In the Crease (Assassins Book 11) Read online

  “Good talk,” he said, and they shared a long look full of nothing but love and heat.

  But that was interrupted when Wells clapped his hands together. “So, I’m flying out to New York to meet Matty’s parents tomorrow.”

  “Awesome, do they know?” Vaughn asked.

  “That I’m coming? They have no clue.”

  Jensen laughed as Wren shook her head. “So it’ll be a surprise?”

  “One of many thus far,” he joked, shaking his head. During a trip they all took that summer, some shit had gone down. But none of them really talked about it since they all knew how upset Matty had gotten, which, in turn, upset Wells. “They probably hate me.”

  “Probably,” Winston joked before wrapping his arm around Wells as they laughed together. “But once they meet you, they’ll love you.” Watching as they shared a moment, Jensen found himself grinning. Things were still a little weird between them, but he felt good about it. They might get back what they had so long ago.

  The kind of friendship he prayed he had with Gunner.

  Later that night, after everyone was gone, it was just Jensen and Wren. He lay in bed with her, Gunner on her lap as he held her close, dusting kisses along her temple.

  “I can’t believe your mom called him a little cabbage. So what, we’re the big cabbages?”

  Jensen laughed against her temple, his eyes drifting shut. “I guess.”

  “She said he looks nothing like you and says we need another.”

  He smiled. “Guess we need to start working on that, eh?”

  She scoffed. “Um, no. I just pushed something the size of a Zamboni out of my coot. You’re going to have to give me time to forget that.”

  “You can forget something like that?”

  “From what Elli said, yes.”

  “So, there is hope?”

  She giggled, leaning into him as she slid her hand into his. “Maybe.”

  “I won’t hold my breath or forget the image of your vagina roughly the size of my head.”

  She grimaced. “Don’t remind me.”

  “At least you didn’t see it.”

  “Thank God. Can you believe they asked if I wanted the mirror? Like, hell no, I don’t want to see that! Just give me my kid.”

  “Some of us weren’t that lucky.”

  Wren laughed out loud as she kissed his shoulder. “You were amazing. I’m sorry I ruined your award.”

  He grinned as he ran his finger along the back of Gunner’s arm. “This is the prize I ultimately wanted.”

  She leaned her chin into his shoulder as he kissed her nose, feeling the love between them all over his body. Smiling, she said, “Your dad looked so proud.”

  “He did, and thank God he’s walking some.”

  “Right? I was so happy to see him coming toward the phone.”

  “It was awesome.”

  She nodded, exhaling as she traced Gunner’s lips. “I’m exhausted.”

  “Me too,” he muttered into her ear. “Are we giving him to the nurses?”

  “No.”

  He scoffed, shaking his head. “We’re supposed to.”

  “I don’t care,” she announced, looking up at him. “He’s ours.”

  “He is,” he agreed, meeting her in the middle for a kiss.

  She looked down at Gunner, running her thumb along the back of his sweet, soft hand. “Did this really happen?”

  He smiled as he nodded. “It did.”

  “Who would have thunk it?”

  “I almost dreamed it.” Her lips curved as he kissed her temple. “But even dreaming could never come close to this moment.”

  “I love you, Jensen.”

  His heart exploded. “I love you.”

  Silence fell between them as they gazed down at their beautiful child.

  “Hey, Wren?” he asked in a whisper.

  “Yeah,” she whispered back, tracing Gunner’s cheeks with her finger. The baby was wide awake but drunk from all the milk he had consumed. For being almost a month early, the kid was healthy as a horse and eating as much as one too. He took after his mother in more ways than one.

  “Are you happy?”

  She looked up at him, and her eyes sparkled as she nodded. “Never in my life did I think I could be this happy.” Leaning her nose to his, she smiled. “You?”

  As his heart filled with such love and passion for the one who gazed up at him, completely exhausted and looking a hot mess, he nodded, feeling nothing but completion when he stared into her green depths. “I don’t want what I’m feeling to ever change.”

  “It will.” She gave him a wicked smile. “I’ll piss you off and drive you completely crazy.”

  He laughed, nodding his head. “And I’ll still love you.”

  She pressed her forehead into his chin, and his eyes drifted shut.

  Jensen Monroe finally had it all.

  Keep reading on for a snippet of Wells and Matty’s story!

  Chapter One

  Wells Lemiere wasn’t sure what he was doing.

  Standing in front of a fucking estate in Princeton, New Jersey, he could feel his stomach turned with nervousness as the brisk air burned his face. With his beanie and hoodie, he would have thought he would be fine, especially after growing up in Colorado and all. But nope, he was still freezing. He wasn’t sure what it was about New Jersey, but he didn’t like it much. Or maybe his dislike for the fine state had to do with so much more.

  Like Matty.

  Matty Haverbrooke.

  Looking up at the beautiful home, with the manicured lawn and perfectly trimmed hedges and the kind of windows that let all the light in, he knew that Matty was somewhere inside. Probably sitting around the table with his family, eating and enjoying their company. The same family that didn’t know one of its sons was gay.

  And very much in love with Wells.

  Or so he hoped.

  Swallowing hard, Wells made himself move toward the house. He wasn’t sure if this was the smartest thing to do. But they had been together for so long, over a year, they were in love, and damn it, Wells wanted more. He wanted the Christmas with the parents, the vacations together where pictures could be taken, and fucking hell, a life together. With the whole world knowing. Yeah, his friends knew and his sister, but his parents hadn’t met Matty—for the simple reason Wells didn’t think it was right for them to know him when Matty’s parents wouldn’t ever know Wells. Since Wells loved him, he’d gone with it, but he couldn’t anymore. He needed all of Matty. He deserved that.

  Taking the steps two at a time, he reached for the door knocker, seeing Matty’s family name gracing the front door.

  Haverbrooke.

  Such a wealthy and distinguished name. It was the name that belonged to the commissioner of the NHL. The name that belonged to three fantastic players in the NHL and even a songwriter who lived in Florida. Everyone knew the Haverbrookes.

  And Wells was in love with one of them.

  Swallowing back the bile that wanted to escape, Wells knocked twice as his heart jumped up into his throat. He wasn’t sure who would answer, and if it was Matty’s parents, should he introduce himself as Matty’s boyfriend? Wouldn’t that freak Matty out more? It wasn’t his place to out his boyfriend, but then, if he didn’t, would Matty ever? Yes, yes he would. He just needed a little push, that was all. Wells thought the fight they had at the beginning of the week when Matty left for New Jersey would have been the push, but in true Matty fashion, he’d shut down and hadn’t spoken to Wells. He figured that meant that Matty hadn’t told his family, so there he was.

  Ready to fight for his forever.

  Thankfully, he didn’t have to worry about what to say because when the door opened, Matty looked down at him, his brows jumping up to his hairline. He was wearing an awfully ugly green sweater, yet he was still so gorgeous. Thick jaw, beautifully shaped nose—obviously, he had never played without a cage on his hockey helmet—and his eyes, they were just soul-crushing. Such an interest