Best Friends to Lovers

Chapter19

District Attorney O'Donnell called the house the next day to inform us that Tanner had escaped from police custody and was on the run. "There is a massive search underway. Every available officer is searching for him. So we are advising you to keep your eyes open for him." So the lady on the phone tells us.

"What in the hell do you mean he escaped? How in the hell did that happen? He was supposed to plead guilty," Hayden yells into the phone.

"We are sorry, sir, we can't go into the details at this time, but rest assured that we are doing everything in our power to locate him. We will be in touch if anything comes up. If you see or hear from us, please give us a call," the lady says before the phone goes dead.

"Son of a gun, what in the hell is wrong with these police officers in this freaking town? They can't even do their jobs right. How can they even call themselves police officers?" Hayden yells.

"Calm down, man. We need to inform your guards to be on the lookout for Tanner. We aren't sure if he even knows where you guys moved to. So the guards need to be informed," Brenden says.

"Alright, let me call the guard tower. And get this straightened out. Before we discuss this among us," Hayden says.

After a few hours of coming up with a plan, we decided that since Tanner knew where my parents lived, it wouldn't be wise for them to go back there until Tanner was back into custody since we had no idea when that would be. We decided that we would need to go to the grocery store. Brenden and Maddie agree to make that run. So Maddie, mom, and I sat down and made a list. Once we have it done, Brenden and Maddie head out the door, leaving us with Allison. 

We go about the rest of our day, ensuring that the guards on each shift understand that if Tanner is spotted to call the police, try to keep him off our property and busy until the police arrive.

Mom and I clean the house and make lunch. We fed the babies. We were getting the plates ready for the guys when Maddie and Brenden came into the house with the groceries they had bought.

We finished the plates for the guys and brought them to my dad and Hayden. Then we put away the groceries. "So, what is the plan? Are we just going to hide out here until Tanner is caught or shows up?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, he has that hitman hunting for Hayden. I don't want to be out in the open where he can get a good clean shot at Hayden and me. It's bullcrap that everyone we love is in danger because of a boy that couldn't take being dumped." I say. 

"I didn't realize he was this crazy. If I had, I would have talked you into leaving him a long time ago," Maddie said.

"Maddie, I think Tanner had gotten mixed up in drugs. I would notice cash missing from my purse. I let it go for a while. Then more money would come up missing. I asked him a few times and ended up getting the s**t beat out of me. I think he is addicted to drugs and doesn't realize what he is doing.

"Did I ever tell you how I lost my v-card, Maddie?"

"No, do I even want to hear this?" She asked, looking worried.

"Remember a couple of years ago when I was pushing all of my friends away?" I asked her. She nodded. "Well, Tanner and I were at a party. He had been bugging me off and on for months about having s*x with him. I always told him I wasn't ready, but he had gotten me blackout drunk this night. I must have passed out because the next thing I remember is seeing him on top of me, thrusting into me. He r***d me; he said that I asked him to take me. After that, I pushed every one of you guys away. It took me a few months to talk to Tanner again; he apologized. I forgave him. We stayed together. About six months later, I had s*x with him." I told her.

"Oh, wow, Melinda, why didn't you tell me about that?" Maddie asked with tears in her eyes.

"It was my fault; I drank too much that night. I should have never started drinking with Tanner. It was my fault; I was too ashamed. I told Hayden about this when we were alone the morning he and I were together the first time. I felt that if he and I were going to try out the best friends to lovers relationship, he needed to know everything."

"Mel, thanks for telling me. I wish you would have said something to me about it at the time, but I understand why you didn't. I love you. You're my best friend, my sister. Please don't keep anything that big from me ever again," Maddie says, then wraps me into a comforting hug.

"I won't, I Promise,"

"Ladies, get in here. There are some developments," my mom yells from down the hall.

Maddie and I look at each other and jump up and run down the hall. Once we reached the living room, Hayden was on the phone, frowning, "What do you mean that he killed himself?" I hear Hayden ask into the phone.

"Who is he talking to, Mom? I asked.

"Someone named Mason, I think," she replies.

"Well, s**t. Mason is the officer we talked to since all this stuff with Tanner started. The woman's brother Tanner had dated for a year and a half of our three-year relationship. Hayden and I met his sister. She had no clue that he was in a relationship with me," I tell her.

After Hayden hung up the phone, he looked at me. "Baby doll, please come here," Hayden says.

 I walk over to Hayden and he pulls me into his lap, "Tanner went to meet the hitman to see if he had taken care of me. The guys told him that he killed me, but you were also killed. So, Tanner pulls out a gun and shoots himself before the hitman can stop him. I just found out that the 'hitman' was an undercover police officer trying to get more information from Tanner about some other shady things that Tanner had been caught up with," Hayden tells me.

"Why in the hell would an undercover cop lie to a deranged man about killing a woman that he was hung up on? It doesn't make any sense to me. What in the hell was running through Tanner's mind? I don't understand any of this mess. Is it wrong for me to be relieved that this mess with him is over? How in the hell did the police know that Tanner was looking to hire a hitman?" I asked.

"No, honey, everything Tanner has done to you in the past is all over and done with. I am not sure how they knew he was hiring an assassin but thank them for informing us. You don't have to worry about your friends and family anymore," dad says.

"I would have much rather been able to give him another piece of my mind. He treated me like crap most of our relationship. First, I break up with him; then, he decides that he can't live without me. He took the cowards way out and it pisses me the hell off. I wish I could bring him back to life so I can kill him again." I say.

