Twenty-Two (Assassins Series Book 12) Read online

  “When do I get the truck?”

  “Tomorrow,” he said with a nod before reaching into the fridge.

  “Cool!”

  Looking over his shoulder, Lucas watched as Aiden went around the bar, wrapping his arms around Fallon, kissing her head. “You’re the best, Mom.”

  Fallon’s eyes drifted shut as she leaned into their son before patting his arm. “Eh, I’m okay.”

  He laughed. “The best. You both are. Thanks.”

  When Aiden rounded the corner and disappeared from view, Lucas leaned into the fridge, meeting Fallon’s tearful gaze. “You gonna make it?”

  She shook her head curtly. “Nope.”

  His lips curved. “Need a hug?”

  She nodded as she got up and came to him, melting into his arms as he held her tight, his body shaking with her sobs. “I don’t want him to leave us.”

  “Baby, it’s forty minutes down the interstate.”

  “But he won’t be here.”

  “I know, but he needs this. He’s going to do big things.”

  “Without me.”

  “I mean, I don’t know of many boys who take their moms to school with them, but Aiden might be the exception.”

  “I can’t believe it.”

  “I know.”

  “They’re all gonna leave us.”

  “Yup.”

  “What will we do?”

  “Have sex everywhere,” he decided with a grin. “Hell, we might make another.”

  Her eyes widened as she glared at him. “Never.”

  He chuckled. “I know.”

  “What if he doesn’t ever come back?”

  “Then we’ll find him and break his kneecaps.”

  She sputtered with laughter as she squeezed her husband. She leaned her chin to his chest as he grinned down at her, moving her hair out of her face. She looked a mess, her hair everywhere, a ratty tee on, but he would never think anything but how gorgeous she was. His everything. “Will you still love me and find me exciting when they’re all gone?”

  His grin grew. “Yes, of course.”

  “Okay.”

  “You know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because there is no one else. I want to get old and boring with no one but you.”

  Her lips curved as she puckered her lips for a kiss, which he obliged her with without hesitation. Pulling away, he kissed her wrist with its tattoo of “I love you” written in his handwriting as she whispered, “Totally devoted?”

  His heart soared for the woman she was today and for the woman he had fallen for so many years ago as he nodded. She was his heart, his soul, his everything. The words were easy to say, especially to someone he knew he would love for the rest of his days. Holding her face in his hands, he kissed her nose then the side of her mouth as he whispered, “Totally devoted and then some.”

  Her eyes glassed over as she nodded. “We’re going to be okay?”

  “We’re gonna be great. Don’t you worry. I’ll always be here. Always love you.”

  She smiled. “Right back atcha.”

  “Good. I’m lonely without you, and I’m afraid the kids will eat me.”

  She giggled. “I have the same fears.”

  Holding her close, he lifted her off the ground, kissing her chin. “We did good, Fallon Ryane Brooks.”

  She nodded. “We did, and we still have three more to get through. Our little circus of crazy monkeys.”

  His head fell back. “Why’d you remind me?”

  She laughed. That was, until they heard Stella scream, “Mommy! Daddy! Emery cut my hair!”

  When Fallon closed her eyes, Lucas looked over to see Stella holding a chunk of her hair while Emery shrugged her shoulders. “She needed a trim.”

  But his sweet girl’s version of a trim was almost balding her older sister. Fallon was going to lose her shit. Looking back to his wife, he saw her eyes were still squeezed tight. “Is it bad?” she asked tentatively.

  “No, not at all.” He grimaced, and when she opened her eyes and looked past him, she cried out.

  “She basically scalped her!”

  “Eh, might want to call and make an appointment to fix it before her party.”

  Fallon groaned loudly as she wiggled out of his arms. “Emery Elaine!”

  Leaning into the fridge, Lucas shook his head as Fallon went back to her role of ringleader, along with that of being the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.

  His heart.

  3

  Stella Ann

  “Happy birthday, dear Stella, happy birthday to you!”

  To say that God and everyone was in the Brookses’ backyard would be an understatement.

  All of Lucas and Fallon’s friends were there with their abundance of kids. Stella stood on a chair, her little face full of excitement as the big 8 on the top of her cake burned brightly before she blew with all her might. Looking past her sweet daughter to her husband, Fallon swore she fell in love with Lucas Brooks all over again. His face was full of glee, and nothing could ever touch how much he loved his babies.

  Gathering Stella in his arms, he kissed her hard on the cheek before Fallon did the same, the applause and Stella’s laughter rattling Fallon’s soul. Her little girl was getting so big, and as Fallon looked out, seeing Asher and Aiden, with Emery on his shoulders, her heart ached. All her babies were getting bigger. Older. Soon they’d be gone. Hell, Aiden had one foot out the damn door. But she’d always have Lucas.

  Always.

  “Cake for everyone!” Stella declared, but then she glared at her sister. “Except you.”

  “Stella,” Fallon warned through a grin, and the birthday girl started to pout, but only for a moment before Lucas picked her up, kissing her cheeks to distract her. Thankfully.

  “Need some help?”

  Fallon looked up to see her close friend Elli Adler holding out plates. “Please let me help. My kids are crazy.”

  Fallon laughed as she looked out to where the Adler boys were jumping all over the younger Assassins players. “Yes, please.”

  “That was a mighty big bow on Stella’s head.”

  They shared a knowing look, both holding in their laughter. “Had to cover the bald spot on the side of her head. I swear, Emery is out to kill me.”

  Laughing, Elli asked, “Why in the world…?”

  “She said she didn’t like Stella’s hair, and she needed good hair for today.”

  “That girl…”

  “…is going to kill me!”

  Laughing, they cut up the cake, leaving the plates on the table for everyone to come and get when they wanted. The backyard was so packed and full, Fallon wasn’t even sure who was there and if this party was really for Stella or just a kegger for the guys to celebrate winning round one. Hockey talk was the main focus. But with most of the team there, what did she expect?

  “Aiden’s getting looked at by Bellevue,” Fallon said, handing a plate to Elli.

  She nodded. “I know.”

  Fallon’s brows drew in. “How do you know?”

  “Shea called the coach over there and talked to him.”

  Fallon grinned. “He did?”

  “Yeah, Aiden had said something about it a couple months back, and Shea said he owed him for all the babysitting through the years.”

  “Wow, thanks.”

  “Hopefully it works out.”

  “Yeah,” Fallon agreed, though secretly, she held out a selfish hope he would just stay home and never leave.

  “You don’t want him to leave? Hey, look at it this way. At least he’s only a few minutes away, instead of states over.”

  Fallon nodded. “This is very true.”

  “Yup, could be like my child who wants to move to New York the moment she turns eighteen to follow her dreams of singing,” Elli said, rolling her eyes. “We live in Nashville, Tennessee. She can’t follow her dreams here?”

  Fallon laughed. “Hey, big dreams for a ten-year-old.”