#Heart (The Hashtag Series Book 6)

by Cambria Hebert

  I jerked away from him and sobbed. “He didn’t kill him. He can’t go to jail.”

  “Stop.” Braeden wrapped around me from behind.

  Everyone in the room was beyond silent. I felt their stares like one hundred-pound weights, but I couldn’t stop.

  How could they be so calm?

  How could they just sit here and listen to the news Braeden’s entire life was about to go up in flames.

  “Stop,” he murmured again against my ear. “Calm down. This isn’t good for the baby.”

  “Baby?” Tony repeated, alarmed.

  “Ivy’s pregnant,” Romeo informed him.

  I clung to Braeden’s forearms where they enclosed me.

  Anthony looked at us with a stricken look on his face. “You’re expecting?”

  “Yes,” I sobbed. “Please don’t let them take him away.”

  Anthony’s face fell, and I could see the regret in his eyes.

  I gasped and straightened. “I’m the one who forced the car off the road. Robert knows that. I’m the reason that wreck even happened. I’ll turn myself in. I’ll go to the police right now. Then they’ll have to leave Braeden out of it.”

  “No!” every man in the room yelled at the same time.

  Men were stupid.

  “They’ll have to accept it was self-defense on my part. He was holding a gun on me. He actually fired a shot.” I went on.

  “The police already know that, Ivy.” Tony’s voice was calm. “They know the details of that night. No one lied.”

  “Then how can they do this?” Rimmel asked, her voice just as hoarse as mine.

  “Because Robert believes he can prove something in court. You’ll be charged, released on bond, and then it will go to trial.”

  “His entire career will be ruined,” Romeo said.

  “It certainly isn’t going to help. I’m not sure any team will draft you with a manslaughter case hanging over your head. The press coverage is going to be negative. No team wants that stigma.”

  “I’ll drop out of the draft,” Braeden said calmly. “It will save a lot of headache.”

  How could he be so calm? I glanced at Romeo for help, but he was staring at the wall, his jaw clenched.

  “It might be best for this season.” Anthony agreed reluctantly.

  “He’s not going to jail!” I yelled.

  Braeden picked me up and sat down with me in his lap. His arms were like vises around me, keeping me from being able to get up and pace.

  “No.” Anthony assured me. “I won’t let that happen.”

  I fell back against B’s chest, grateful for some kind of positive news.

  “You think you can win his case?” Rimmel asked.

  “I do. There’s no way Robert will be able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Braeden had time to pull him out of that car. Yes, it will look bad because Zach was conscious and yelling, but that doesn’t mean Braeden didn’t try to help him.”

  “I didn’t.” Braeden interrupted.

  No one in the room said a word. We all silently united as one wall behind him and his admittance.

  Tony didn’t seem surprised at all. “I figured as much. After everything, I can’t really say I blame you, son.”

  “Really?” Ah, finally, some emotion in Braeden’s voice. It seemed he wasn’t as stoic about this as he was pretending to be.

  “I’ve known you since you were barely seven years old, son. I think of you like one of my own. Valerie does, too. You aren’t a killer and you never will be. As far as I’m concerned, Zach died by his own fault. Not by yours. And judging from the stony silence in this room and the way I’m being measured”—he smiled a little at the comment—“I’m pretty sure everyone else sitting here agrees.”

  “I might have been able to get him out.” Braeden pressed, pushing Anthony as far as he could.

  “Might have. That’s reasonable doubt. Not even you can sit here and say you wouldn’t have died trying to get that boy out of the car.”

  “So then how can Robert even press these charges?” Drew asked.

  “Because he knows people and he knows how to work the system,” Tony answered, blunt.

  “Fuck!” Romeo growled and pushed off the couch. He paced behind it, wearing a path in the floor.

  “I just want you to be prepared.” Tony spoke to Braeden. “When they come here for you, don’t put up a fight. Don’t say anything. Not one word unless I’m present and give you permission to speak.”

