Page 148 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

“Are you okay?” I whisper, and she nods.

“I am now, just kinda freaked out is all.” She waves her hand in front of us, once again trying to downplay everything. It’s what she does. I reach for her hand to stop her and pull her close, wrapping my arms around Hallyn’s neck in a tight hug. “I love you, Avs,” Hallyn whispers. “Beckham’s gonna give me a ride home. Go ahead and stay with Colter.”

My brows deepen, and I shake my head. “Are you sure? I mean, I was the one who dragged you out tonight. We can head back to our place and have a girls’ night instead.”

She forces a heavy swallow and nods. “I’m sure, but I’m absolutely going to take you up on a girls’ night soon.”

Beckham stands behind her after she gives me another hug.

He lifts his hand in a wave. “Don’t worry,” he mutters. “I promise she’s safe with me.”

Hallyn and I exchange “I love yous” again before Beckham wraps his arm around her shoulder and leads her over to his truck.

When I turn to Colter, I don’t realize right away that Reed has already taken off back toward Whiskey Sinner’s, leaving the two of us alone.

His eyes have a softness, and I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing I am.

But the first time I tell Colter I love him, I don’t want it to be in the middle of a bar parking lot after whatever just happened.

I don’t know how much longer I can keep my feelings to myself, though.

Twelve

COLTER

We barely made it out of the parking lot of Whiskey Sinner’s when I got a text from Beckham about Ava and Hallyn’s apartment being broken into.

Ava drove herself and Hallyn to Whiskey Sinner’s, so we followed her back to her place. I originally planned to drop Reed off at home or let him catch a ride if he wanted to stay out later.

After the turn our night had taken, I wasn’t in the mood to hang out at the bar. I didn’t go into detail with Ava, but I figured I’d let Hallyn tell her in her own time. From the details Beckham shared with me, then to learn their apartment was busted into, there was no way I was letting Ava stay at her place alone.

She knew she could always stay with me, and I’d do everything to keep her safe.

Reed helped me fix the frame on their door, enough for it to stay shut and locked. We’ll figure out the repairs in the morning.

“Did Beckham say anything about Hallyn? About how she’s doing?” Ava studies me as we pull out of the parking lot of her apartment.

“She passed out in his truck, but he assured me she was okay. She’s staying at our place tonight. He said he was gonna get her inside and put her to bed, so she’ll be there when you wake up in the morning.”

Ava presses her fingers to her mouth and nods. I reach my hand over to rest on her thigh, and she appears to relax. She’s worried about her friend, but I know she trusts Beckham to look after her. We both do.

“It just doesn’t make sense. Who the hell would break into our place?” Ava asks, her arm resting against the door, staring at me. “We hardly know anyone here. What the hell could they possibly want from us?”

“Maybe it’s not anyone you know? It could be a total stranger.” Reed pipes up from the back seat.

“I mean, it could be. It’s just crazy to me that someone would bust our door in without a reason, ya know? I checked through my jewelry, and nothing was missing unless maybe it was something of Hallyn’s?”

I remember the first time I ran into Tanner when Ava and Hallyn moved into their place. Tanner was not at all happy about us being there, even under the guise of us helping them move.

“Maybe they weren’t looking to steal anything but were looking for something else?” I suggested.

Ava turns toward me, confusion marking her features. “What do you mean?”

I shrug. “Do you think maybe Tanner found out about Hallyn and Beckham? Maybe he got jealous, and there was some reason he’d break into your place?”

“We weren’t home, though. What could he possibly be looking for if no one was home?”

Reed’s voice drops low. “Maybe he was looking for proof of his suspicions. Does she have a laptop connected to her phone? If he knows her passcode, it’s possible he could’ve been trying to get on her computer to read her text messages.”

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