attempted murder. Then I’m sure there will be some kind of court case and the asshole will be locked up as he should be.”

“Hey, yo, wait up,” I hear coming from behind us.

I glance back to find Logan ducking and weaving through the crowded students, catching up to us just in time for Chanel to step out from behind Riley, her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl stretched across her pretty face.

Logan’s eyes bug out of his head, and he comes to a screeching halt, having done everything in his power to avoid her up until this very moment. “Fuck, babe … ummm.”