  Braeden nodded.

  “I can tell by the look on your face you think you deserve this. I might even guess you’ve been waiting for it.”

  I sucked in a breath and pulled back to look at B over my shoulder.

  “Seems like maybe I should be punished, that I shouldn’t get off scot-free.”

  That was why he was being so calm about this right now? That was why he wasn’t cussing and pacing the room like Romeo or crying and yelling like me?

  He thought he deserved to be punished.

  As if he wasn’t punishing himself enough as it was.

  “That’s bullshit and you damn well know it,” Romeo snapped.

  “Maybe once I do my time, I’ll be able to move on.” His words were spoken so quietly. So matter-of-fact.

  They destroyed me.

  “You’re not going to jail.” I refused.

  “No. But I’m still being punished. My biggest regret is the NFL. I’m not going to be able to take care of you the way I wanted.”

  “Fuck that,” Romeo ground out and stopped to glower down at him.

  “It was fun while it lasted, Rome,” B said. “Us maybe back on the same team again. But we both know this will demolish my career. Even if they accept me into the draft after next season, the probability that the Knights will want me or, hell, even get me are gonna be a lot less.”

  I’m not really sure why he thought that, but the way Romeo’s mouth flattened told me Braeden was right.

  He was so accepting.

  So willing to take this as his fate.

  Where was the fighter that usually was so ready to go into battle?

  He only fights for his family. Not for himself.

  I jumped up with enough force Braeden had no choice but to let me go.

  “You’re not going to fight for yourself.” I accused him, angry.

  His eyes narrowed and he started to push up, likely to grab me and “subdue” me like before.

  Oh, hells no.

  “Don’t you dare touch me!” I yelled and stumbled back beside my brother.

  “I don’t accept this,” I ground out. “You all just sit here, so willing to let Robert take away everything. I’m so disappointed in this family.” I hiccupped. “This isn’t who we are.”

  “Ivy,” Romeo intoned.

  I gave him a hard look, and he shut up.

  “None of you want to fight?” I looked at Braeden. Resolve filled my insides, laying thickly over the panic and fear. “Then I’ll do it alone.”

  I rushed across the room to where my bag was hanging by the door. I snatched it off the wall and jammed my feet into a pair of Uggs.

  “Ivy!” Braeden yelled and came rushing toward me.

  Before he could make it to my side, I rushed out the front door and ran across the lawn to my car.

  They were all acting like it was over. Like there was nothing left to do.

  Silly players.

  The clock might be winding down. The offense game was strong.

  But the game wasn’t over yet.

  There was still one play left, and I knew exactly what it was.

  Chapter Forty

  Braeden

  I stood in the center of the yard and watched her drive away.

  She shouldn’t be driving like this.

  What the fuck was she even thinking?

  Where the hell was she going?

  On impulse, I ran to the truck, intent on following her down the street.

  Fuck!

  The ke
ys were in the house.

  I hit the steering wheel and let out a frustrated yell.

  I looked over when someone knocked on the window. Romeo glared at me through the glass. I popped the door open, and he caught the steel frame and pulled it wide.

  “Let her go.”

  I looked at him like he had three heads. “Are you fucking insane?”

  “Let her cool off. She just needs a minute,” Romeo said, calm.

  “Did you not see her?” I shot out. “She was talking crazy.”

  “Not crazy,” Romeo said. Then his lips turned up. “Just a little louder than the rest of us.”

  I gaped at him as a cool wind blew. My muscles constricted against the chill. “Not you, too.”

  “You really think anyone in that house is just going to let you get dragged through the mud.”

  “Your dad—”

  “My dad will do everything he can legally.”

  “What are you saying, Romeo?” I asked.

  “Will you hang with Rim for a while?”

  “What?” I shook my head. Everyone in this family was going fucking crazy.

  “She’s upset. She needs her BBFL. And there’s somewhere I need to be.”

