Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)

by Toni Aleo

  “Probably,” Avery said simply. Lucy glared over at her and she shrugged. “I was agreeing!”

  “Mom, come on!” Angie yelled, waving her arms wildly at her.

  Benji looked over at her too, his naughty eyes drinking in her figure. Her body was hot in an instant, but she wasn’t sure what to do. He was probably mad, but even when they were mad, they still wanted each other. “Yeah, come on, babe. Come build with us. You can sunbathe later.”

  “Go,” Avery urged.

  “Yeah, Mom, come on!”

  She hesitated, but then something in Benji’s eyes told her to get up and come on. He was acting normal. He didn’t want it to seem weird for Angie, like he had always promised, and that kind of hurt. Was he going to break up with her?

  Jeez, what a mess she had caused.

  Angie cheered as she came over, dropping into the sand to help. As they got started, she decided they would figure this all out later.

  Right now, she was going to make a sand castle with the two people she loved most.

  As Lucy took in the overextravagant castle they had built, Angie was bouncing with excitement. It honestly looked like a bad version of a superawesome sand sculpture, but it didn’t matter that half of it was falling and that no mermaid would choose it as her castle, because Angie was beaming.

  “It’s perfect.”

  “It is,” Benji agreed, rubbing her back. Looking over at Lucy, he smiled. “What do you think, Mom?”

  Why did that make her tear up? Crap. “It’s beautiful,” she croaked out and he smiled as Angie giggled.

  “Let’s go swimming!”

  “Angie, it’s too cold right now,” Lucy warned. “That water is ice. Maybe tomorrow when it’s a little warmer.”

  She looked to Benji but he shook his head. “I don’t like cold water.”

  She pouted and he laughed, picking her up to hug her tight. “How about this? You go change, and then we’ll all go to dinner at that supercool Chuck E. Cheese I saw?”

  “Sweet Lord in heaven,” Lucy muttered, but Angie was all for it.

  “Yeah! Avery and Ashlyn too, right?”

  “Of course,” he said and she grinned as Avery smiled.

  “Yes!” Angie said before he put her on her feet and she ran off to the house.

  Avery stood slowly, picking up Ashlyn. “I’m going to go and change and keep Angie occupied since I’m sure you two need to talk about things that aren’t my business.”

  Benji chuckled as Lucy glared, looking away as her face warmed. When his hand came into hers, she looked at their hands before looking up at him. “Let’s walk,” he said, and she bit into her lip to keep a sob in as she nodded. The surf was running up on their toes as they walked, the sun shining. This was what she wanted. She wanted to be with Benji on the beach—but not with the stupid stress Rick had caused. It was eating her alive, and she couldn’t bring herself to unload on him like she wanted.

  It wasn’t fair.

  “I missed you,” he whispered, leaning down to her to kiss her cheek.

  She tried to smile but it didn’t work well as she leaned into him. “I missed you too.”

  He led her down the private beach that Jace and Avery’s house sat on. Lucy’s toes sank into the sand as they walked in silence. She wasn’t sure what to say. Sorry? Would that even cover it? What else could she say but the truth? But how could she tell him that Rick was planning on running his name through the mud with a lie? A video. A disgusting, sad video of her sweet daughter that Angie had told her on the plane Rick had forced her to do. She had texted her dad that this morning, but he hadn’t gotten back to her. Which was odd. She didn’t talk to him often, but when she did, he usually got back to her quickly.

  When Benji suddenly stopped, Lucy looked back at him, turning to face him as he took his glasses off, tucking them in his pocket. “I talked to your dad.”

  Oh. Well, there was the reason she hadn’t heard from him. Looking at her, Benji shook his head as his eyes bored into hers, disappointment flooding his eyes. She sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “So you know what’s going on, then?”

  “Yeah. Lucy, why didn’t you just tell me?” She looked away, but he brought her face back up, his hands cupping her chin. “Don’t hide from me. You’ve done that enough. Tell me what you’re thinking. What made you run like that?”

