Tanner’s brows furrow as Addison creeps in closer. “What’s up, Mom?”
“Oh, sweetheart, can you hear me?”
Addison rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mom. I hear you. What do you need?”
“The police have finally got what they need and arrested Colby tonight. I think it was sheer luck they found him after the game. Though Colby’s currently being treated at the hospital, he’s under the watchful eyes of the police. He won’t be able to hurt you, baby.”
Addison looks at Tanner, her eyes filling with tears of happiness. “You’re serious?” she asks. “He’s been arrested?”
“Yes, darling. Charges will need to be filed, and I’m sure there will be some kind of court sessions we will have to attend, but we’re one step closer to putting him away, and from what I can gather, they’re also trying to make a case against that other girl … What was her name? That friend of Brielle’s?”
“Erica?”
“Ahh, yes. That’s the one. They’re trying to draw connections and find physical proof of her involvement, but so far, they have nothing that will stick. We should hear more soon, though.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Of course, sweetheart. Now, go have a good night. This is a big win. Celebrate with your friends and try to have a good time, okay? I love you, and I can’t wait to give you a big hug when you get back.”
Addison smiles, a real fondness in her eyes. “Love you too, Mom.”
“Okay, could you hand me back to your brother?”
Tanner grins as Addison rolls her eyes. “Yeah Mom, he’s still here listening.”
“Oh, right, umm … Tanner?” she questions as though she doesn’t believe it.
Tanner grumbles and shifts beneath me before tightening his arm around my waist. “Yes, Mom?”
“You look after my baby now,” she says, her tone still soft yet somehow filled with the type of authority that makes you terrified to step out of line. “I don’t want to find out that you spent the night teasing her. Be a good boy. Oh, and Tanner?”
“Yeah?”
“I saw your bag by the door and slipped some condoms in there. I don’t want you being unsafe, okay?”
Tanner closes his eyes as Addison and everyone else snorts with laughter, humiliation washing through him. “Fucking hell,” Tanner mutters under his breath, taking the call off speakerphone and pressing it back to his ear. “Thanks, Mom.” There’s a short pause before he lets out a soft sigh. “Love you, too.”
Tanner ends the call and barely pulls the phone away before the whole circle cracks into uncontrollable fits of laughter. He takes the cold can of beer out of my hand and cracks the top. “I need a drink.”
An hour later, Arizona is dancing on the shore of the lake, looking up at the stars as everybody talks shit, having a great time. “I swear,” Chanel laughs. “It’s true. I’ve never been so humiliated. My period just came. No warning. Nothing. Just started and came gushing out of me like someone had opened the floodgates. It was dribbling down my leg, and when I tried to dismount from the top of the pyramid … it was a bloodbath. The other cheerleaders tried to be supportive, but I could see the horror in their eyes. I swear, they’ve never looked at me the same.”
Jax howls with laughter, falling off his chair and into the sandy banks of the lake, holding his stomach as he tries to calm himself. “Alright then, Jaxon Morgan. What’s your humiliating story?”
He rights himself and climbs back onto his chair, getting comfortable around the fire. “I’m Jax Morgan,” he says, way too cocky. “I don’t have hidden humiliations. I’m an open book. Every fucked-up thing I’ve ever done has been shouted from the top of the world.”
“Nope, I don’t buy that,” Arizona says, glancing back at Jax. “There has to be one thing.”
Jax shrugs his shoulders. “There isn’t. You know me, Ari. I don’t hold back.”
“Alright then, how about this,” she says. “We go around the circle and play truth or … truth or get thrown in the lake. There is no dare. You get asked a question, and you either answer it, or get thrown right in. No avoiding the hard topics.”
“You’re on,” Jax says. “But if I have to play, everyone has to play.”
Everyone else groans, knowing damn well just how dangerous this game could get, but when no one backs down, Arizona grins. “Deal, but you’re up first, pretty boy.”
“Hit me with it.”
Arizona bites her bottom lip, trying to think of something she wants to ask, when Riley shouts out his question. “When the fuck are you going to realize that Ari is in love with you and actually date her for real instead of fucking her like a toy?”
“Fucking hell,” Tanner mutters, glaring at Riley who looks all kinds of fucked up. “Did you really have to do that? Now it’s gonna be weird.”