Trying to Score (Assassins)

by Toni Aleo

  “Oh my God, you’re being dumb. Who is it?”

  Audrey followed hockey and loved it. Fallon knew for a fact that Audrey knew who Lucas Brooks was. She thought he was hot, which he was.

  “Um, well,” Fallon bit into her lip hard before saying in a rush, “Lucasbrooks.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA! Lucas Brooks? San Jose Sharks’ Lucas Brooks?”

  Fallon couldn’t look Audrey in the eyes as she slowly nodded her head. Nothing was said for a moment as Fallon kept running her finger along the rim of her glass. If she had a hard time telling Audrey who Aidan’s dad was, how was she gonna tell Lucas, or hell, even Aiden?

  All of a sudden Audrey started laughing uncontrollably. Fallon looked up at her laughing sister, confused. What the hell was funny about this situation?

  “Not only did you date a pro hockey player, but you got knocked up by one. One of the hottest ones in the NHL. What the hell?” Audrey kept laughing as Fallon glared at her.

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that no wonder you haven’t dated anyone since coming home from California. Once you’ve been with a hockey player, no man can live up to the size of their sticks,” she said in a fit of giggles.

  “For the love of God, is that all you think about? Sex?!”

  “Yes! I’m horny!”

  Fallon rolled her eyes as she got up, moving to the sink to wash her cup. “You’re no help,” Fallon complained as she looked out the window into the small backyard that held Aiden’s playthings. Fallon wanted a house with a yard, but she couldn’t afford it, so the condo would have to do. Once she got the plan of having the cellar in the arena going, then she would have the extra money to buy a house.

  Then she would have everything thing she wanted.

  Well, except a husband.

  “You’re gonna need to tell Aiden, Fallon.”

  “I can’t, he’ll wanna meet him.”

  “Don’t you think he should?”

  “No, I don’t ever want to see Lucas Brooks again.”

  Fallon felt Audrey’s arms come around her waist as Audrey laid her chin on her shoulder. “You might not want to babe, but Aiden wants a dad and if Lucas can be one…”

  “He wouldn’t want to be one though. He was a womanizing man whore.”

  Audrey paused for a moment before saying, “Okay, go find Brooks, see how he is, then decide.”

  “No, I’ll wait for him to find me.”

  Audrey shook her head. “You’re setting yourself up failure, Fal.”

  Oh she knew she was; all because she was deathly scared of the unknown. What if Lucas tried to take Aiden from her? What is Aiden loved Lucas more than her? What if Aiden decided he wants to live with Lucas, and what if Aiden went to spend the weekends with him?

  Oh God!

  Fallon couldn’t do it, it scared her too much. So she would sit on her secret and wait. Hope that everything stays the same, that Lucas would never see her or her son.

  Why did Fallon feel like that was like hoping for world peace?

  Chapter 3

  Jesus, these people don’t joke around during practice!

  Lucas skated back and forth for the 14th time across the ice. When people talked about Shea Adler being a hard ass back in California, Lucas didn’t think anything about it. He thought it was all talk, but no, it wasn’t. Adler was hardcore, angry, and mean on the ice; even with him being younger than Lucas, he was still a little intimidated by Shea.

  “Brooks! You are slow! Show us the reason you were traded to this team!” Adler yelled as he passed Lucas. Lucas dug into the ice, passing Adler, and then Welch. When he came back and passed Adler, Adler nodded as he dug in and went faster up the ice.

  Lucas was known for his speed and accuracy, but that was when he had a good night of sleep, and last night, he hadn’t. He had stayed up all night thinking of Fallon.

  Pathetic right?

  But he just couldn’t shake his thoughts about her. He thought of their whole two-year relationship, the good, the great, and the bad. There were more good times than bad, but when it was bad, it was bad. Fallon tended to shut down when Lucas would get mad — he would yell at her and she would just stand there staring at him, and when she started crying, he knew he had fucked up majorly. Lucas hated when Fallon cried, he couldn’t handle it. He felt like he was kicking a puppy or something. Fallon’s eyes were so wide that her tears looked like big puddles coming down her cheeks — just thinking of her crying gave him chills.

