I look up at him, staring deeply into his eyes and watching how his body stiffens. My hand falls to his strong chest as I push up onto my tippy toes, getting so close that I feel his breath brushing over my cheek. “Over my dead body,” I whisper.
His face falls and he slams a hand to his chest before falling back against my locker. “Oh fuck,” he says, clutching his chest. “That one hurt.”
I laugh and he pulls away from the locker, reaching for my hand. “Seriously, though,” he says with an odd rawness in his eyes that I’m not prepared for. “I like you. I don’t know if it’s the feisty attitude, the way you sucker punched me in the balls, or just because you’re fucking gorgeous, but I wanna take you out.”
As if on cue, a hand shoots out and smacks Riley on the back of his head and my eyes snap across to meet Tanner’s as he walks by. He doesn’t say a damn word, but the way he holds my stare, his eyes sparkling with our latest secret, keeps me completely captivated. Just the knowledge of knowing he saw me last night scares the crap out of me, but it’s also the most thrilling thing that has ever happened to me.
We share this dark, sexy secret, and I want more, but not before he suffers the consequences of breaking into my bedroom … twice. Though, does that make me a hypocrite for doing the same to him? At least I wasn’t watching him get off … but then, I kinda did. Unintentionally.
Tanner keeps on walking, pulling his gaze from mine and leaving me breathless. And that right there is why I won’t even give Riley the time of day. His best friend, without even trying, has got me hook, line, and sinker, and I hate him for it.
The bell sounds through the hallway, and I quickly drink what’s left of my caramel latte while my friends openly gape at me, having watched that brief moment between us, but Riley steals my attention once again. “You and me, babe,” he says, walking backward as he follows after Tanner. “It’s going to happen. We were meant to be.”
Rolling my eyes, I dive back into my locker and grab my things, only to turn back to find the girls still gaping at me. “Ummm … what just happened?” Chanel demands, a strange hard edge to her tone.
I shake my head and step around them, avoiding each of their stares. “Nothing,” I say, holding my books close to my chest. “Gotta run. Don’t wanna be late for homeroom.”
And just like that, I take off down the hall, all too aware that I share homeroom with Ilaria and that I haven’t avoided this conversation yet, not even a little bit.
Chapter 13
TANNER
NEXT TIME? YOU COULDN’T HANDLE A NEXT TIME.
Why is getting home after football training and seeing her bullshit responses to my messages the best part of my day? I’ve barely spoken two words to the girl and those words have all been insults or threats. She shouldn’t be holding my attention like she is, and I sure as fuck shouldn’t be holding hers.
I’m going to break her, she … fuck, she might even break me first.
The boys took off half an hour ago, and just like last night, Mom has taken off to sit by Addie’s side. Each passing minute that she’s stuck in this coma kills me. The doctors believe that her body has had a reaction to the cocktail of drugs she was fed and that’s why she hasn’t woken up yet. I hate it. I need to see her eyes, need to see her smile, and hear her tell me that she’s okay.
The doorbell rings and I walk out of my room, taking off down the stairs to the front door. I’m fucking starving and this Uber Eats driver can’t get here soon enough. It’s been a long day, and I’ve spent most of it staring at Brielle from across the room, picturing the way she came on her fingers. I’d give my left nut to see that up close in person, and be the one who made her feel that way.
Riley spent most the day doing the same damn thing and it’s fucked with my head. This new obsession of his is in full force, and I fucking hate it. I hate how he watches her, hate how he’s so comfortable to walk up and shamelessly flirt, hate how she smiles up at him. Brielle knocks him back every time he tries, and a part of me should be happy about that, but at some point, she’s going to cave. They always do.
Pulling the door open, I find the Uber Eats guy and he hands me my food just as my phone rings. “Thanks, man,” I say, taking my meal while digging in my pocket.
Mom’s name flashes on the screen and I take her call immediately. She rarely calls me while spending time with Addison, so it’s got to be some kind of news—good or bad, who fucking knows. “Mom?” I rush out, hovering in the open doorway.
Her sobs cut through the silence and my heart shatters.
“What happened? What’s wrong?”
She sniffles and sobs and I put my food down by the door and step out into the warm night, listening as she tries to calm herself enough to tell me what the fuck is going on. “She stopped breathing,” she tells me, every word breaking her even more. “The doctors intubated her and she’s on a ventilator to help her breathe.”
I drop into the grass, my head falling to my knees. “Is she … is she dying?”
“No,” Mom says. “The doctors are still hopeful that she will come through this. Her heart is strong and there’s still positive brain activity. They say … they say it’s a common occurrence and that we shouldn’t worry.”
“Shouldn’t worry?” I demand, my voice rising with fear. “She has fucking tubes keeping her alive. Mom—”
“No,” she cuts in, trying to keep from breaking. “I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is no. Your sister needs you here with her, she doesn’t need you locked up in a cell. She is going to pull through this, Tanner. You have to have faith. She’s strong enough to pull through.”
I drop my phone into the grass and hit the speaker button before rubbing my hands over my face. “I know, Mom. I know she’s strong enough. She’s going to get through this, but I just can’t let him get away with it. Have you heard anything from the police?”
Mom goes silent and I laugh, the agony of the situation weighing me down. “You’re fucking kidding me,” I murmur. “They let him go, didn’t they?”
Mom sighs. “They didn’t have enough evidence to hold him. He claimed he wasn’t even there that night and now we’re back to square one. He hired that asshole from next door and the next thing I know, he was walking free. But don’t worry, Tanner. We will catch this guy, whoever it is, he will pay for what he’s done to my little girl.”
I shake my head, not believing it for one second. The moment the name Colby Jacobs was thrown into the mix, I knew it was him. I knew it deep in my gut. There have been other names tossed around, but none of them felt right, but this … this one is personal. I know it was him and the fucker is about to walk free, especially with Orlando Channing working the case. That bastard has never lost a case, and not because he’s just that good. He’s fucking shady and wins on intimidation tactics and false evidence.
Not on my fucking watch.
“The doctors are here to take her for more scans. I’ll call you if there are any updates.”