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)
“It will,” I agree.
“I don’t know how much more hurt Addison can take,” she confides.
“I know, but it’ll hurt her more if we keep it from her, and I won’t do that.”
Mom nods, reaching for my hand and squeezing. “You’re right,” she says before allowing a quiet moment to pass between us. “I’m sorry you had to find out like that. That's not a conversation anyone ever wants to have, especially someone your age. I think you handled yourself well.”
I give her a blank stare. “You’re fucking with me, right?” I laugh, a grin pulling at my lips. “I was an ass to that woman.”
“Language,” she scolds. “But yes, you were a bit of an … ass. However, you gave her the information she needed to make her own decisions. You didn’t need to do that. It wasn’t your responsibility to shoulder, but you did, and that shows what a remarkable young man you’ve become.”
I give her another blank stare. “Don’t give credit where it’s not due,” I tell her. “There was nothing remarkable about it. I was hurting and I wanted her to feel it too. She had a smug tone, the way she called him her husband, and I wanted her to feel the sting just like you and Addie were going to. I wasn’t kind, Mom. I wanted her to know she wasn’t the only one in his life, wasn’t special enough for him to have ended things here. That doesn’t make me a saint, it makes me a bastard.”
Mom nods. “Either way, this is only the beginning. Something tells me there’s about to be some big changes around here, so buckle up, kid. The three of us need to stick together.” And just like that, she gives me one more smile, one that doesn’t reach her eyes, and not a moment later she walks away, barely holding herself together.
Chapter 17
BRIELLE
One messed-up drama after the next. When the hell will life go back to normal?
I can’t even wrap my head around everything that’s been going on. I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of rule about not being stressed out while trying to heal from a stab wound. You know, because it’s not good for you and all that. But hell, let’s go ahead and throw a bigamist asshole with a double life, second wife, and children on top of the ever-growing pile of shit to deal with. Not to mention the even bigger asshole next door who thinks I’m about to become his personal sex slave. Like what the fuck is going on around here?
I knew Tanner’s father was an asshole the second I met him. He didn’t think I was good enough, but all those bad vibes would never have led me to believe he’d be the type of man to build another life across the other side of the world, while still maintaining a marriage and family here in Bradford. He seemed distant while he was here, not that I saw much of him. But from what I did see, I thought he loved his wife and daughter, the apple of his eye.
I just wish I’d been here for Tanner when he found out. If I’d known, I would have raced right back here, but I was holed up in the library, smashing out another assignment while Tanner was working out with Riley. He’s been so busy trying to be the shoulder for his mom to cry on that he disregards his own feelings in his need to be her hero. Sure, a part of me loves that about him, but he won’t be able to help anyone if he doesn’t process and deal with the hurt himself. I know Tanner likes to be the protector of his family, but sometimes he needs to put himself first.
It’s been a strange afternoon in the Morgan household. I’ve been chilling with Tanner while his mom took Addie down to the big comfy couches and broke the news to her. At first, Addie seemed numb, but then the tears started, and now she’s pissed. As for their mom, she’s just broken. I don’t blame her though. I can’t imagine how it would feel learning your husband of twenty-something years created a family across the world with someone else, learning he had three young children with another woman and had supposedly married her. If it were me, I’d be asking how many other women there had been and how long it’d been going on. I’d be re-evaluating my whole life and trying to figure out how the hell to move forward.
It’s creeping toward dinner time when I walk up the stairs, looking for Tanner to figure out what our plans are for the night, but I come to a stop, finding him standing in Addison’s doorway, murmuring some kind of encouraging words to make her feel better about the bomb she was blindsided with. I don’t bother them and instead, detour to Tanner’s room. He knows I’m here, despite not making a sound. I don’t know how, maybe he can sense me. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had hidden a GPS tracker on me somewhere, and that goes for Addie too.