  Because of his sleepless night, Lucas woke up lagged and tired, and this six a.m. practice time wasn’t working for him. The Sharks never practiced this early, but they hadn’t won a cup in years, while the Assassins were going for their third in a matter of three seasons, so maybe this six a.m. practice had better start working for Lucas.

  If he wanted the Cup.

  After doing six more laps, Lucas skated towards the bench. Once there he grabbed his drink bottle and chugged it. When he was done, he was about to skate off when Adler stopped him.

  “You’re slow today,” he stated.

  Lucas nodded. “I’m tired. I just moved in to my new house, and I’m not used to sleeping in my new bed.”

  Adler gave him a dirty look. “Well get used to it. Be better tomorrow or don’t even bother coming back.”

  With that Adler skated off, and Lucas shook his head.

  Yeah, this was a great start to his season with the Assassins.

  *****************************************

  Fallon quickly walked through the Assassins’ headquarters, praying to God that she didn’t see Lucas. She hated that she was living like this, always looking over her shoulder and watching out for him. It was ridiculous, but she had brought it on herself. She had worried herself sick the night before because she knew she had to come here today. As soon as Fallon hit the main offices’ floor, her stomach dropped. Fallon knew the guys had practice today, but it was earlier this morning, so she hoped she was good and wouldn’t see Lucas.

  Fallon’s beautiful Chie Mihara black bootie heels clicked against the purple floors as she walked down the hall that would take her to the main office of Mrs. Eleanor Adler. It was still weird calling Elli that — she had always been plain ole Elli — but now she was married to the most powerful player in the NHL and was one of the most powerful women in the NHL after her uncle gave her full rein of the team. It blew Fallon’s mind how different Elli was now that she was with Shea. He brought out something great in her, and Fallon couldn’t be happier for them.

  When Fallon reached Elli’s assistant’s desk, no one was there. Fallon waited patiently but nervously, hoping Lucas didn’t walk out the office or come around the corner because she would have nowhere to run! Elli’s office was at the end of the hall. If he came down, she would have to talk to him or look like a crazy person when she screamed and ran around him. At the moment though, the latter was sounding pretty good.

  Finally the door open and out came Elli’s assistant, Janet.

  “Hey, Fallon!” Janet said brightly as she went behind the desk and sat down.

  “Well hello Ms. Janet! I have a surprise for you!” Fallon gushed, causing Janet’s smile to become brighter.

  “Ooh! I love presents!”

  Fallon smiled as she placed the bottle of vintage Big Orange Cabernet Sauvignon on the desk. She knew Janet wouldn’t be excited about the wine but when she opened the envelope that was attached she was gonna freak.

  “Oh yay, wine,” she said with a fake smile, causing Fallon to laugh out loud.

  “Oh hush, that’s a vintage bottle thank you, but the envelope is the real present.”

  Janet must have not seen the envelope because when her eyes set on it, she tore it off, ripping it open before she started jumping around like a crazy person. “CLUB SEATS!” she screamed as she jumped up and down.

  “Yup, my season tickets for next year, all yours.”

  Janet looked up at her, and Fallon swore she had tears in
her eyes. Janet was the biggest University of Tennessee football fan that Fallon knew aside from her granddaddy and dad, so when her dad gave her the tickets for next season, Fallon knew who to give them to.

  Fallon hated football, especially UT football. It was something about the color that just messed with her head.

  “You’re the best.”

  “I know,” Fallon said with a grin, “Maybe you’ll start drinking wine?”

  “No, but Elli will love this for when she has the baby, thanks for my gift to her,” Janet laughed. Fallon joined in as Janet called into Elli’s office. “Mrs. Adler, Ms. Parker is here.”

  Fallon watched as Janet nodded and then hung up. “Go on in.”

  “Thanks Janet, enjoy!”

  “Oh I will! Thanks so much again!”

  “No problem, babe!” Fallon gushed as she walked over to Elli’s door and threw it open. Elli stood beside her desk in a pair of wool shorts with a cute black blouse. Topping the outfit off was some thigh high suede boots that if Fallon could wear she would take. Like always, Mrs. Adler was dressed to impress.

