Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(174)
“Lot of good that did me, seeing you with your new girlfriend and all.”
Some people around her gasp, while others said ‘oooo’, God, how Shea wished they could be doing this somewhere private.
“She isn’t my girlfriend, her name is Alexi Lynn, Damon asked her to go with me since I didn’t want to go alone.”
Elli rolled her eyes, “Whatever.”
“No, not whatever. I can’t be with anyone else, I’ve tried, I won’t lie to you, you know that, but I have tried to be with other women, and I can’t.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better Shea? Knowing that you have been with other women?”
“I said I haven’t! And you’re with some dude right now!”
“He’s my assistant you idiot! Come on! Unlike some people I don’t even have the desire to be with anyone else!”
“I was trying to get over you! And it didn’t work. I was meant to walk on this earth with only you, I was meant to give only you every piece of me. I don’t want anyone but you. I love you. I had this whole speech baby, I did, but just looking into them beautiful green eyes that make me think of when we laid in the fresh green grass for lunch so long ago, I can’t think of anything but the fact that I love you.”
Elli shook her head, looking down at the floor before looking up at him, “Shea, I used to believe them things, because I had felt the same way you do, but you made a fool of me. When I saw you with Victoria, it felt like a knife going into my heart, you knew I’m self conscious and seeing you kiss her, my sister, my extremely beautiful skinny sister! How am I supposed to move on from that?”
“I didn’t kiss her! She kissed me, I don’t want her. I want you.” Elli rolled her eyes, looking towards the ice as he went on, “You know what, for five years you were with a ball-less son of a bitch that was terrible to you, and you believe every single wrong thing he put in that pretty little head of yours, then you go six years believing them things, not trusting anyone and then I come along. I have done nothing but love you to the fullest of my abilities. I have never cheated on you, I have never lied to you, I have been completely and utterly devoted to you and only you.” Elli looked over to him, looking deep in his eyes as he went on, “But you can’t believe me when I say that your sister set me up. That I didn’t want her then, and I don’t want her now. I want you, and only you. I don’t know how many times I gotta tell you, but baby believe me. Please.”
Elli’s eyes filled with tears as she looked down at him, he closed his eyes, willing his self not to fall to his knees and beg, because the way she was looking at him, it wasn’t looking as if it was going to go the way Shea wanted it too. Which would be Elli leaping into his arms and them skating off the ice wrapped in each other arms.
“I saw you,” Elli said so quietly Shea almost missed it.
“She set me up, baby, I promise you. Ask anyone, I love you.”
Elli blinked once, causing a large tear to run over her cheek. He begged her with his eyes for her to come to him, he just needed her lips to touch his, she would know then, she had too.
“If you don’t want him honey, I’ll take him,” someone said, but Elli and Shea didn’t look anywhere but at each other. When she took a step forward, his heart jump into his throat, she believed him!
But when she turned abruptly and took off up the stairs, he felt like Grace had kicked him all over again.
People were yelling at Elli to go back as she ran up the stairs into the lobby of the arena. Running in three inch heels was a feat, but Elli was bound and determined as she ran towards Papa’s box. Of course, she had forgotten her purse, but luckily the security guard that was guarding the floor of Papa’s box was the same guy she had brought some brownies to the week before.
When Elli entered the box, her whole family looked towards her from where they all were basically leaning out the box, probably trying to see what was going on down on the ice.
“Eleanor, what in God’s name was Adler doing?” Papa asked as he came towards her.
“Darlin’, are you okay?” Michael asked, following behind Bryan.
“Crazy fool of a man, could have killed my baby girl.” Olivia said, as everyone came towards Elli, but she didn’t want anything to do with any of them.
When her eyes fell on Victoria, who was sitting at the bar picking at the hot dog that was in front of her, rage filled Elli from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Victoria looked up and her eyes went wide. It was the first time in months they had seen each other, and all the hurt and pain from the last two months came full force at Elli, and she was ready for the much needed confrontation that was about to happen between the two sisters. Every step Elli took, Victoria’s eyes got wider as she moved out the chair, going behind it.
When Elli reach her, she pushed the bar stool away, going toe to toe with Victoria. Since Elli was wearing her boots she was as tall as Victoria, and as she looked into the eyes of the person she grew up with, loved even when she was terrible to her, she felt nothing but repulsion.
“Did you kiss Shea?”
Victoria didn’t say anything, as she tried to look everywhere but at Elli, “Answer me!”
“Eleanor, that’s enough,” Olivia said.
“I, um, I,” Victoria started, “I never meant to hurt you,” she finally got out, and Elli couldn’t control herself. She had always dreamed of hitting Victoria, and the feeling of her hand connecting to Victoria’s face was so damn fulfilling that Elli wanted to do it again.