Page 20 of Then and Now (The Edge of Retaliation 3)
“Son,” his dad says, his voice hard. “You need to be very careful. Whatever reason you have for bein’ around that girl, is your own. Don’t justify her actions because it’s clear that you have some sort of feelings for her.”
The look his dad gives me nearly brings me to my knees, but, somehow, I manage to stay on my feet. I’m ashamed, and angry, and so horrified. I hate that I’m hurting this family even more. It doesn’t feel good to deliver the truth, it doesn’t feel freeing, it only makes me feel like I’m suffocating even more.
“You’re seeing her?” his mother gasps. “You’re seeing the girl who killed Celia?”
“Just listen,” Tanner growls angrily, running his hands through his hair. “She didn’t fuckin’ do it on purpose. She wasn’t drinking. She wasn’t driving recklessly. Celia fuckin’ stepped out in front of that car. Celia was drownin’ and nobody noticed. You want to blame someone, then we should be blamin’ ourselves for not realizin’ she was hurt.”
Mrs. Yates gasps and shakes her head, horrified. “How could you say that?”
“Sit down, we’re talking this through. Callie is staying, because she deserves to be heard out. She went away for a long fuckin’ time for something she had no control over. If it wasn’t her, it would have been someone else. Celia wanted to die, and she would have found a way to make that happen. Now, are you two going to listen to me, or do you want me to fuckin’ walk out of here and not come back until you do?”
“Tanner,” Mrs Yates whispers, her voice hurt, “how could you say something like that?”
“Look, Momma,” he says walking over and placing his hands on her shoulders, “I know exactly how you’re feelin’ right now, I used to feel the same when I looked at that girl over there. The same feelings of anger and rage, I didn’t want to hear her story, hell, I didn’t want to know about it at all, but in the end, her story needs to be heard.”
Mrs. Yates looks at me, really looks at me, and her eyes close for a second as she takes a deep breath in and then exhales loudly. “Fine, I’ll hear the story, but then you’re going to take her from my house. You’ve hurt me enough for the night.”
“That’s all I need,” Tanner says, then looks to me. “Callie?”
Well.
It’s my turn now.
Here goes nothing.
9
JOANNE
I raise my hand, then lower it, then raise it again. My heart pounds against my chest as I stand out in front of Tanner and Tatum’s house, not knowing if I should be here, if this is a bad idea, or if I’ve just completely lost my mind finally.
I can’t stop thinking about him.
I keep telling myself I’m here to warn him that Patrick is on his case and will probably start snooping around, but really, deep down, I know that’s not why I’m here. I’m here because in the short time I’ve been home, I can’t get him out of my mind. I can’t get our time in that basement out of my mind.
He’s all I want, and my entire body is craving him like a hard drug that I can’t shake.
Patrick and I are over.
We spoke again this morning and we both agreed that it’s not going to work, though he still carried on about me taking everything and how he won’t let me. I did try to explain that if he just makes sure I’m okay, I’m not going to take anything of importance to him.
He doesn’t seem to believe that.
His words were, “As soon as you start talking to your little boyfriend, you’ll change your mind because he’ll convince you to take me for everything I’m worth.”
There are some people in this world that are so heavily ruled by money.
Patrick is one of them.
Back to why I’m here.
I glance at the door, my head a little light from the few drinks I had before I came here. I know I shouldn’t be here, it’s too soon and I’m too fragile, but I need Tatum so badly my whole body aches at the very thought of his name. Just knowing he’s behind that door makes me want to fall to my knees.
I raise my hand to knock again when the door opens.
Only, I’m not presented with Tatum, I’m presented with an incredibly gorgeous woman who, in comparison, makes me look like I’ve just rolled in off the streets. She’s tall, with all the right curves in all the right places. Dark luscious hair flows down her back and finishes in little perfect curls that bounce when she moves her head. Her eyes are that of gorgeous emeralds, framed by dark, thick lashes.
My chest tightens.
I know Tanner isn’t here.
Unless the other guys are here, then this woman is here with Tatum.
