Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“He called me old man. I’m not old,” Dad pouts, and Ryan scoffs.

“Nope. Fresh spring chicken.”

“You’ve always been my favorite,” Dad says, knocking knuckles with him, but Aiden is just looking at me. His eyes are dark and dangerous. This is not good. I try to tell him with my eyes that it’s okay, no big deal, but I know he doesn’t believe me. Hell, I don’t believe myself. Aiden hates Nico. Nico hates Aiden. Nico could blow our relationship wide open, which would piss off Amelia because she needs to be the center of attention since she is carrying my niece or nephew. I don’t care that the baby is technically my cousin; I’m gonna love on it just as hard.

“Hey there, Shell.”

I look to the doorway of the dining room to see Chandler Moon—the prince who was sent to save my cousin. A smile takes over my face as we hug tightly. I want to be happy to see Chandler, but I’m annoyed. “Why the hell did you bring him?” I ask low and angrily.

“Didn’t have a choice. My mom invited him for the weekend, and he insisted on coming to see you.” I pull back as he does, and our eyes lock. “I know. I’m sorry. Amelia already lit into him.”

“You warned him. He can’t ruin this for y’all.”

“I did.” But by the look in his eyes, I know he knows it doesn’t matter.

Like me, Nico does what he wants. I’ll just ignore him. “I need to talk to him.”

Why did I say that?

I can feel Aiden’s anger coming off him in waves. “I might head out.”

Ack. This is a clusterfuck. I just wanted to be here for my cousin as she revealed her news. It had been such a great day. Should have been an even greater day with Amelia’s news.

“Wow, Shelli. Gorgeous as always.”

Damn it.

Nico comes up behind Chandler, his dark eyes meeting mine.

“Hey, Nico.”

“Hey,” he says sweetly, and yes, he is handsome and charming, but he is not Aiden Brooks. He is not the man I love.

My mom walks into the kitchen along with my aunt, just as Amelia comes out of the bathroom. Amelia looks around, her eyes wild as she moves them from me to Nico to Chandler and then back to me.

Aunt Grace throws her arms around Amelia. “Isn’t it wonderful having everyone home?”

“So wonderful,” Mom says happily. “You remember Aiden, right?”

“Of course. So glad you could come.”

Aiden looks as if he’s getting an enema. “Thanks for having me, but I don’t know if I—”

I clear my throat. “Can I talk to you real fast? Privately, please?”

Aiden looks at me, but then Nico says, “Can I talk to you after him?”

“No,” I say at the same time Aiden does. Everyone looks at us, and I can feel Aiden about to hightail it out of here. “I have nothing to say to you, Nico.”

“Shelli Grace, be nice.”

I ignore my mom, as does Nico. His eyes hold mine as he says, “You won’t answer my texts or my calls.”

I feel my dad’s gaze on me as I sneer, “Because I don’t want to talk to you.”

“That’s not fair. We’re good together—”

“Nico! Shut the hell up,” Amelia yells, and she crosses her arms over her chest.

Chandler comes up beside her and wraps his arms around her. “For real, dude, be quiet.”

“You guys saw it!”

Mom looks back to me. “Is he your boyfriend?”

“For the love of God,” I mutter.

“No, I will not accept that. He’s a dick,” Dad yells. “Damn it, my chest is burning. He called me old, Elli!”

Ryan presses his hand into my dad’s chest, his brow furrowed with worry. “Is it the angina?”

I throw up my hands. Why can’t we just have normal dinners? “I am not dating Nico.”

Nico glares. “Nope, she’s dating that scum—”

Before he can even finish or point at Aiden, I yell, “Amelia! Don’t you have something to tell everyone?”

“Scum, eh?” Aiden asks, and he takes a step forward, but I step in front of him.

My gaze meets Amelia’s wide-eyed one. Probably wasn’t the moment when she wanted to say anything, yet here we are. “Amelia, what do you have to tell us?”

I’m thankful when all eyes turn to Amelia. I press my hand into Aiden’s chest and look up at him. His eyes are wild and angry, but he stays put. Thankful, I turn my attention to Amelia when she looks up at Chandler as he grins down at her. “Um, well—” She pauses when he laces their fingers together before resting them on her little growing bump. “We’re pregnant.”

The silence is deafening.

“What do you mean?” Grace asks. “You’re not married.”

“And we won’t be until after the baby comes,” Amelia says. “I want to look perfect in my dress.”

Chandler grins down at her. “You’ll look perfect no matter what.”