In the Crease (Assassins Book 11) Read online

  “Badly,” he decided with a shake of his head. “But it’s fine. No one will ever suspect anything, okay? The money is yours.”

  But she shook her head. “I don’t care about the money,” she whispered, and he wanted to be elated. He wanted to throw his hands up in the air and fucking know he had won, but then her eyes started to cloud with tears, and his heart stopped.

  “Whoa, Wrenya, what’s wrong?”

  Looking away, she sucked in a breath while she shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’m just nervous.”

  But he knew she was lying. “Wren. Don’t lie to me.”

  As her lips trembled, she sat up, wiping her face. “It’s nothing. Just insecurities.”

  Before she could get away, he pulled her down into his lap, wrapping his arms around her middle as his lips pressed into her neck. “Baby, look at me.” She hesitated, but then she did as he asked, her green eyes floating in her tears. “Tell me about these insecurities. How can I ease them?”

  But she shook her head once more. “It’s nothing.”

  “Tell me.”

  Swallowing hard, she bit her lip before she blew out a breath. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “The truth.”

  “The truth is…” She paused, laughing soullessly. “I’m a fucking hot mess, and going home and seeing… Fucking fuck, Jensen, it’s… Fuck.” She came undone, clinging to him, and he held her tightly, his lips by her ear as she cried into his neck. “I just don’t want you to leave me, and that place brings out the bad in me.”

  “Oh, Wren, no, it doesn’t. Baby, it’s okay,” he whispered, rubbing her back. “That won’t happen. I promise.”

  Before he could say more, though, her mouth was on his, moving feverishly as she clung to him, her belly pressed into him. Her need for him was apparent as she shook against him, holding him as tightly as he held her. Pulling away, she whispered against his lips, “Just kiss me, Jensen, please.”

  Meeting her gaze, he knew she was holding back so fucking much, but he did as she asked.

  He kissed her.

  Because he loved her.

  And he didn’t question her anymore. Not after they packed or even after they said goodbye to his parents where she cried like they were dying. She didn’t want to leave, he got that, he didn’t want to either, and it was obvious she had fallen in love with his parents. It was beautiful, and he was so thankful for that. But her silence to the airport, and even on the plane, made his body hurt. He didn’t understand it, but he didn’t want to question her about it. He didn’t want to push, but deep inside, he was worried.

  It concerned him, though, because pushing could lead to her shutting down completely, and she was finally opening up to him. He couldn’t mess that up because it could turn into a slippery slope with her. Though the anxiety she had caused with her earlier concerns was eating him alive, he was patient, he was kind, and he just loved her. Even when she tried not to let him, he did it anyway. It had been working thus far, and he wasn’t one to mess with something that worked.

  He just needed her to shut off her damn brain.

  Reaching for the bags and putting them in the back of the rental once they landed in Colorado, he glanced over at his wife as she was busy on her phone. Her silence was killing him, and he worried she had already shut down. Shaking that thought from his brain, he reached for her door. “Baby.”

  She looked up. “Thanks, told my mom that we just landed.”

  “Oh, good,” he said as she got in and before he shut the door. Walking around the car, he exhaled harshly. He wished he’d never left home. He liked his wife way better in Canada.

  As he got in the car, she said, “I texted your mom too, and she says she misses us, that the house is quiet.”

  He smiled. “Yes, the guilt-tripping is strong with my mother.”

  When he looked over at her, she smiled, a true smile that took up her whole face. “I told her we’d be back sooner rather than later, and she sent me a kissy-face emoji.”

  “Good,” he answered, moving to start the car as his heart pounded in his chest. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t hold it back. Unable to bring himself to start the car, he shook his head. “Stop it.”

  When he looked up, she was staring back at him oddly. “Stop what? Texting your mom?”

  “No, please don’t ever stop that. I mean this. You’re being weird.”

  “I am?” she asked, her eyes narrowing. “No, I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are. You haven’t spoken more than yes or no to me the whole way here, and I can tell your whole demeanor is off. Please don’t do this, Wren. I can’t, okay? You’ve fucking spoiled me with the girl I had in Canada. And I get it, you’re nervous to be here, but believe me, I’m here with you. Nothing will happen.”

  Her lips pressed together as she reached out, lacing her fingers with his. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I just don’t want to be here.”

  He nodded. “I understand that, but don’t take it out on me.”

  Her eyes softened as she pursed her lips at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

  He swallowed hard. “I just want you to be happy, and I know being here isn’t doing that. But we have to be, and we are. So, let’s make the best of it.”

  Bringing his hand up to her lips, she placed a soft kiss to his palm. “Okay.”

  His mouth quirked up at the side as he leaned over, and she met him halfway, their lips joining. He wanted to believe that she was okay. That she was letting it go, but he knew her better than that. Her mind was going a billion miles a second, and there was nothing he could do. But he’d made her aware of her actions, and he just prayed maybe she’d be more conscious of them.

  But he wasn’t naïve. There was a reason she didn’t want to be home, and he didn’t believe for a second that it was only her family. They were good people. They loved her, and he understood she wasn’t the center of attention—that was all Wells, and sometimes, Jensen—but they loved her. So he knew it was something else.

  He just wasn’t sure what.

  Or if it was a who.

  “They’re here!”

  Jensen’s face broke into a grin when he pushed the door open to the home that was his home away from home, and Wren walked in before him. “Winston! They’re here!” Elaine Lemiere came running down the hall toward them in a trusty pantsuit and her hair in perfect curls along her shoulders. Always the picture of perfection, Elaine Lemiere. “Oh my God! Look at you, come here!”

  Wren looked back at Jensen, but only for a moment before her mother wrapped her arms around her tightly. Wren hugged her mother back as she kissed her hard on the cheek, and Jensen sighed. She needed this. “Wren Josephine! I can’t! Look at you! I never thought I’d say this, but pregnancy agrees with you. Your eyes, your face… My God, you’re glowing, sweetheart!”

  Wren’s face burned as she laughed. “Mom, come on, I’m fat.”

  Before Jensen could get on to her, Elaine was shaking her head. “No, you’re pregnant, big difference.”

  “I told her that,” Jensen added. “She doesn’t listen.”

  “Does she ever? Stubborn as a mule, this one is, but let me just say, I have a feeling this glow isn’t just about being pregnant and has everything to do with this stud. Come here, you,” Elaine demanded before taking Jensen in her arms and squeezing him hard. He could feel Wren’s gaze on them but only for a second before another voice joined them in the hallway.

  “Aw, my darling.” Jensen opened his eyes to see Winston take Wren in his arms and hold her tightly as he kissed her head. Unlike Jensen’s dad, Winston was younger, not at all gray, and a lot chunkier than his father. He didn’t skip a meal, that was for sure, but he also wasn’t sick. “Look at you.”

  Wren looked unsure as she kissed his cheek. “Hey, Daddy.”

  “Jesus, have you lost weight? Jensen, are you not feeding my baby?”

  Jensen beamed as Wren rolled her eyes. “Funny, my mum claimed Wren wasn’t feeding