  Two things:

  1) He never said BBFL because he thought it was stupid. So that was a dead giveaway he was up to something.

  and…

  2) He didn’t have to be anywhere.

  “Where you going?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Nowhere you need to know about.”

  I advanced on him, my fists tightening against my sides. “You can’t fix this. I don’t want you to fix this. Goddamn, Rome. Let me do what I need to do.”

  “So ruining your entire career, upsetting your soon-to-be wife, and making your kid live with the stigma that his father was charged of manslaughter is what you need to do? Selfish much?”

  I decked him.

  I punched him right in his cocky, know-it-all face.

  I got sick satisfaction by the way his head snapped back and the surprise flooded his eyes. “You deserved that,” I ground out, thinking about hitting him again.

  He smiled.

  The motherfucker smiled.

  “‘Bout time you showed up,” he drawled.

  He was goading me?

  I swung at him again. This time he was ready, and he moved so my fist only grazed his shoulder. So I acted fast, shifted my weight, and buried another punch right in his midsection.

  Romeo’s eyes flared, and I motioned for him to bring it on.

  He swung, and I moved, but he was quick and anticipated my countermove, so he brought his other fist and socked me in the jaw.

  Ambidextrous asshole.

  The hit was hard, and I stumbled back but gained my footing. Physically, Romeo and I were well matched. In the past year, I’d put on a little more bulk than he had, so technically, I might have had him with my weight, but Romeo didn’t live by technicalities.

  Rome was a born leader and he gave as good as he got.

  He hit me again, and I felt the warm trickle of blood at my lip. I ignored it and let out a cry, tackling him onto the ground.

  The driveway was hard and cold. Neither of us was wearing a shirt, but those things didn’t penetrate my temper. All I could think about was how fucking pissed I was.

  And scared.

  I was scared, too.

  Truth was I wanted to just accept my fate. I wanted to take my punishment. Maybe I couldn’t have saved Zach. Maybe I could have. Either way, it didn’t matter anymore. He was dead.

  I wasn’t sorry he was. That was his punishment.

  Perhaps this was mine.

  I swung down, and Romeo rolled, pinning me beneath him. I grabbed his arms and started grappling with him. I caught some traction with my foot, and I rolled us again, putting me back on top.

  I raised my fist again, ready to take a shot. This time I wasn’t going to miss.

  “Stop!” a hysterical voice screamed.

  I glanced up. Romeo grabbed my fist in his hand.

  Rimmel was running across the yard frantically. She tripped on her sweats, and I stiffened, but she caught herself and kept on running.

  “Don’t you dare hit him, Braeden!” she demanded. “Trent! Drew!” she yelled behind her as she rushed.

  “You’re in trouble now,” Romeo sang.

  I shoved off him and stood. “He started it.”

  Rimmel stopped before us, hands on her hips. “What the hell are you two doing out here fighting in the middle of the yard? This is not the zoo!”

  “Rome sure looks like an ass to me.”

  Rimmel gasped.

  “He got me right here, baby.” Romeo was good at sounding pathetic as he pointed at his jaw. Of course my sister fell for that shit. She made a distressed sound and rushed forward to take his face in her hands and look him over.

  “Pansy ass,” I muttered as Drew and Trent came out onto the lawn.

  Rimmel turned to me with an angry look, but then it changed to one of concern. “You’re bleeding!”

  “Looks like he’s not the only one who took a few hits.” I dabbed at the corner of my lip.

  “How could you!” Rimmel accused Romeo and rushed to my side to dab at my face.

  “You should probably clean that up, baby,” Romeo said, completely unbothered by the fact he just got yelled at by his girl. He stepped forward and kissed her on the head.

  She pulled back from me, bewildered.

  Romeo retreated into the house and shut the door behind him.

  Rimmel turned back to me. “What in the world happened?”

  “Man stuff,” I said.

  “Told ya brothers hit each other,” Drew quipped.

