Dump and Chase: Nashville Assassins: Next Generation Read online

  “We text, but nothing worth talking about.”

  “He told Chandler he’s gonna get you back.”

  I laugh. “We were never together. Just banging.”

  She rolls her eyes. “He’s a sweet dude.”

  “He is—for someone else. Not me,” I say, but then there is a knock at my door. “Hey, my dad is here. I’ll call you later.”

  “Okay! Love you.”

  “Love you! And my baby!”

  She grins as she waves, and I wave back while I get up off the bed. I hang up as I jog toward the door, excitement rushing through me. Time to ignore what I’ve done and get the hell out of New York. When I throw the door open, my dad is standing as tall as ever in front of me.

  Shea Adler is my hero.

  At 6’3”, my dad is a brick wall. The years have been good to him, with only a few wrinkles here and there. A nice dusting of gray is in his hair and sprinkled throughout his beard. But his blue eyes are as bright as ever, and his grin takes up his whole face. He reaches for me, and I go to him without any thought. As we hug, tears fill my eyes. I just saw him at Christmas, but I miss him the most. When I’m with him, I feel like I can do anything.

  “Hey, baby girl,” he says, putting me back on my feet. I’m so excited to see my dad, I don’t even notice my brothers standing behind him.

  “Oh! Hey!” I exclaim as I hug each of them. My twin brothers, Owen and Evan, are spitting images of my dad. Built big, with dark black hair, bright blue eyes, and ready to smash anyone into the boards. They are identical twins, so sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart. But Evan does have a scar beneath his eye from where Owen hit him with the blade of his stick. I’ve never been so thankful for my brother getting hurt since it makes it easier for me to figure out who’s who. They’re defensemen for their high school and play on the same line. It’s kinda scary to see them on the ice together. I wouldn’t want to play them. Quinn, the baby of the family, looks just like my mom. He’s small, a little thick, with green eyes and dark hair. He doesn’t give two shits about hockey, but he loves soccer. Dad says it’s okay as long as he plays something; he has entirely too much energy not to.

  “Hey,” Quinn says, hugging me tightly. “Ready to go home?”

  “I am.”

  Owen hooks his thumb behind them, where another ginormous guy stands. I’ve never seen him before. I raise a brow as he says, “This is Maxim. He’s our billet boy. He’s sleeping in your room.”

  I look up at my dad, but he holds up his hands. “We’ll take care of it at home.”

  Maxim gives me a shy grin, and I wave. “Hey, I’m Shelli.”

  “Maxim,” he says with a very thick accent. “Nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” I say, even though I forgot he existed. He went home for the holidays, so I didn’t meet him, and he plays for the Bellevue Bullies. He will move out of my room once I get there, though.

  My dad slaps his hands together. “Ready to blow this shithole?”

  I laugh as I tuck my phone into my back pocket. “You love New York.”

  He shrugs. “It’s all right, but I don’t want my baby here. I want her home.” He gives me a sweet grin as he looks around. “All right, boys. Let’s get to work.”

  At once, they all start to pack everything up. It doesn’t take long before I’m standing in a bare studio condo. We’re leaving my furniture in case one of us needs to use the place in the future. Dad bought me this place when I got the lead in my first play. Now, I’m leaving. I thought I’d be sadder, but I’m not. I’m ready to go.

  “So we’ll hit up the shipping spot and then go to lunch to kill time.”

  I turn back around from grabbing my purse. “Why are we killing time?”

  “Your mom is having lunch with the GM of the Rangers.”

  Just the mention of the New York Rangers puts me on edge. “What for?”

  “You didn’t hear?” Owen asks, a funny look on his face.

  “Mom made a blockbuster trade to get Aiden home,” Evan says, giving me the same look. Almost like they’re disappointed I didn’t know already.

  But what they don’t know is that the acid from my gut is currently eating away at my heart.

  “Aiden who?”

  Owen laughs. “Aiden Brooks, dude. Come on. You know who!”

  I was worried it was that Aiden.

  Shit.

  “Yeah, he’s actually moving back home today too,” Dad says. “I asked if he needed help, but he said he’s good.”

  “I can’t wait to see him on the ice!” Evan says, super pumped.

  “He’s gonna kick ass. It’s so awesome,” Owen agrees.

  Dad nods. “Yeah, he should help bring the Cup home.”

  Home.

  My home.

  Aiden is coming home to Tennessee.

  Well, isn’t that just peachy?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  AIDEN

  “WHAT DO YOU MEAN?”

  I’m standing by the gate I just walked out of. I should head to the front of the airport where my family is waiting, but when I turned my phone back on, there was a text from Chris.

  About Grace.

  “She doesn’t want to see you again. She’s pretty pissed at me, actually.”

  “Why?” I ask incredulously. “We had a great night.”

  “I may not have been up front with her on the conditions.”

  My blood runs cold. “What the fuck do you mean, Chris?”

  “No, dude, I promise. She won’t ever say anything. She’s solid, but she was pissed that I basically made her a call girl and didn’t tell you who she was.”

  “Oh, well, that was a dick move.”

  “Probably, but in my defense, it was getting her back for all the times she rejected me.”

  “And now you’re a double dick,” I say, and I’m not joking, though Chris laughs. “But nevertheless, she has to want to see me.”

  “Nope. She said she didn’t want anything to do with you. That if I gave you her name and number, she’d file a lawsuit against me. She’s kinda crazy, I’m finding out.”

  “Well, in her defense, you did actually try to turn her into a call girl and deliberately kept her identity from me,” I say simply. “I think that’s shitty, and she has every right to be upset.”

  “Well, fuck. I was just doing what you wanted.”

  “No, I want girls who know the score and want me anyway.”

  “She wanted you! She’s just pissed it didn’t play out like her little fantasy.”

  “Fantasy?” I ask, confused. “Dude, I don’t like this. Just give me her info so I can talk to her myself.”

  “Can’t. She kinda scared me and threatened to beat my ass, so I’m washing my hands of this.”

  “You’re kidding me.”

  “Nope. You’ve moved, so why does it matter?”

  “It matters ’cause I want to talk to her. Get to know her.”

  “Yeah, I can’t help you.”

  “Can you give me her last name? I’ll find her myself.”

  Chris lets out a long sigh, and I realize I’m getting nowhere. “Sorry, bro. Can’t help you.”

  When the line goes dead, I throw up my hands, a curse falling from my lips. When an older lady side-eyes me, I press my lips together. “Sorry. News I didn’t like.”

  I even shake my phone at her, but she raises her brows. “You’re entirely too handsome to be using that language, son.”

  I nod, a grin covering my face. “Yes, ma’am, you’re absolutely right. Can I help you with those bags?”

  “Well, my goodness, yes, please. It’s a long walk to baggage claim.”

  “I know, and for some reason, I always come in to the gate that’s the farthest.”

  She grins, her crinkled eyes making my heart swell. “It does always seem that way.”

  I reach for her suitcase, and she takes my arm. By the time we reach baggage claim, I learn she is here to see her granddaughter be born. She lives in Manhattan with h