“You’re going to be okay,” he promises me. “We’ll get you better, and then we’ll fucking destroy him.”
I meet his panicked eyes and reach for his face. “Damn fucking straight we will.”
Chapter 33
TANNER
The image of Bri’s Honda wrapped around that tree has haunted me all afternoon. I’ve only ever felt fear like that once before, and that was the night Addison called me screaming for help.
It’s well past eight when I finally get Bri into the back of Jax’s Silverado, and to say I’m pissed is an understatement. I called the boys the moment she was settled in the emergency room, and after three hours of searching the streets of both Hope Falls and Bradford, the fucker can’t be found. But mark my words, I will find Colby Jacobs, and when I do, he’ll have hell to pay.
Bri was seen immediately, and her injuries were cared for while we waited for the results of her x-ray, only to confirm that Colby had indeed broken her rib. It’s only a small fracture, but enough to leave Bri in tremendous pain.
She called her mom to let her know, and it didn’t take long to realize Orlando and her mom still hadn’t returned from Paris, which only aggravated me more. Bri deserves better than that. Once she ended the call, Bri explained that her mom was getting on the first flight home, and as much as she needs her mom right now, a part of me wanted her to keep away so I could have Bri all to myself.
The trip to the hospital allowed me a moment to check in on Mom and Addison, but with Bri in pain, I didn’t get to stay long. But it was enough to get the latest update and make sure Addison was doing alright. But fuck, I’m not going to lie, seeing her in that hospital bed and not being able to wake her up kills me. She’ll get through this. I’m sure of it.
By the time Jax is pulling into my driveway, there’s a whole fucking party on my front lawn.
Logan has Bri’s wrecked car on a trailer and Hudson is helping him back it in while Jenson watches from the front porch. Riley strides out of my garage with my bike parked safely behind him, and all the girls are huddled in a corner watching the show, only the moment they see Jax’s Silverado pull in and make out Bri through the window, they start running.
“What do you want?” I ask Bri, my thumb brushing over the back of her hand. “I can tell them all to fuck off and take you up to your bed.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to be alone,” she says, her voice hoarse from being strangled. “Can we all just … chill out?”
“Yeah, Killer,” I tell her. “Whatever you want.”
Pushing the door open, we are immediately flooded by screeching girls trying to check on their friend, and I have to barge my way past them just to be able to get out of Jax’s truck. They all but climb in my vacated spot as I make my way around to Bri, and if she didn’t want them here, I would have sent them away the second I opened my door.
Bri’s voice sails out through her open door, and I listen as she consoles her friends. Chanel quietly sobs while Arizona pouts, hating seeing her friend like this, but Ilaria is the one who gets my vote. Her face is bunched up and full of rage as she explains in explicit detail exactly what she plans on doing to Colby Jacobs, and I soak it in, loving every minute of it.
“Come on,” I tell her, reaching up for her.
She loops her arm around my neck and tries not to cringe as I lift her off the seat. She’s on some strong painkillers but they’re not enough to make her forget the pain of a broken rib. The guys fall around us, checking over her injuries as Chanel races ahead to get my front door open.
Within the space of two minutes, our whole crew is down in my home gym. I sit on the couch with Brielle in my arms and an ice pack pressed to the side of her head. The girls sit opposite her, listening to her rehash all the details of her afternoon while the boys get started on their weight training, telling me every last detail they were able to find on Colby Jacobs—his friends, his family, where he likes to hang out, and every now and then, Bri will add snippets of what she’s learned about him over the past six months.
Once she’s done answering all the girls’ questions, she sighs and glances toward the boys. “How bad is my car?” she asks, her hand unintentionally moving away from her face, taking the ice pack off the lump on her head.