Power Play (Nashville Assassins: Next Generation Book 2) Read online

  “Dad, let’s be real. My wedding would never cost what Shelli’s is.”

  He nods. “Which is why you’re my favorite.”

  When he turns, my brothers are there. Quinn glares at him. “You have five kids. You can’t pick favorites.”

  Evan nods. “Especially when you told me I was your favorite yesterday.”

  Owen looks at Evan and then Dad. “What the heck. You told me I was your favorite this morning.”

  “I don’t like any of you. I only love your mom.”

  He looks back at Mom, who is grinning from ear to ear. She fist-pumps, and we all beam at her. “Right back at you.”

  They all head to my room as I lean on the counter again, and Mom’s eyes meet mine. “I love you the most.”

  I snort. “You tell all of us that.”

  “I do,” she agrees, cupping my hand. “I hate that you’re leaving me.”

  “I’m legit moving nine minutes away. You act like I’m gone for good.”

  She exhales hard. “Still, it hurts.”

  I squeeze her hand. “Don’t let it. I love you.”

  “I love you,” she says, her eyes soft and full of adoration. “How are your meds doing?”

  I thread my fingers with hers. “Okay, I think. I don’t know. I don’t feel like I want to sleep, but I still feel a bit off. I go back in a couple weeks.”

  She nods. “Please stay on top of that. You don’t want to get sick.”

  “I know,” I agree, and she smiles.

  My mom then turns her phone toward me and lays it on the counter. “Read this.”

  I move the phone to where I can read it. It’s an email.

  From Maxim.

  Elli,

  I hope this email finds you well. I miss you greatly and hope everyone is doing good. The reason for my email is that I’ve been trying to get in contact with Posey, but I haven’t been able to. Can you please give me her contact info or have her contact me? I want to speak with her, please. Thank you for your time.

  Maxim

  I bite into my cheek as I turn the phone back around to her. I wait for the wave of affection I once felt for him, but all I feel is the sting of rejection from seeing Stella at his house. Or how he said I was like a sister to him. Why would I care about a dude who says that when I have a man who tells me I’m gorgeous every day? “Don’t give him my info.”

  She deletes the email. “I figured.”

  “I’m good without him.”

  “I know. You’re doing so well, honey. I’m so proud of you.”

  I look at her in surprise. “You are?”

  “Oh, my baby, I am. You blow me away daily. So strong, so amazing. You remind me of your daddy every day.”

  My lips quirk. “Funny… I was channeling my inner Elli Adler.”

  Her eyes fill with tears. “You’re the perfect mix of us both, Posey. I love you very much, and all I want is for you to be happy.”

  My heart swells, and I want to tell her about Boon. I don’t want to lie, I don’t want to hide him, but I can’t throw that news out there yet. I don’t want anything to get in the way of the success of the team, and I don’t want my dad’s angina doing something funky to where he can’t walk my sister down the aisle.

  I’ll totally be blamed for that, and there goes my page in the Wedding Book from Hell.

  Hmm… I might be on to something here.

  “I am happy, Mom.”

  “I know,” she says, patting my hand. “It sucks that leaving us makes you happy,” she teases just as the guys come back into the house.

  Quinn sets me with a look. “We all know why she’s leaving.”

  I bring in my brows. “Because I want to live on my own.”

  He shakes his head. “Nope. She’s got herself a boyfriend.”

  Dad’s eyes widen, and Owen and Evan grin. “For sure. She hasn’t listened to that pull the carpet out from under me song in like forever,” Owen says with mischief in his eyes.

  “I hear her on the phone with him all the time,” Evan jeers, and I glare.

  “You do not. Shut up,” I throw back at them. “I hope y’all know I’m not scared to take out your knees.”

  Dad looks over at me. “You’re not with someone, are you?”

  “Dad—”

  “I think she is. She’s too happy,” Evan says then. “This is the first time she’s threatened us in a while.”

  “Two months, to be exact,” Quinn adds, and I look back at my mom.

  Before I can say anything, though, Owen says, “Watch. She’ll move out, and then all of a sudden, she’ll have a boyfriend.”

  My gaze narrows as I meet my mom’s eyes. “Mom, tell them to leave me alone.”

  She beams, her eyes teasing. “Well, they’re not wrong.”

  “They are wrong. I’m completely the same as I’ve always been.”

  “It’s okay to have a boyfriend, Posey.”

  “Can you stop telling her that?” Dad says, grabbing his chest. “I can’t breathe.”

  I let my head fall back as the boys laugh. “You guys are such dicks.”

  “She has been in a good mood, just how Shelli was,” Dad groans, and Owen snorts.

  “’Cause she’s getting laid.”

  My eyes grow so wide they hurt, and my dad whips his head to my mom. “She’s having sex?”

  “Owen, really?”

  “I’m out,” I say, needing to escape. I head to my room to grab my purse and a few little bags before walking back into the living room where my mom is rubbing my dad’s back, trying to calm him down. He’s looks stricken, but I refuse to acknowledge his childish behavior. I am a twenty-one-year-old woman who is having really great sex with a really awesome guy. I will not apologize for or admit to that.

  “I’ll call you,” I holler, mainly to my mom as I pull my keys out of my bag.

  “Don’t you need our help with moving everything in?” Owen asks, and Evan laughs.

  “Or is your boyfriend meeting you at the apartment?”

  The three stooges crack up, and then Quinn says, “Probably, so he can move in too.”

  “Boys! That’s enough!” Mom yells as my dad clutches his chest.

  Dad looks to Mom and shakes his head. “Elli, call 9-1-1. This is it. The girls are putting me in an early grave.”

  As I go to shut the door, I hear my mom say, “Oh Shea, don’t be dramatic!”

  I slam the door shut, leaning into it and closing my eyes.

  What is wrong with these people I call family?

  “He did not.”

  I’m riding on the end of the cart as Boon pushes it. We’re both sipping on our second unicorn slushies. He told me if I tell any of the guys he drank one, he’d kill me. But I know, and it tickles me that I got him hooked on them.

  “Boon, I kid you not. He clutched his chest and acted as if he was having a full-on heart attack! I had to call my mom later and ask if he was okay.”

  “Is he?” he asks, and I can tell he is worried for my dad. It’s sweet.

  “Yeah, he’s fine. Just dramatic. I could kill Owen.”

  He chuckles. “I don’t have brothers, but I have teammates, so I feel you.”

  I laugh along with him as we make our way down the housewares aisles. I need to look for things for my kitchen, but I’d rather stare at Boon. He looks so damn good. He’s wearing the hoodie he made me give him back with some fitted jeans. His ball cap is low on his head since he doesn’t want to be noticed. It’s good, too, since I don’t want anyone taking our picture and putting it on social media. I made him meet me at the Target that is almost an hour away just so we wouldn’t run into anyone. As he sips on his slushy, lifting up a cookie jar shaped like a dog, I can’t help but grin.

  He’s so adorable.

  Without looking at me, he asks, “So, you don’t think we should tell them?”

  I get off the cart and walk up beside him, leaning into his side. “I don’t. Do you?”

  He shrugs, putting the co