  Her lips trembled as she shook her head, the tears welling up in her eyes. “I knew you’d tell me we can beat him together. That it didn’t matter what he did, that you wouldn’t leave me. I can’t do that to you, Benji. I love you too much.”

  “Damn straight,” he said, his own eyes filling with tears. “And I love you for wanting to protect me. But leaving me, taking away your and Angie’s love, that won’t make it better. It will make it worse, because I don’t care about my name if I don’t have you two. I’m nothing without you two.”

  She shook her head. “Benji, he’s accusing you of the worst thing. That isn’t fair. A normal man would run for the hills.”

  “Not this man.”

  “But your career—”

  “Is nothing without you,” he stressed as a tear rolled down her cheek. “You give me purpose, Lucy. You make me excited to live. And why have a job that, yeah, I love, if I can’t come home and share my accomplishments with you? And that house isn’t a home without you and Angie. You two made that place so full of life. You think I can go back without you? Just because some dude is threatening us with what your dad says is a bogus video? I don’t care about Rick and his lies, I care about you. About us.”

  Closing her eyes as his nose touched hers, she shook her head. She had known he was going to be like this. So fearless, impatient to take Rick out. “He could ruin you.”

  “I don’t care,” he said simply. “I’d rather lose all that other stuff and still have you and Angie. Because with you two, I have it all.” Her lips trembled as she held his eyes. “I understand it. The love you have for me and wanting to protect me. Believe me, I’d do the same for you, but instead of doing it all alone, let me help. Let me be there with you. Let’s be there for each other.”

  Biting into her lip, she slid her hands across his bare back, pressing her lips to the middle of his chest. His skin broke out in gooseflesh and she closed her eyes, knowing she couldn’t leave him if she tried. Well, she had tried, and look at how that turned out.

  “What have I told you from the beginning, Lucy?

  She opened her eyes, looking up at him. His eyes had so much love, so much meaning, and she knew what he was talking about. “That you’re not going anywhere.”

  “Exactly. So do me a favor and make the same promise. If you want to, that is,” he added and she just stared at him. Of course, she wanted this. Him. She was just scared.

  “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t break up with you. When I got here, I thought I would figure it out. And, yeah, it’s only been a day, but all I wanted was you—to call you and tell you so that we could figure it out. I shouldn’t have run from you, but to you.”

  He smiled against her lips. “And I would have caught you. I would have hugged you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her, nuzzling his nose into her neck. “And I would have told you I love you, that we’ve got this.”

  “I know. I was just so scared.”

  “You don’t have to be scared, because I will help fight those demons. Fight Rick. He can’t beat us if we stand together,” he said, pulling back to look at her. “You are my slice of heaven, Lucy, and the thought of not having you is what terrifies me.”

  “Me too.”

  “So no more disappearing acts, okay?” he said, kissing her nose, and she smiled.

  “I can make sure that never happens again.” He smiled back as he dropped his mouth to hers, kissing her ever so slowly, her toes curling in the sand. She had missed him so damn much, and she was pretty sure that his kisses and hugs were what she lived for. As he pulled back, looking down at her, he shook his head. Moving her hand up to his face, s
he touched him softly, her thumb gliding along his cheek as she held his gaze.

  “I’m just so scared, Benji,” she whispered and he kissed her forehead. “I don’t want anything to hurt you. You’ve had enough hurt.”

  “The only thing that can hurt me is losing you and Angie. Remember that.”

  She smiled, her eyes glossing over. “I hit him. Like, legit slammed my fist into his face because of what he was saying about you.”

  Benji’s body started to shake with his laughter. “I’m jealous.”

  She smiled against his chest. “I just got so mad, and I couldn’t believe the rage that filled me.”

  “Probably the same rage that filled me when you wouldn’t tell me what was wrong.”

  She chanced a glance at him and he was looking at her, his eyes filled with the hurt she’d caused. “I’m sorry.”

