Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(82)

“He didn’t know about you, Bryan. Eleanor didn’t tell him.”

Bryan shook his head, “That girl.” Shea sat up straighter, looking Bryan in the eyes.

“If I would have known about you, Bryan, I would have come to you. Yeah, my track record with women isn’t the best, but I have always been honest and straight forward with you on anything you ask me.”

“You have, that’s why when I came in and saw your damn mug I was pissed as hell. I just don’t understand how Elli even met you. I am pretty good at keeping her away-” It was like a light bulb went off in his head and then he smiled, “The team shoot.”

“I saw her and I can honestly say that I couldn’t breathe,” Shea said, laying his heart out for the two men to see, “I am in love with her, no, I haven’t told her but I will tell you two. You guys have nothing to worry about. I don’t want to hurt her.”

Both men thought it over as Shea looked at the bathroom. Where the hell was Elli?

“You might not want to hurt her, Shea, and I believe you on that son, but that girl is emotional and insecure as hell. She’s got some issues and I want nothing more than for my baby to be happy, but I’m just worried,” Michael said, shaking his head. “Her mother and siblings have messed her up bad, and that son of a bitch Justin didn’t help, either.”

“I’m not going to hurt her,” Shea said as he looked Michael in the eye, “I can’t, because if she left me, I don’t know what I would do.”

Michael and Bryan laughed, as they both leaned back in the chairs, going on two of the legs. It was so country in the classy place that Shea was worried they might get kicked out.

“Damn, he’s got it bad,” Michael muttered. Bryan smiled over at Michael, smacking his arm.

“Can you blame him? It's our Eleanor, she’s captivating.”

Captivating, what a great way to describe her.





“Harper! I have to go, Shea is out with my daddy and Papa. I gotta go!” Elli yelled as she washed her hands, Harper had called while she was using the bathroom.

“Tell me what happened!”

“My family did what they always do, and then Shea yelled at me all the way home for keeping things from him-”

“I thought you told him about everything!”

“No, I didn’t tell him shit!”

“Then all that you brought on yourself.”

“I know!”

“Okay, so keep on.”

God, she drove Elli crazy. “Then he dropped me off and drove off, basically breaking up with me-”

“Oh no!”

“I’m with him now, Harper. I mean you know it works out.”

“I know, but still, your heart must have hurt when he left.”

The tears came hot and fast to her eyes, but thankfully didn’t fall, “It did, but it was my fault. He came back about half an hour later. I showed him the house, he didn’t think I was a crazy stalker fan and then…we had crazy monkey sex all night!”

“SAY WHAT!?”

“Yes! Now I must go! He’s out there with my Papa, Harp, Papa.”

“Ahh, you better call with details later!”

“I will, bye.” Elli hung her phone up and headed out towards the table. Things were going well, nothing too bad. Except for her Papa showing up, that was unexpected and totally her daddy’s fault, but Shea was handling it well. Elli headed to the table just as everyone started standing; they all turned when she reached the table. Shea reached for her jacket, holding it out for her.

“We’re leaving?”

“Yes, Ellibug, we have meetings this afternoon. Shea said something about a dinner with his sister.”

“Yeah,” Elli nodded before wrapping her arms around her daddy’s waist. “Thanks for brunch.”

“Oh, baby, anything for you,” he whispered, kissing her cheek. She released him, hugging her Papa hard.

“Wanna go to one of the away games with me darlin’? Maybe the one in Florida, spend some time on the beach?”

“Sure, let me know the date and I’ll work something out if I have an event.”

“Which you will, like always,” Bryan said with a grin as he kissed her cheek, “I don’t think I scared him too bad,” he whispered in her ear as he hugged her tightly.

“Hopefully not,” she said as he shook hands with Shea. They all walked out together and waited for their cars from valet in silence. Elli shivered since it was started to get crazy cold. Gotta love Tennessee weather; last week it was 80 and this week it is 60. Shea wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her close to him. She smiled at the feel of his hard body against her soft one. When she saw her daddy and Papa watching them, she became nervous but hell they might want to get used to it, Shea wasn’t going anywhere, she hoped.

After leaving the club, they drove back to Elli’s house, were they gathered up her bag and Adler, before jumping in separate cars and driving back to Nashville. Shea had complained about her driving, but when he left, how was she supposed to get home? She wanted to see him off at the airport and she needed a car to get home. He agreed but was not happy about it.

When they got to his condo, she put her things in his room, as he stayed in the kitchen setting up Adler’s bowls. It was so cute how much he cared for Adler. He was just as excited about having Adler at the house as Adler probably was about a sleep over somewhere else.