Trying to Score (Assassins) Read online

  He didn’t need Fallon.

  So why?

  Fallon was going to drive herself insane trying to figure Lucas Brooks out, so she took a deep breath in and decided to go to bed. When she stood up, Aiden sat up quickly, looking around the room.

  “Dad?”

  Fallon’s heart stopped at the sound of the three letter word. Aiden’s eyes were wide as he started to search the bed for the iPad. Aiden had called Lucas dad, and he wasn’t there to hear it. That was just great. As if she didn’t already feel horrible about everything else, now she had that on her conscience?!

  Just freaking great.

  “Honey,” Fallon said, causing Aiden to let out a little scream before looking up at her.

  “Mommy, you scared me!” Aiden said. He then climbed out of bed and came to her, climbing into her lap. “Where’s my iPad? I didn’t get to say bye to my dad.”

  His dad.

  “Oh, well,” Fallon said, trying to get herself together. She was falling apart inside and really didn’t know what to do to make it better. She knew that this would happen, so why couldn’t she breathe? While Fallon sputtered, Aiden picked up his iPad, and after tapping a few times, Lucas was back on the screen, grinning.

  “Haha, I knew-Aiden. Hey, bud. I thought you were sleeping?”

  Lucas’ eyes cut to Fallon’s but she looked away as Aiden said, “I didn’t tell you bye, and good luck on tomorrow’s game.”

  Fallon leaned her head against Aiden’s, taking in his fresh smell as Lucas said, “Thanks bud. We’ll win just because you wished me luck.”

  “Good! I miss you.”

  Fallon eye’s cut to the screen to see Lucas staring back at them with genuine love in his eyes. “I miss you more, Aiden.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  “Bye, bud.”

  Aiden waved and Lucas did the same before the screen went black. Aiden leaned his head against Fallon’s as the iPad dropped into his lap. “I’m ready for him to come home.”

  “I know, Punkin’. Only two more days, okay?”

  “The day of my party, huh?”

  Fallon giggled as she picked Aiden up, laying the iPad down before carrying him to his bed. “Yup. It’s gonna be the best day ever, huh?”

  “Yup! Cause not only will my dad be there, but my new grandma will, too,” Aiden gushed as Fallon tucked him in.

  Fallon mentally told her heart not to be offended by the fact that Aiden only cared about Lucas and Molly right now. Lucas had told her before that it was because they were new, but it didn’t help the jealously. Molly was an amazing person, and Aiden was bound to love her, so where would that leave Nora? Would Nora still mean as much when Molly came along? Aiden used to think Nora was the best Grammie ever, would he still think that? Then again, Fallon had two sets of grandparents and loved the both deeply, so really her fears were pointless.

  “Is my new grandma nice?”

  Fallon smiled as she sat next to Aiden in the bed, nodding her head. Even though Fallon was jealous as hell, she would never bad-mouth Molly. “She’s amazing. You’ll love her.”

  “Just like I love Grammie, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Is she like Grammie?”

  “Um, yeah. I loved her a lot when me and Lucas dated.”

  Aiden nodded his head. “Awesome. I’m so excited for my birthday.”

  “Good, I’ll see you in the morning alright?”

  “Okay. I love you, Mommy.”

  Fallon smiled down at Aiden before lightly kissing his nose. “And I love you, Punkin’. Good night.”

  “Night.”

  Fallon got up and headed towards the door. When she glanced back at Aiden, his eyes were closed and his breathing was almost even. She smiled as she lightly closed the door and started for the stairs. She was almost to the bottom when the door opened and Audrey came in with some mail in her hand.

  “You didn’t check the mail today?” Audrey asked, holding up a stack of letters.

  “Obviously not, or the mail man decided to run really late.”

  Audrey glared playfully at Fallon before handing her the letters. “You have mail.”

  “Thanks,” Fallon giggled as she followed behind Audrey to the kitchen. “I thought you were going out.”

  “Plans changed.”

  “Oh, okay,” Fallon said. She stopped when she came to a letter from Richard Price, Lucas’ lawyer. She dropped the other letters before proceeding to open it.

  “What’s that?” Audrey asked when she turned.

  “A letter from Lucas’ lawyer,” was all Fallon got out as her eyes focused on the letter from Mr. Price.

  Dear Ms. Fallon Parker,

  Enclosed is the back support for one said child, Aiden James Brooks. Regular payments of $145,833.33 will be mailed on the 15th of every month. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at my office. The number is included at the end of this letter.

  Have a nice day,

  Richard Price

  “Oh, my God,” Fallon whispered as she reread the letter again.

  “What?” Audrey asked, coming around the table to where Fallon stood.

  “Oh, my God,” Fallon said once more. She moved the letter out of the way to see a check that had a whole bunch of numbers on it. “Oh. My. God!”

  “Holy shit! You’re a millionaire!”

  $10,500,003.46

  Fallon’ eyes cut to the amount, then to her name, before going back to the amount.

  $10,500,003.46!

  Holy shit!

  “Oh my stars. I need water.” Fallon dropped the check onto the table and went to the sink for a glass of water.

  “Fallon, we could move! Or better yet, you could open your cellar! This could be capital since Dad won’t fund it! You could do it on your own! This is great! Or! You could do both! This is amazing, such a blessing!” Audrey said from behind her.

  Fallon took in long shuttering breaths, trying to settle herself, but it wasn’t working. No wonder Levi was pissed — that was a whole bunch of money. Fallon knew it didn’t put a dent in Lucas’ finances but still, that was a big chunk of change and Audrey was right. They could move, she could open the cellar — the possibilities were endless.

  “Why aren’t you talking? This is great, don’t you think?”

  Fallon shook her head. Even though the possibilities were endless, she wouldn’t give Lucas or Levi the satisfaction of cashing that check. “I can’t cash it, AA.”

  When Audrey didn’t say anything, Fallon turned to see her sister looking at her like she had grown 10 heads. “I have went seven years without his help, and I refuse to have it now. He shouldn’t have to pay for a child he didn’t know about.”

  “But Fallon…”

  “No. I will not use that money. I’ll talk to Lucas about it this weekend, and give it back to him. He can put it in a college fund for Aiden or whatever. The monthly payments are high and I will talk to him about that, too.”

  “Fallon, you need this money.”

  “No I don’t. As long as I have you, and Aiden, and my pride, I don’t need anything, especially from Lucas Brooks. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.”

  Fallon passed by a stunned Audrey and basically ran up the stairs before Audrey could see the tears that welled up in her eyes. Audrey was right, Fallon did need the money but she couldn’t do it. Cashing that check would basically be telling Lucas that she needed him, and by God, she didn’t need anyone. She had Aiden and Audrey, and she didn’t need anyone else.

  Especially Lucas Brooks.

  A couple of days later when Fallon glanced out at the party she had put together for Aiden, she was regretting not cashing that check. Of course, she went all out. The kids that joined Aiden for his party were basically transformed into the famous little kid hero from the popular kids’ show. As they ran around Centennial Park shooting green arrows at each other, Fallon stood with Elli and her best friend, Harper. Fallon had known Harper as long as she had know