  “Hey Fallon!”

  “Hello Mrs. Adler, looking amazing as always,” Fallon said with a jealous look, causing Elli to laugh.

  “Please, you’re the hot one!”

  Fallon looked down at her light blue wool dress that had a large black belt under her breast. She was looking pretty good, but while she was wearing Ralph Lauren, Elli was rocking Gucci, probably. Oh what Fallon would do for her Gucci days back.

  “I am looking good today,” Fallon joked as she laid everything she brought with her on Elli’s desk while Elli giggled. “So I know your husband is a wino, so I brought him a bottle of our vintage Big Orange, and a couple bottles of our Moscoto. Also I brought the packets for all the players and staff that have all the tickets and other cool things in ‘em. Make sure you get everyone to go please.”

  “It will be mandatory, don’t worry, and Shea will love you for forever while I will hate you because I can’t drink.”

  Fallon laughed as Elli put the bottles of wine behind her desk and opened one of the packets. “I also brought an idea for you.”

  Elli looked up from the packet as Fallon handed over the proposal she had been working on for weeks. “Rocky Top Wines thinks that we need to tie in closer with the Assassins, and the way we want to do it is with a campaign featuring one of your players. I don’t know which one ‘cause I only know two from the team and I doubt you and Harper would be okay with females all over your men.”

  “You are right on that one,” Elli said with laugh as she looked through the proposal.

  Fallon smiled as she went on. “So we would want a single, late twenties, good-looking guy that has all his teeth for the campaign.”

  “Fallon honey, the whole team is missing teeth,” Elli laughed, making Fallon laugh.

  “I know that but they would need to wear their teeth for the creative shoot.”

  “Gotcha, let me run this by my uncle. We’ll set up a meeting and see what else you got for us. I hate to rush ya babe, but I have an appointment coming in, so can I call you when I got a time for you?”

  “Sure can,” Fallon said as she stood, meeting Elli by the desk to hug tightly.

  “I’ll talk to you soon,” Elli gushed as they parted and Fallon started for the door.

  “Thanks so much, can’t wait to hear from you,” Fallon said as she opened the door and started out it. If the campaigns happened, then hopefully Fallon could propose the cellar idea. She knew it would be a hit, just as the campaign would be — as long as they got the right guy. They needed someone sexy and dangerous that had a soft, sophisticated side.

  Lucas Brooks would be perfect.

  A fit of giggles came out of her when she got on the elevator and pushed the main floor button.

  Thank God that would never happen.

  *******************************************

  Lucas was nervous.

  If Eleanor Alder was anything like her husband, he was in for it. Adler had been hard on him all through practice, yelling and taunting him while he tried to do his best. But Lucas couldn’t keep up, he was dog tired.

  “It’s going to be fine, Lucas,” Levi said from the other side of the elevator. Lucas looked over at him and shrugged his shoulders.

  “I sucked at practice today,” Lucas stated.

  “Yeah, but you were tired, they understood that. You’ll be fine tomorrow.”

  “I hope so,” he said as the doors opened and they both exited. They walked down the purple and black hall and came to a large black desk that held a gorgeous blonde. Levi’s mouth twitched when the girl stood and said her greeting. The girl was thick, and Levi loved thick women. Levi was about to spit some game at the luscious blonde, and Lucas couldn’t wait for the show that would happen.

  “I’m sorry what did you say? I was completely distracted by your gorgeous face. I love your eyes, they are so blue.”

  Like Lucas expected, the girl giggled as she turned bright red.

  “Mr. Brooks.”

  Lucas turned to see his new boss in some sexy little shorts, leaning against the door. Adler already hated Lucas so there was no way in hell he was going to give him more of a reason by checking out his wife.

  “Mrs. Adler, how are you?” Lucas asked as he came towards her, taking her hand in his when he reached her.

  “I’m great, better than you from what I hear,” she said as she led him into the office. He walked in before her as she shut the door. “Have a seat.”

