A Very Merry Hitman (Holiday With a Hitman #2)

1. Prologue

Prologue

Nessa put her palm on the biometric scanner at her aunt and uncle’s house and stomped inside, trying to kick her sneakers off before she ran for the kitchen. “Aunt Elli!”

“Hey, kiddo.” Her aunt looked up from the big mess on the center island. Her drone was open, with parts lying on a hand towel.

“Oh my god, what happened to Luna?” Luna was the name of her aunt Elli’s drone. She used it to spy on people and had taught Nessa to use it like a pro. Nessa was going to be a fighter pilot one day. Or maybe a spy…or maybe she’d play professional soccer first. She hadn’t decided. She was only eleven, so she figured she still had time.

“Nothing.” Her aunt didn’t look up again as she screwed something in place. She had on big goggles that made her eyes look huge. “Just…fixing a couple of bugs. You hungry? We’ve got snacks in the fridge. Healthy ones too, so I can tell your mom you ate something good over here.”

“I’m fine.” She was actually starving but had more important things than food to talk about. “Last year you got me the coolest gift ever.” Her aunt Elli had introduced her to musical superstar Rebel Martinez. Her friends hadn’t believed her until she’d shown them pictures. Now it was all anyone ever wanted to talk about, even a year later.

“Reigning Christmas present champ.” Her aunt smiled to herself .

“My mom says that’s not a thing.”

Aunt Elli looked up at her. “Your mom is amazing and beautiful and I love her…but it’s totally a thing.”

“I agree. And I have a favor to ask. I know I’m not supposed to ask for presents, but since you’re the champ—”

Her aunt shoved up her big mask thing, blinked once as she shook her head. “You can ask me anything.” She batted at some of her blonde hair, tried to get it to stay back out of her face.

Nessa took a big breath. “I want a new dad for Christmas.”

Her aunt blinked once. Twice. Then again. “You know I’d do anything for you, sweetheart. Your uncle Theo would too. But…” She cleared her throat and for the first time since Nessa had met her, Aunt Elli looked nervous. Or maybe confused.

“I want Dante to be my dad. He loves my mom and he loves me and I’m pretty sure my mom loves him too. I don’t understand why they’re not married. He’s at our house all the time and he lives so close anyway. Moving in would be easy.” She’d realized this summer that it made so much sense. Now she just had to get her mom and Dante to wake up. Sometimes grown-ups just needed a little nudge to see what was right in front of them.

“Ooohhh…” Aunt Elli nodded slowly, then grinned in a way she did when they spied on people. “I think I have an idea.”

“I knew you would. That’s why you’re my favorite.” Nessa had only known her aunt a little over a year but she was the coolest person she’d ever met. Super smart according to her grandparents, made a ton of money, gave a ton of it away, and she knew Rebel Martinez. Plus she let Nessa spy on people and never snitched. She wasn’t like a normal adult.

“I feel like you’re manipulating me, but I don’t even care. Okay, we’re going to get the two of them together because your mom is the nicest human being I’ve ever met, and against all odds she’s into that…Dante.”

“Hey!” Nessa loved Dante. He was the absolute best. He always made her mom smile and laugh in a way no one else ever did. And he came to all her school stuff, took her to soccer practice if her mom couldn’t, read to her when she asked… It was like he was born to be a dad. Her dad.

Her aunt just grinned. “I’m joking. Mostly. He’s my rival for your affection. I want to be your number one aunt of all time.”

“If he becomes my dad, then you’ll have no rivals in the aunt or uncle department.” Well, except for Uncle Theo, but she kept that to herself.

Her aunt’s smile grew even wider. “You’re right. Okay, grab some food because I know you’re hungry. I have a call to make and we’re going to come up with a plan.”