"Well, baby, there is one more thing I need to let you know, that is that Brittany is pregnant. She is saying the baby is Tanners. Brittany realizes that she is going to prison and wants Lisa to adopt the baby. So Lisa is in the process of deciding if she could do that,"

"So, Tanner is dead. He left Brittany pregnant. Brittany wants Lisa to adopt the baby. What in the hell is Brittany's end game? There has to be a reason she is pushing for this," I say, looking at the floor.

"Mason is working on finding out if she has some kind of hidden agenda. He doesn't trust Brittany either," Hayden says. "Now that this mess is all over, let's have a cookout. Us guys will grill some burgers and hotdogs; you ladies can sit back and relax with the kids,"

"I am all for getting out of the house, but I am not going to let my guard down. Something is bound to happen that will throw a wrench into the calm we feel. I know it. Is Mason stopping by some time soon so I can ask him a few questions?" I say.

"He will be over after his shift is over. So now, let's enjoy our freedom from stressing about Tanner and his actions." Hayden says as he pulls me into a hug. Baby doll, let's enjoy the day and worry about everything else later. I want you to relax."

"I will try," I say, hugging him back and kissing him.

"While the guys get the grill going, I will fix potato salad and some other finger foods. Then, you girls feed the babies and play with them a little. I am sure ready to get some fresh air," Mom says as she gets up and heads to the kitchen.

"Come on, Mel, let's go check on the kids," Maddie says as she stands and walks to the sitting room where the babies are. "You and I need to talk some more," I stand up and follow her to the sitting room. She stops and looks at me, "You look like you are in a daze. Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes, I am in a daze. I have conflicting emotions about Tanner's death. On the one hand, I am relieved that I want to cry because he is dead. He will never cause an issue with me again." I say.

"You spent three years of your life with him. I would think something was wrong with you if you were excited that he is dead," Maddison says to me, hugging me.

When we walk into the room, Maddie stares at my boys as they sleep with their hands on each other. "I have never seen anything as sweet as this. I can't believe they want to be so close to each other,"

"I am going to enjoy this now because I don't know how long it will last. I am sure the twins will get sick of each other at some point over the years. If they are anything like my brother and me, they will fight all the time. But then again, they may always want to sleep close to each other," I say.

"As a mother, it touches my heart to see them like that. I can't wait to see how they are with Allison. I wonder if one of them will be the man she marries,"

"All I want is for my boys to grow up being happy and healthy. I want them to know that they respect women and their wishes. That woman should be treated like queens."

"They have Hayden as a father. I am sure that he will do his best to teach the boys how to treat a lady." Maddie says as she smiles at me.

"I hope so. Let's feed these little ones and bring them outside for a little bit. I am sure the dogs need to go out. They haven't been out since this morning." I say as I pick up the boys and sit down in a chair to start feeding them.

After the babies were fed, we went outside, where the dogs played with each other for an hour and then came over to check on the babies, then went and played some more. 

I find myself zoning out and thinking about what I was told about Tanner. It shocks me to think that the guy would end his own life with just the thought of my death. Why? He said that he never loved me. How can you not love someone but take your own life without thinking twice because you heard I was dead? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

"Kitten, how are you doing?" Hayden asked as he walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

"I honestly don't know. I am still trying to process everything that has happened. I mean, Tanner has made my life hell for years, yet I am having trouble processing the fact that he is now dead,"

"You are allowed to grieve his death. He was a big part of your life for years. You loved him at one point. You can grieve for him if you need to; I will understand. I am mourning the loss of a guy I considered a friend. Then I keep thinking that, now maybe he will be at peace. The drugs he was using changed him far more than he ever realized. We can mourn for the person that he once was, baby," Hayden says, kissing my forehead.

We enjoyed the rest of the day with the kids until Mason came over after his shift. I was nervous about what was going to be talked about. I knew that Mason had more information than what was being told over the phone, so my nerves improved. Hayden noticed and came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"Sweetheart, calm down. I know you are nervous and upset. Mason is here to fill us in,"

"It's just that I don't understand how a person with the police department can lie about something as serious as death. That lie leads to a person killing himself; I hope that Mason will have the answers I need." I said to him.

There is a knock on the door; Hayden answers and invites Mason in. Mason looks around the living room. "I wish that I could tell you all that Tanner is dead. I can't, though, because I think the undercover cop turned against us. When we turned up to clean up the crime scene, there was no way to identify his body positively. Right now, I am waiting for the medical examiner to bring me his fingerprints,"

"What the hell do you not think it was him?" my dad asked. 

"No, I don't. A man like Tanner isn't going to end his life just by someone telling him that another is dead; they want proof," Mason says.

"I thought the same thing, Mason. That is why I was having trouble processing it. So, when will we know for sure if it is him?" I asked. 

"We should know for sure tomorrow, Melinda,"

"Alright, what else is there that we need to know?"

"If it's not him, you and your kids aren't safe," Mason says, exhaling, looking at Hayden, then his eyes settle on me.

"f**k, that means, We are cooped up here. Please call me when you find out for sure.

I don't want to be sitting around worried all damn day," I say, before turning around and walking to my boys and looking at them, "I don't want to continue to live in fear,"

"I am warning you now, Mason, if he comes on my property and threatens my family, I will not hesitate to kill him. He has messed with the wrong man's family,"

"Hayden, I should tell you not to engage him, but if he comes here, you do what you have to do. I would if it were me.