  Lucas did as she asked as she came around her large black desk and took a seat. The bright blue chairs stood out in the black and purple room, but who was he to judge her décor? Pictures of her brand new baby girl were on every surface in the office, along with a huge picture of the whole Adler clan above her desk.

  “So practice didn’t go well?” she asked again, and he looked across the desk at her.

  “I’m extremely tired. I swear, tomorrow will be better.”

  “Sure do hope so. We come off break in six days, I need you ready to go.”

  “No problem,” Lucas said with a nod.

  “Good. Now I’ve gotten a lot of flak for wanting you on my team Mr. Brooks…”

  “Lucas,” Lucas said. He hated when people called him Mr. Brooks. He wasn’t that damn old.

  “Lucas,” she said with a grin, “but I believe in you. I know you’re a great player if you can stay out of that damn box. We need your stick, we need more shots on goal, and I know you can do that.”

  “I can,” Lucas agreed.

  “Good, Shea seems to think so, too.”

  Lucas’ eyebrows shot up. “Adler thinks so? I thought he hated me.”

  “No, he’s still a little pissed about you breaking his nose a while back but he thinks you’re a great player. A great addition to the team.”

  “Wow, that’s good to know,” Lucas said, and it was. He was nervous the team didn’t like him and if he knew one thing, there had to be a brotherhood between the players for a team to work.

  “You’ll fit in great, the guys are a hoot.”

  “Sounds great.”

  “Now, ground rules,” she said as Lucas nodded, “no sleeping with any of the staff, dancers, or wives/girlfriends of a player.”

  No shit.

  “No drinking, smoking, drugs, anything on game days.”

  “Won’t happen anytime,” Lucas said, and she smiled.

  “I know but I gotta say it anyways.”

  “Of course,” Lucas said with his flirty smile, but then changed it when he remembered that Eleanor Adler wasn’t some girl he was trying to have sex with but his boss. It was so weird having a female as his boss, but he knew Mrs. Adler was no joke. She knew what she wanted and who to kill to get it.

  Mrs. Adler moved a stack of papers in front of Lucas and he froze. He looked down at the stack of paper and all the words started to jumble together.

  This was about to go bad.

>   “Let’s go over some other rules. You can read along with me as I point out the big ones.”

  “Um, well, you see.”

  Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  Lucas looked around the room as he tried to figure out what he was gonna do.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “I, uh, I forgot my glasses at home. Yeah! I didn’t know we would be doing paperwork, my manager/assistant is out in the waiting room, can I go get him? He can help me.”

  “Uh sure, I’ll call him in,” Elli said before picking up the phone and telling her assistant to send Levi in. A few minutes later, Levi walked into the room with a confused look on his face until he saw the paperwork in front of Lucas. Lucas watched as he put on his ‘Ladies love me’ grin and held out his hand for Mrs. Adler.

  “Mrs. Adler, so much more beautiful than I was told,” he said as they shook hands.

  “Why thank you, and you are?”

  “Levi Moss, Lucas’ manager.”

  “Wonderful, we need to go over the Player Regulations paperwork and Lucas forgot his glasses.”

  “He can’t read anything without them, so let’s do this.”

  For the next hour, Lucas sat and listened as Mrs. Adler went over the paperwork. He hated when these things happened, but that was what Levi was for. To always be there when Lucas wasn’t able to read something. It was hard to admit that Lucas had dyslexia, but he did. He couldn’t read without taking an hour on each word. He felt like it made him less of a person, and if people knew about his condition that they would judge him or think he was stupid. And Lucas didn’t do well when people called him stupid. That was the main reason why no one knew except for his mom and Levi about the condition.

  Oh…and Fallon.

  Lucas didn’t mean or even realized he had said her name out loud, until both Mrs. Adler and Levi looked over at him. Levi had an annoyed look on his face while Mrs. Adler had a surprised one of hers.

  “What did you say, Lucas?”

  “I’m sorry, I was just thinking, do you know Fallon Parker?”

  She smiled sweetly. “I do. She is a very good friend of mine and is the reason we are partners with her family’s wine company.”