  Cupping her face, he smiled before moving his nose with hers. “Forgiven.”

  She inhaled and then let it out, shaking her head. “No normal man would stick around for this crazy train.”

  “Lucy, I’m not normal, and I love crazy,” he said and she grinned.

  That was one of the first things he had ever said to Angie.

  “What are we going to do?”

  He smiled. “Don’t you worry. I’ve got a plan.”

  Melting against his chest, she felt her tears start to fall. “Will we be okay?”

  He smiled, his eyes burning into hers. “More than okay. We’re going to be great.”

  It was a promise.

  One she knew he would keep.

  With Angie in the back of the Jeep he had rented when he came to Florida a few days before, Benji was all smiles as he drove to his destination. The sun was shining, the clouds were fluffy, the sky was blue, and Benji felt fucking good. The happiest and the most relaxed he had felt in years. After telling Lucy everything that Mark had told him, she’d finally smiled. He knew the stress she was feeling was gone, and she was ready to fight. He just wished she had done all that before. He wished she’d come to him, but that woman never did anything easy. She always wanted to do things the hard way, but even she knew that had to change.

  She needed him as much as he needed her.

  From that moment on, though, their vacation had been great. He had spent his time on the beach with his girls, lazily lying around—well, when Angie let him. And when Lucy had to go work, he and Angie would explore the city of Ft. Lauderdale. He felt a little outnumbered with all the ladies since Jace had been off kicking ass at the All-Star Game and was awarded MVP, but Benji wouldn’t change a thing.

  He was too fucking happy. Too excited.

  But even with the amazing week, he was ready to make it even better. He wanted to end this trip with a bang, so when they got home and faced Rick, Lucy would do it with nothing but a smile.

  Yup, he was ready.

  Singing along with Adele and Angie, Benji belted out the song at the top of his lungs as Angie matched him with full hand movements and lots of fist pumps. She was a nut, but she was his nut. His sunshine.

  When they reached their destination, he parked and shut the car off, much to Angie’s protestation. “Benji! I was getting down.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he laughed, getting out. “Come on. I want to talk to you.”

  “To me? Ooh, ice cream!” she gushed as she hopped out the side like he did.

  He reached for her hand and they walked together to the little ice cream shack, getting a frozen treat before walking onto the beach to sit down and watch the waves. Angie’s hair was down and she looked adorable as the strands flew all over the place.

  “Ah! It’s getting in my ice cream,” she complained and he laughed, handing her his ice cream after getting the hair tie off her wrist. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he threw it all on top of her head before wrapping a rubber band around the bunch like he had watched Lucy do a lot. Moving some stray strands behind her ear, she grinned up at him as he took his ice cream back.

  “There.”

  “You’re the best,” she said, plopping down and taking a lick of her ice cream. “It’s so pretty here. We should move to Florida.”

  Benji smiled. “But then what about Grandma and the Assassins? We can’t leave them.”

  She thought that over and then nodded. “Then we should buy a house here for the summer.”

  “Whoa, living large, aren’t you?” he teased and she grinned.

  “Hey, I got money in the bank,” she reminded him and he shook his head.

  “For college.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” she said, sounding just like her mother as she grinned over at him. “I wonder when Mommy will be done.”

  “Probably around three.”

  “Cool. Do you think we can hit the beach before we have to pack to leave?”

  He nodded. “I’m sure we can, but I think we’re gonna take some pictures.”

  She made a face. “Why?”

  “’Cause I think Mom would like them.” She exhaled loudly and he smiled before brushing another stray piece of hair back. “Hey, let me ask you something.”

  She looked over at him, her green eyes sparkling in the sun. “What?”

  “You know I love you, right?”

  She grinned. “Yes!”

  He grinned back as he nodded. “Well, you know I love your mom a lot.”

  “You guys kiss all the time.” She scrunched up her face.

  “We do, but that doesn’t bother you, does it?”

  She shrugged. “It’s gross.”

