Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

She cups his face, but Grace is still gawking at them. “But the baby will be born out of wedlock.”

“Um, Mom, I was born out of wedlock,” Ryan says with a grin.

Dad snorts. “Way out of it.”

Why isn’t anyone hugging Amelia? “Well, I think it’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you guys,” I say, and I hug them tightly. “I love you both, and I can’t wait to be an aunt.”

“Congratulations, Amelia and Chandler,” I hear Aiden say as Amelia gives me a thankful grin and Chandler squeezes my arm.

“It really is,” Ryan says, walking over and hugging his sister. “I’m jealous. Sofia won’t have my baby.”

Sofia, his gorgeous and very quiet wife, smacks his arm. “I just opened a business, and you’re gone all the time. Relax.”

They share a loving smile before everyone finally starts to follow suit. I back off so they can get to the lovely couple, when Nico takes my arm. He pulls me to the side, despite me pulling my arm out of his hold.

“Stop.”

“No, really, Shelli. We’d be great together. I can love you right, I swear. I know your sister’s name is Posey, and you have twin brothers, Evan and Owen, and then your baby brother is Quinn. You’ve starred in Frozen, Cats, Les Miserables—”

“Nico, stop,” I demand, shaking my head. “I don’t want to be with you.”

“But I would actually love you.” Man, he knows what buttons to push. “He doesn’t love you,” he stresses, but I throw my hands up.

“Stop, for real. I don’t know how else to say I don’t want to be with you.” When I hear the door slam, I look back to see that Aiden is gone. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

I turn to head after him, but Nico grabs my arm. My eyes are narrowed to slits as I look back at him. “I swear, I will break your nose if you touch me one more time.”

He lets me go instantly, and I rush to the front door. When I hit the porch, Aiden is rounding his car. “Aiden!”

He glances over at me, and he just looks so defeated. “Go back inside. I don’t want to ruin Amelia’s night, but I need to go.”

I kick off my shoes and run through the lawn toward him. “What is wrong? I’m not even speaking to him.”

“I don’t like him!”

“I’m aware. But, Aiden, I don’t want anything to do with him!”

“But he thinks he can get you. How he keeps coming for you—”

“I am yours, remember? I deflected him left and right, and I don’t want anything to do with him. I really don’t understand why you’re upset. Yes, I get being pissed at the guy, but that shouldn’t ruin the night with my family.”

“For now.”

I bring my brows in. “For now, what?”

“You deflect him now, but what happens when you don’t?”

I take a step toward him, my heart pounding in my chest. “I’m sorry, what? How many times do I have to tell you I don’t want him for it to sink into that thick skull of yours and you believe me?”

“For him to be so confident, there has to be a reason.”

I glare. “Because he’s a self-absorbed crazy person. I don’t know! I don’t want him. I want you.”

I poke him square in the chest, and he just looks down at me. “Yeah, but what happens when you don’t?”

I blink. “What the hell is wrong with you? We’ve had a great day. Everything was awesome, has been awesome. We’re great! But this is going to trip you up? I get it. I didn’t want him here either, but this isn’t about him because he doesn’t matter. We matter.” Why does he look so overwhelmed? So unsure of himself. This isn’t my Aiden. My Aiden is confident and knows what he has. Why does he get like this? “Aiden, what the hell, babe? This isn’t you.”

He won’t look at me. “You think I like this? Like feeling like this? I don’t, but I swear, he’s completely convinced he can get you. There has to be a reason. There has to be something you’re doing to urge him on.”

My jaw drops, and tears are starting to burn my eyes. “You’re accusing me of entertaining that craziness?”

“I just don’t know. Why is he so convinced? What are you doing to fuel that fire?”

“I’m not doing a fucking thing, Aiden. Do you think I would really fuck this up? I’ve wanted this, you, since I was eleven. I am doing nothing. I don’t want him. It’s his own delusion. I don’t answer his calls or his texts because I respect your wishes. I don’t even think of him. I only think of you.”

“I just don’t trust him.”

“Don’t. It’s nothing off my back because he doesn’t fucking matter! We matter.”

“It freaks me—”