“I’m not understanding. Brielle is new here. How does she have anything to do with Addison?”
“That’s just the thing, she doesn’t,” I explain. “She’s Colby’s ex. They were together at the time he attacked Addison, but I swear, Mom, she knew nothing about it. She broke up with him because he wasn’t treating her right, and now … I don’t know. A few days ago, her best friend admitted to having something to do with it, and Bri told her to go to the cops and tell them what she knew, otherwise she’d do it for her. The next thing we know, Colby rams her off the road and warns her to keep her mouth shut. Then in class today, two cops came in and arrested her, pinning everything on her after pulling a gun on me and all but telling the whole fucking school what happened to Addie.”
Mom’s back stiffens, her eyes widening. “What do you mean they pulled a gun on you?”
I give a sharp shake of my head. “That’s not important,” I spit. “All that matters is Bri didn’t do this.”
“Forget about this girl for just two seconds,” Mom says, anger beginning to claim her. “You had a gun drawn on you during class and police officers disclosed confidential information about my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“You need to tell me exactly what happened right this instant, Tanner.”
I groan, desperately needing to get back to Brielle. “The cops came in. I thought they were coming for me after I busted through Colby’s home last night, but they went for Brielle. One of them slammed her down on her desk to cuff her and said she was under arrest for the brutal attack, rape, and attempted murder of Addison,” Mom gasps, cutting me off, but I keep going. “I couldn’t help myself. I went to help her and by the time I had the asshole off her, the other cop had his gun drawn.”
“In a classroom full of children?”
I nod and her face goes red.
Mom takes a moment, bracing her elbows against the counter and dropping her face into her hands. “What about Addie?”
I cringe, knowing this is the last thing she wants to hear. “It was like a rumor mill all day. I couldn’t escape it. If people weren’t talking about Brielle’s arrest or the gun, they were spreading shit about Addison. The whole school knows what happened to her,” I murmur, listening as she whimpers, her heart breaking for my sister, just as mine has been all day. “No matter what I said, they all think Brielle did it, and now she’s going to have to go to school tomorrow and face the whole student body who thinks she raped my sister.”
Mom’s lips press into a hard line as she plays with her fingers, a tell I’ve learned over the years that shows she’s uncomfortable. “Oh, Tanner,” she finally says. “You can’t always protect everyone.”
“I can try.”
Mom nods. “If she is innocent, she’ll be able to clear her name,” she says. “She lives under Orlando Channing’s roof, and I doubt he’s about to let this all get pinned on her. She’ll be okay, but do you really think seeing this girl is a smart idea? She has connections to Colby Jacobs. I’m sorry, love, but I don’t think this is a good—”
“Don’t even say it,” I warn her, more than ready to go behind my mother’s back. “You’re my mom, and I love you, but she means more to me than you understand. I’m going to see her with or without your approval, and I’d really prefer not to have to lie to you. Though right now, it probably doesn’t even matter. I fucked up. I pushed her away and she said we’re through.”
Mom stands and walks around the kitchen, putting herself right in front of me. “If she is the one for you … if you love her, then you have my approval and I will support you however I can through all of this,” she says, pulling me into a tight hug and refusing to let go. “If she feels for you what you’re feeling for her, then you don’t need to worry. Whatever you did, you will make it right, and she will forgive you. You’re a Morgan, Tanner. We don’t give up.”
With that, Mom pulls back out of my arms and gives me a tight smile. “Now, as for those officers who thought they could pull a gun on my child and expose my daughter’s worst moment to a school full of gossips, they’re about to experience the wrath of a protective mother.”
She doesn’t wait for my words of encouragement before she turns and takes off, leaving me to scoop up the pile of shattered glass in the corner of the kitchen. I doubt I’ll see her for the rest of the night. She’ll put in a complaint and demand action be taken against Bri’s arresting officers, and the moment that’s done, she’ll be right back to Addison’s bedside, holding her hand and willing her to wake from this nightmare.