In the Crease (Assassins Book 11) Read online

  Biting the inside of her cheek, she shrugged because she didn’t want to accept what Vaughn was implying. That was crazy. They were friends. Close friends. Sure, she thought Jensen was hot, but she didn’t love the guy like that. She didn’t love anyone. Well, that was a lie, but the last time she fell for some douche, he knocked her up and ran, so yeah, she wasn’t stupid. Was she?

  Man, maybe she was in need of therapy.

  Pinching the bridge of her nose once more, she muttered, “That he’s a nice guy?”

  “Yeah, go with that.”

  “Jo!”

  “Wren!”

  “I don’t know what to do, and I…I’m… Fuck, I’m freaking out.”

  “Well,” he said, clearing his throat, and she wanted to wring his neck. He was always so blasé about everything except when it had to do with him. “You know, Emma, Jensen’s mom—”

  “I know who that is.”

  “Just saying. But she always told me to listen to my heart. So maybe try that.”

  “Has that ever worked for you?”

  “Well, my heart didn’t start talking until Brie came along, so I guess it does.”

  If she weren’t so annoyed and didn’t want to kill Vaughn, she would have swooned. Instead, though, she grumbled, “Fine. I’ll try that.”

  “Good luck finding it in that black mass of a soul of yours.”

  “I hate you, Vaughn Johansson. So damn much.”

  “Love you too, sugar!”

  Hanging up the phone, she threw it down before shaking her head and letting it fall to her desk. It landed with a loud thunk that echoed through her office. She couldn’t breathe since her kid was crushing her lungs, but she really didn’t care. Staring at her belly, she slowly shook her head.

  “Well, kiddo, Mommy is in a pickle.”

  Unfortunately, her stomach didn’t talk back with wise, amazing advice.

  “I’d be stupid not to do it. But I’m scared. I don’t want either of us to get hurt, and if I can’t get over my own issues, I’ll do exactly that. But he’ll act like it’s no big deal. He’ll treat me the way he does now, and he’d love you. He’d love you so much. I’ve seen him with kids. I’ve seen the way his eyes light up and how he basically falls to the ground to play with them. He’s always wanted a big family because his was so small.” Moving her hands along her stomach, she sat up, leaning back in the chair as tears started to fall down her face. She had no clue what to do, yet a grin came over her face as her hands moved up and down her belly. “He’s a good man, kiddo. Good heart, a beautiful, amazing family, and I’ve known him my whole life. So there really isn’t a question, is there? I should say yes. Right?”

  Still nothing. But then, she knew she was on her own. Though, if she did this, she wouldn’t be on her own any longer. Jensen would stand beside her. Which was weird but kind of nice too. But still, weird. Plus, the whole making love thing was still freaking her out. She was a thick girl, but now, now she was really a little fat, and she wasn’t sure how he would feel about that. What if he didn’t like her body? What if he decided he couldn’t do this? What if…

  Stop, Wren.

  It’s Jensen.

  Even so, she had no clue what the fuck she was going to do.

  Man, she really needed her mommy.

  Tapping a pen to her lips, Wren stared at her computer screen where she’d typed the pros and cons of Jensen’s proposal. She always did this. With everything. It was how she chose her college, how she chose her first car, and also how she decided to move to Nashville for the Assassins job. Even when she found out that Bradley wasn’t going to be there for her, she wrote out a list of pros and cons for keeping the baby. The list was way con heavy, but the pro outweighed it all.

  She loved it.

  The baby.

  Unlike her last list, though, she was finding out that this one was pro heavy. Which she didn’t like very much because she was doing everything to talk herself out of saying yes to Jensen. Which was why she had rewritten it over nine times. But no matter how many times she did that, it always came out in Jensen’s favor. Yet something was holding her back.

  Vaughn’s words were playing with her head too. She stayed up all night thinking about how he’d insinuated Jensen had feelings for her. She played with the idea, even giggled like an idiot, but it all just seemed so unreal. Jensen obviously wanted to do this because he cared about her and wanted to help. He didn’t have an ulterior motive. It was Jensen. What you saw was what you got.

  Right?

  When a thought came into her head, she took the pen between her lips and typed it quickly beneath the con list.

  Con

  I don’t want to be married.

  Someone, probably Jensen, would get hurt.

  Or me. I could get hurt.

  I could fall in love with him, and he would leave me.

  That last one stung a bit, probably because it was what most likely would happen. Why was this so hard? Just say yes! No! Say no! Just kiss him and see what happens. That was an idea. Couldn’t be married to someone she couldn’t kiss.

  Right?

  Glancing back to the con list, she started to type.

  Not sure how he kisses now. It has been a good many years.

  Nodding her head, she looked to the pro list, and her heart sped up.

  Pro

  He would love the kiddo.

  He would be a great dad.

  He’s probably good in bed.

  He’s loyal.

  He’s nice.

  He’s not a douche fucker like that asshole.

  Bradley. As much as she didn’t want to think of him, she found herself doing just that. Ever since Jensen had come into her office only two days ago, her mind kept sneaking back to Bradley. Why? She wasn’t really sure, except for the fact that when she went home with Jensen for the wedding, she’d probably see Bradley. She wasn’t sure how he’d take seeing her with Jensen. Would he out them? Would he care? She wasn’t sure, and if she was going to do this, nothing could expose them. She’d want it to go smoothly for Jensen. For her too. Obviously.

  It worried her. To the point that she had dialed Bradley’s number numerous times just to see what he would do. What he’d think. Why she cared was a legit concern, but at the moment, she wasn’t thinking about that. He shouldn’t matter, but she couldn’t shake that he would somehow get in the way. She couldn’t have that. Going into this with Jensen, she would have her own insecurities and self-destructive ways to do them in. She didn’t need the worrisome specter of Bradley to add in there. He had made it clear, through many texts, he wanted nothing to do with her—or her child.

  Swallowing hard, she glanced at the clock on her laptop to see that she still had plenty of time before Tate Odder came in. Before she could chicken out, she reached for her office phone and dialed Bradley. She hadn’t spoken to him on the phone in six months. She wasn’t sure how this was going to go, but she had to make sure he was completely out of the picture. His secretary answered on the third ring.

  “Bradley Washington’s office, this is Brenda. How may I help you?”

  “Yes, Brenda. It’s Wren. Can you put me through, please?”

  “Oh, Wren! How are you? I haven’t heard from you in ages.”

  Letting out a small laugh that had no laughter in it whatsoever, Wren nodded. “Yeah, been superbusy, and I wish I had time to catch up, but I’m on a time crunch and have a quick question for Bradley.”

  “Sure, hun. One second.”

  Wren bit her lip as she waited, and then his voice filled the line. “Wren, why are you calling me?”

  She was a little taken aback. “Well, hello to you too.”

  “I told you not to call me, not to reach out. I’m a married man now. I love my wife.”

  “Good for you, but I feel like we need to talk—”

  “Unless you’re calling to tell me you had an abortion, there is nothing to talk about. I told you, I can’t do this. I’m not sure what you want, but yo