Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(91)

“You suck, I swore you were gonna crack,” Elli complained, smacking her arm as everyone giggle.

“Let's get started!” Reese said with a clap of her hands, and that was just the beginning of a crazy day.





Shea skated around the practice rink in Los Angeles twenty nine times before stopping for a drink. He found that if he works his self to the point of exhaustion, he was able to sleep better. Ever since he left Elli five days ago, he couldn’t fall asleep because he was thinking about her nonstop. Shea didn’t know he could miss someone so much, even with being away from his parents, sister, and the kids, he never missed them the way he missed Elli.

It was crazy, really, Shea hated not being around her, not being able to feel her body against his, hold her soft small hands, kiss her beautiful, naughty mouth, kiss that sweet neck of hers, shit just be with her! At night he would toss and turn wondering who she was with or if some guy had talk or flirted with her that day. He knew he was crazy for thinking those things, but it still messed with his head. He was so worried that while he was gone she would find someone else that he would drive himself mad, texting and calling just to see what she was doing and who she was with. He hated that he was doing it, but he couldn’t help it.

Shea had called Grace about it the day before, and she just told him that it happens, that when you love someone that sometimes your mind can mess with you, even when you know in your heart that person will be waiting for you. He knew Elli wasn’t the type to cheat or be deceiving but for some reason he just kept thinking that some hot successful business man, that didn’t travel would approach her, and she would forget about him.

Shea shook his head at the thought. He was going mad and it wasn’t fair to Elli to think that way. He trusted her, he did, he just didn’t trust, Bill…yeah he named the imaginary successful business man that didn’t travel, that was gonna steal his sunshine away.

Yup, the Assassins’ captain was going bat shit crazy as Elli would say.

He stood beside the boards, disgusted with himself, drinking his Gatorade, when Jakob and Alex came out the ice. Of course, Shea was the first one out, he always was, he was also warmed up, and now he had to wait for the rest of the team to warm up too.

“Adler, what’s up with you, dude?” Alex asked as he skated around for a moment, “First on the ice, first to bed. It’s weird. You okay?”

“I’m fine,” he answered as he put his drink down, grabbing his stick before heading out to the middle of the ice.

“No, you’re not, what’s up?” Alex said again, looking over at Jakob. Jakob just shook his head.

“Leave him alone, Welch. He’s obviously in a mood,” Jakob said, skating off. Shea sent Alex a look before following Jakob around the rink for a second warm up.





After practice, Shea sat back at the hotel while everyone else went out for lunch. He made it a point everyday to send Elli an email with a video attached of a song that reminded him of her. He was looking through his playlist when Jakob came into the room, throwing himself on the bed beside Shea’s. Jakob and him always shared a room on the road, had been doing it for years.

“I thought you went out with the guys,” Shea said, scrolling down his list.

“Nah, thought you needed to talk.” Shea looked up, confused.

“Huh?”

“You know, talk, where your mouth moves and words come out.”

“Shut up, *, I know what talking is. I just don’t know why I need to talk.”

Jakob shook his head, a small smile on his face, “Dude, your moody as hell lately. I don’t know what your problem is but let it go. Did you and Elli get into a fight or something?”

“No, I just…I don’t know.”

“What’s going on with her dude? You don’t call to go out no more, you are always with her, is it really that serious?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Really?”

Shea looked up at his long time best friend. He knew it was weird for Shea to be in a relationship but he was, he had changed.

“Things are different now, Jake, I’m not the guy I was six months ago.”

Jakob laughed, “Well, no shit, Shea, I knew that, but are you seriously for real about her? I mean, we all know I’m for real about any girl I get involved with, but are you?”

Shea didn’t even have to think, he just nodded, “I am, I love her.”

Jakob grinned as he nodded, “Good, you’re getting older, you need to settle down.”

Shea cringed, “I never said anything about marriage, Jake.”

Jakob laughed, pulling his computer out from under the bed, “You didn’t have to; you love her, so it will only be a matter of time. Since this is the one and only girl you have spent more than a day with.”

Shea just shook his head, “You sound like my mom.”

“Cause she’s a smart woman.”

Shea smiled as he looked through his playlist. Jakob was so easy going, so easy to talk to. That’s probably why he was Shea’s best friend; he had always been good to Shea as Shea was always good to him.

Everything was quiet until Jakob started screaming, he jumped up, tearing apart the room.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I need my phone!” he yelled, Shea pointed to the TV, where his phone laid right beside Shea’s. “Ahh, thanks!” he yelled picking it up, he then pushed some buttons, until a huge grin came across his face.