Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I know the feeling,” she tells me, her lips pressing into a hard line as her eyes flicker with a strange guilt, holding something back.
“What?” I ask. “What is it?”
“I’m sorry, Bri,” she says, gripping my hand a little tighter. “Tanner called your mom, but she never showed up.”
“She didn’t come?” I ask, disbelief hitting me like a fucking freight train. I know things are messed up right now, but surely she’d still show up for me. Surely the past eighteen years have meant more to her than this. “Are you sure?”
Arizona gives me a broken stare. “Girl, I’m sorry,” she says, pushing up from the chair and dropping her ass to the mattress. “Your mom doesn’t know how lucky she is to have you. One of these days, she’ll realize exactly what it is she’s been pushing away. Until then, you’ve got me. Now scoot your bitch-ass over so I can snuggle with you until you pass out.”
Without another second of warning, Arizona pushes in beside me, under the blankets and all. Her arm slips beneath my neck the same way Tanner’s does, and she pulls me into her, holding me close, not giving two shits about the stab wound that’s all too close to my nether regions for my liking.
Letting out a broken sigh, I cry into her shoulder, wishing desperately that things could be different.
Chapter 3
TANNER
The door of the hospital conference room closes behind me as the cop with the staring issue indicates for me to take a seat. It’s a far cry from the corridor I told Bri I’d be in, and it makes me wonder if these assholes plan on having a little more than just a friendly chat. Why else would they bring me into a private room? The cops of Bradford aren’t exactly known for being the forgiving type.
Taking my seat, I watch the two cops as they strategically place themselves around me, blocking the exits while also keeping a firm eye on me. Though I can’t blame them. They know what I did. Why else would I be here? They have a right to treat me like a fucking criminal. That’s exactly what I am.
The bigger of the two—the one who looks like he’s running the show—pulls out a chair and takes a seat. He silently watches me, and I can only imagine the bullshit running through his head. I’m nothing more than a delinquent teenager who’s had everything handed to him. Why the fuck should he take it easy on me? I’m probably the next bastard in a long line of assholes he plans to make an example out of.
“This doesn’t need to be any harder than it already is, Tanner,” he starts in a gruff, dismissive tone, placing a recording device in the center of the table. “If you’re up front and honest with us, then this will be quick, and you can get back to caring for your girlfriend.” He pauses a moment, waiting for me to acknowledge him, but I remain silent. “I’m Detective Daniels and this is Officer Kennedy. We will be conducting this interview and it will be recorded. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” I press my lips into a hard line, not liking this one bit, but I fucking killed a guy. This was never going to be easy. “What do you want to know?” I ask, wanting to get back to Bri. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”
“We have witnesses who place you at the scene,” Daniels says. “Others who claim you’re responsible for putting Colby Jacobs in a coma.”
My back stiffens, and my eyes widen in shock. “Coma?” I question, my heart racing a million miles an hour, a strange hope blasting through my veins—the kind of hope Colby doesn’t deserve. “I thought he was dead.”
“It was close,” he says as his partner hovers nearby, watching me like a hawk. “Colby sustained significant injuries to the brain. He’s been put into a medically induced coma until the swelling on his brain can recede and the doctors can assess him properly. However, there is a very good chance that he is brain dead.”
“So, what you’re telling me is, whether he’s breathing or not, I fucking killed him.”
Officer Kennedy leans forward against the conference table, getting closer. “So you admit you did it?”
“What did you want me to say?” I question, resisting the urge to lunge forward and knock the fucker out. “You already told me there were witnesses who placed me at the scene. You know damn well I was involved. Would you have preferred I lied? What’s the fucking point? You have statements from hundreds of witnesses, and it’s their words against mine.”
Daniels clears his throat and forces my attention back to him. “No, I appreciate your honesty,” he says, trying to keep control of what could potentially turn into an ugly situation. “Don’t be fooled, we know exactly who you are, Tanner, and we know all about your connection to Colby Jacobs. We’re just trying to get a sound understanding of what happened last night.”