“Why?” I don’t understand.
“Remember how Dad was going to make the announcement about the team moving at the end of the season to Montana? Well, I guess they’re blaming it on me.” Bristol exhales a breath and glances at the television, which is off.
She’s avoiding making eye contact with me.
“Why would they blame it on you?” I pull her against me, dropping a kiss to the side of her forehead. “You’re not responsible for your father’s actions.”
Bristol shuffles on the sofa, leaning back against my chest as she stretches her legs out. My arm wraps around her waist, embracing her.
“Enough about me,” Bristol glances at Sophia. “You were smart, hiding in the bathroom.”
“I literally had to go pee. I just happened to be in there when the shooting happened.” She fiddles with her fingers, picking at her nails anxiously.
Nova glances at Sophia, her voice soft. “I heard the assailant didn’t come to the student center with the intent to shoot up the school. There was an altercation between two students?—”
Sophia nods slowly. “Yeah, I heard the fight on the way to the bathroom. Two guys were screaming at each other over a girl. Apparently, one of them brought a loaded gun.”
“That’s terrible,” Nova says, shaking her head. “Do we know how many injuries?”
We’d seen the police cars blocking the area and ambulances, but I hadn’t seen anyone being driven away. By the time we arrived, it was over. I didn’t know if the gunman had been apprehended or killed.
“Three people were shot,” Bristol says. “I saw it on the news in my dorm.”
“The two who were fighting and then a bystander who tried to intervene,” Sophia says.
While I’m relieved that it hadn’t been a madman who’d gone in shooting, intending to cause the most amount of harm and deaths as possible, there were still three people shot. “Any word on if they survived the shooting?” I ask.
Bristol and Sophia shake their heads.
“I haven’t heard anything yet,” Sophia says, glancing at her phone.
Bristol shifts off me, and already I miss her warmth. I reach out for her, my hand grazing her hip. “I’m going to head to bed,” she whispers. “Should I make up the couch or can I sleep with you?”
“You’re in my bed tonight.” I stand and grab her bag, bringing it into my bedroom for her to sort through and get ready for bed.
I leave Bristol alone while I head out to the hall closet and pull out an extra pillow and blanket for Sophia, leaving the items for her on the couch. “If you need anything?—”
“Not my first slumber party,” Sophia says. “I know where everything is. Thanks, Liam.”
“Goodnight, sis.” I nod toward Ashton and Nova. “Night,” I say and head for my bedroom. The door is closed, and I give a quiet knock.
“Come in,” Bristol answers.
She’s already in my bed, the sheets pulled up as she’s leaning on the wall, propped up with pillows, reading a book.
“Anything good?” I ask, glancing at the book title.
“It’s a paranormal romance about a tarot reading card witch and?—”
Chuckling, I hold up a hand, cutting her off. “Why am I not surprised?”
“What?” She stares at me, a faint smile on her lips.
I lean forward, capturing her mouth, stealing a taste before pulling back. “I thought you were tired?”
“I was tired of talking about what happened tonight.” Bristol stares at me and puts the book down while I get undressed.
“Now, you decide to stop reading?” I ask, noticing her attention is entirely on me while I strip out of my clothes.