  “Is that all?” he laughed.

  She thought for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t care, ’cause Mom is always smiling too.”

  Looking out at the ocean, he nodded. She did always smile, and he loved that smile with everything inside of him. Turning back to Angie, he grinned. “Yeah, but how would you feel about me asking your mom to marry me? Me becoming your stepdad?”

  She held his gaze, and he wasn’t sure what she was thinking. But then she was shooting questions at him left and right.

  “Do we get to live with you forever?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do I get to wear a dress to the wedding and throw flowers?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can we get a puppy?”

  “Ah, I don’t know. We’d have to ask Mom.”

  She nodded and pressed her finger to her lips as she looked up at him. “Can I call you Dad, instead of Stepdad?”

  His heart stopped. Right there. He was sure he was about to fall over dead on that beach. But what a way to go. As the emotion choked him and tears filled his eyes, he nodded. “I’m completely okay with that.”

  She got up then, sitting in his lap before she leaned against him, nodding her head. “Then, yeah, marry her.”

  “Thanks, sunshine,” he said, his voice rough.

  “Do you have the ring? You got her a ring, right? You can’t ask her without a ring, Benji!”

  “I got one!” he laughed, pulling it out of his pocket and opening it to show her. As she oohed over it, Benji grinned at how perfect it was. It was a simple princess-cut diamond in a platinum band, but he was convinced it was Lucy. It just screamed her, and he couldn’t wait to see it on her hand.

  Hear her say yes.

  With lots of sass, he was sure.

  “She’s going to pee her pants, that’s so pretty.”

  Grinning, he kissed Angie’s temple before putting the ring away. But he pulled out another small box out that held a little hockey stick bracelet he had gotten Angie because he wanted her to have something too. When he opened it and put it on her wrist, she eyed it, her eyes twinkling. “This is something to remind you how much I love you.”

  “You got me something?” she gushed, holding it up and gasping at it. “Oh wow, it’s sparkly and hockey!” She giggled as she looked it over, her eyes bright, and he nodded.

  “And a number twenty for me and a number fourteen for you,” he said, pointing to the little numbe
rs that hung by the hockey stick. She grinned over at him and then kissed his cheek.

  “It’s awesome, thank you.”

  “Good, I’m glad you love it.”

  “I do,” she decided with a nod. “I love you too.”

  “That’s always a good thing. Because, not only do I love you, but I need your help,” he said with more dramatics than needed, but he was trying to keep from breaking down and crying from the overwhelming love he was feeling. He never thought this could happen, to not only have a good, strong woman who loved him, but a beautiful, spunky little girl.

  He really did have it all.

  Her eyes widened as she sat up straight, ready. “Oh, I love helping!”

  “Now, this is important,” he said, holding her gaze. “How should I ask Mom to marry me?”

  She popped up, her ice cream flying before she held her hands out. “Oh my goodness! I thought you’d never ask,” she shrieked, hopping on her heels as she held his gaze. “First, we get a dolphin and then we have Mom come stand on the beach. And you ride in on the dolphin, the ring in your hand with rockets going off and glitter falling out of the air before me and the fairy mermaids come out of the ocean and we all say ‘Will you marry Benji?’ Insert more glitter, some more rockets, and lots of ice cream, ’cause Mom loves ice cream!”

  Benji could only blink.

  Well, that was one way of doing it.

  When Lucy pulled into the driveway of Avery and Jace’s house, Benji met her out front.

  “Okay, don’t get mad.”

  She rolled her eyes, and he swore that simple movement was hot to him. She had been gone all morning doing the final touches on Shea and Elli’s beach house. It was looking awesome, and he was sure they would love it, but like always, Lucy was nervous about it. She wore the stress all over her gorgeous face. “I always get mad when you start it like that.”

  “I know, but…” he said, flashing her a grin, “I thought since it’s our last night, we can have some pictures done on the beach. So we can have nice family pictures for the house. You always say our pictures are too crazytown.”