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)
“They were lucky,” he tells me. “Well … not as lucky as you, but considering the alternative, they’re lucky,” he says. “The knife tore straight through Jax’s liver. He only got out of surgery an hour ago, so I don’t have more details than that, but from what I can find on google, he’ll be out for a while. A few months maybe. Enough to end the football season for him.”
“Shit,” I mutter, my lips pressing into a hard line. “That’s gonna destroy him.”
“Understatement of the fucking year,” he tells me. “That’s not a conversation any of us wanna be around for.”
“At least he’s still breathing,” I say. “That’s all that matters.”
“Try telling that to Addie,” Tanner says, darkness swarming his deep tone.
My brows furrow, watching the array of emotions crossing his face. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I question, a hint of desperation seeping through my tone.
“Colby punctured her right lung,” he explains. “The knife slipped off her rib and went straight through the lung. She’s lucky to be alive.”
“Holy shit,” I breathe, the thought of losing her wreaking havoc on my mind. “Is she alright though?”
“Physically she’ll be alright, but mentally? I don’t know. She was messed up after the first attack, and now this? I don’t know if I’ll ever see the carefree version of Addison she was before Colby got his hands on her. I’m just …” He pauses as his hands ball into tight fists, his tone lowering to a soft whisper. “I’m just glad it’s over. He’s gone and we can just focus on getting her the help she needs.”
“How long until she’s out of here?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Mom’s been in with the doctors, so I’ll know more after that, but I suppose it really depends on the severity of it and what kind of damage Colby did. Google can’t help me with that shit. All I know is that Addie won’t be dancing for a while, and that’s gonna kill her. She’s already been off since the first attack.”
“Shit, well you know I’m here if she wants—”
A soft knock sounds at the door and not a moment later, it’s pushed open and Arizona’s head pokes through the small gap. “Can I come—oh, shit! You’re awake,” she squeaks, her puffy, red-rimmed eyes lighting up with relief.
Arizona barges through the door, flinging it open and storming into my room. She cuts across the end of my bed and all but climbs over Tanner’s lap to get to me. Her arms fly out wide before she crashes into me, and within seconds, she’s sobbing into the crook of my neck.
Tanner gapes at me over Arizona’s shoulder before awkwardly climbing out from beneath her and moving to the far corner of the room. Arizona wails against my neck, releasing all her pent-up frustrations and fears, and all I can do is hold her. “Are you okay?” I murmur, trying to crane my neck to get her hair out of my face.
“I tho—I thought I was,” sob, “going to,” sniff, “lose you.”
My heart breaks for her. I can’t even imagine how everyone must be feeling right now, watching their best friends being taken away by paramedics, their hands and clothes soaked in blood, not knowing if we were going to survive. It would have been the scariest thing they’ve ever been through. “You think you can get rid of me that easily?” I tease. “I’m like a bad rash that won’t go away, no matter how hard you try.”
“You’re gross.”
“Yeah, well, you had Riley’s junk in and around your mouth at the lake, so technically, that makes you grosser.”
Arizona laughs and pulls back, dropping her ass into Tanner’s vacated chair before blowing her cheek out with a heavy breath and wiping her tears on the back of her sleeves. “Holy shit,” she mutters under her breath before finally raising her chin and meeting my stare again. “Okay. I think I’m alright.”
“You sure?” I ask. “If you need to cry some more, I can kick Tanner out. It’s no problem.”
“Over my dead body,” Tanner mutters from the back of the room, leaning against the wall and crossing his strong arms over his chest, his biceps on full display with those damn tattoos that make my mouth water.
Arizona shakes her head. “No, really. I’m okay,” she says. “It’s a freaking sob-fest out there. I’ve already gotten most of it out. I was just so relieved to see you awake and alright. I swear, between me, Chanel, and Ilaria, I’m surprised the waiting area isn’t flooded with tears.”
My bottom lip drops, hating to hear they’re not doing so well. “They can come in here if they need somewhere to break down.”
“I’m sure they will,” she says. “We’ve been fighting over who gets to go and check on you first, and of course, I lost. So I told them I was going to pee instead and jumped the line.”