  I half smiled, remembering the night she’d lit into him for threatening me.

  “We shouldn’t be fighting now,” she said sadly. “We need each other.”

  I felt bad. She was right. Not only had I upset Ivy, who freaking sped away, but I took shots at my best friend and now hurt my sister.

  “I’m sorry, tutor girl.” I draped an arm over her shoulder, hoping that coupled with the use of the nickname I sometimes called her would buy me some points.

  The garage door opened and the smooth purr of the Hellcat filled the driveway. We all turned to watch as Romeo backed the car out of the garage and hit the brakes so we would all move out of his way.

  I guided Rim to the grass, and he backed up a little more. She rushed to the window, and it slid down a little. “Where are you going?” she demanded.

  He said something I couldn’t hear.

  Her shoulders slumped and she nodded, backing up to my side.

  Before he rolled up the window, his eyes locked on mine. We stared at each other silently for long moments before the window slid back into place and he drove away.

  Wherever he was going was for me.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Ivy

  I knocked on the door and waited.

  My stomach was in knots, and I knew I probably looked a mess. I’d run out of the house without any makeup on and my hair just barely brushed through. I was dressed in a pair of chocolate-colored leggings and an oversized mint-colored hoodie with fur around the hood. Beneath it was Braeden’s Wolfpack T-shirt—I’d slept in it and just threw on some comfy clothes when I rolled out of bed this morning because I wanted to go get some juice.

  Was I wearing a bra?

  I’d never tell.

  I was still in shock over everything that happened this morning. The way everyone just stood around without saying a word. I couldn’t just sit. I had to act.

  This wasn’t somewhere I wanted to be.

  I needed to be here.

  I was determined to fight for Braeden, just like he’d fought for me so many times before.

  I thought back to all those nights he slept on the floor outside our bedroom door just in case I needed him. Even if I lived to be a hundred, that knowledge would always melt my heart.

>   And as I stood here at the door of my once-best friend, it also strengthened my resolve.

  The door opened and Missy’s dark head appeared. Clearly, she’d still been in bed. She was dressed in pajamas and her hair was rumpled.

  “I need your help,” I said without pause.

  Her body jerked upright and her eyes went wide. Clearly, she hadn’t been expecting to see me. Or hear those words out of my mouth.

  But I didn’t have time for games. The truth was I did need her, and she owed me.

  She owed us all.

  “Ivy.”

  I nodded. “Let me in.”

  She pulled the door wide, and I stepped inside. Her room looked like it always did. Gray and yellow with pops of white. The covers on her bed were shoved aside and the pillows were all askew, and one bore the dent of her head.

  I stood in the center of the room, not really sure what to do with myself.

  How far we’d come.

  At one time, I would have flopped right down on her bed and made myself at home. But she was a stranger to me now.

  I glanced at the bed where her roommate was lying, scrolling through her phone.

  “Would you give us a minute?” Missy asked.

  I smiled sweetly when the girl looked at me.

  “Sure. Want a coffee?”

  “Sure, thanks,” Missy said.

  The girl looked at me, and I wrinkled my nose. “No.”

  “You say no to coffee?” Missy asked when the roommate was gone.

  I shrugged. I didn’t come here to talk about my tastes, and I wasn’t going to tell her about the baby. The way she was, it would probably send her into some wild jealous rage.

  “I need your help,” I said again.

  “Why would I help you?”

  I didn’t even laugh. I just looked at her, dead calm. “Because you owe me and you know it.”

  “I don’t know what you could possibly need me for.” She sniffed.

  At least she didn’t try to deny she was a scallywag.

  Progress? Nah. But at least it gave me hope she’d do what I wanted.

  “It’s for Braeden.” I dropped his name like an atomic bomb.

  In a way, he was.

  To the friendship I once had with Missy.

  Of course, it really wasn’t him that blew things up. It was her. He was just who she used as an excuse.