46. Lincoln
46
LINCOLN
“You got shot and you didn’t tell me?”
At the sheer volume of Ellie’s shriek, I pulled the phone away from my ear. “It was really more of a graze.”
“Lincoln Montgomery Pierce, did a bullet enter your body or not?”
I winced and this time it wasn’t due to any physical pain. The truth was, at five days post-injury, I was only feeling a twinge when I moved too fast. I reached out a hand to stroke Stardust’s cheek. “It entered and exited without harming anything important. I’m fine. I didn’t want to worry you.”
A sniff sounded across the line. “You promise you’re okay?”
At the sound of tears in Ellie’s voice, I gave myself a mental kick. “I’m totally and completely fine. Arden is like a drill sergeant with my care, and I’m back on my feet. I’m out with Stardust right now, actually.”
There was another sniff and the sound of something rustling in the background. “How’s my pretty girl doing?”
“She’s great. I found out she has a fondness for watermelon,” I said, glancing at the workers who were just finishing up installing a generator on the side of Arden’s house.
“Really?” Ellie asked, a hint of amusement making its way into her tone.
“Stole a cube right out of my hand.”
“You’ve been spoiling her with it ever since, haven’t you?”
I chuckled. “Maybe.”
Ellie sighed. “How’s Arden holding up?”
I glanced toward the studio where Vicious had been locked away for hours on end the past few days. “She’s dealing how she deals. Putting it all into her art.”
Ellie was quiet for a moment. “Do you think you two should leave? Get some distance from Sparrow Falls and whoever this maniac is?”
It wasn’t a bad idea, but I couldn’t force Arden into that. “She’s already lost so much, El. I can’t make her leave her life again. Plus, if we go anywhere else, we wouldn’t have this many people watching our backs.”
“Please be careful,” she whispered.
“I will. Promise.”
“Thank you.”
“How are things going with you?” I asked. The question was hesitant. I didn’t want Ellie to feel any pressure from my corner. If she broke off her engagement, it had to come from her alone.
Sounds of more shifting came across the line, and I could picture Ellie curling into a ball like she often did, hugging her knees to her chest. “I told Bradley I needed a pause.”
It took everything in me not to cheer out loud. “How did that go?”
“He told me to go to the spa for a week.”
I blinked a few times as if that would clear the ridiculousness of Bradley’s comment. “Seriously?”
“Yep,” Ellie said, popping the P. “I tried to explain that I wasn’t sure if I was happy. He told me it was just cold feet. That I should take a girls’ trip and go shopping. Everything would be fine. ”
“El Bell.”
“I know,” she whispered. “How did I end up with someone who doesn’t even know who I am? Who doesn’t care that I’m not happy?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. I got myself into this mess. I need to get myself out. But it doesn’t help that Bradley must’ve said something to Dad.”
I stiffened. “What did he do?”
“Just called and reamed me out. Reminded me that a Pierce always follows through on their promises. That I needed to do the same or I’d regret it.”
Rage blasted through me. “That’s rich coming from him.”
Ellie went quiet, and I realized my mistake, my anger getting the best of me and forcing something free that never should’ve left my mouth. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Nothing. I?—”
“Linc. Stop shielding me from everything. I’m not six anymore.”
I snapped my mouth closed. Hell. She knew. Knew I was hiding things from her. She could feel it.
“Linc,” Ellie whispered.
“I never wanted to burden you with any of it. You were too young and…”
“I’m not young now.”
“But you’ll always be my little sister.”
Ellie let out an audible breath. “Have you ever considered that keeping things from me isn’t protecting me?”
“You sound like Arden,” I grumbled.
“Well, you’re obviously not an idiot because you fell in love with a smart woman.”
“I did, didn’t I?”
“Tell me,” Ellie said softly.
I gripped the fence rail with my free hand, letting the rough pieces dig into my palm as I tried to summon the words. My gaze went unfocused, the horses in front of me blurring as my eyes stung. “Mom tried to leave him. She wanted to take us with her. ”
Ellie sucked in air but didn’t speak.
“She went to a lawyer to start the proceedings, but you know Dad. Eyes everywhere. He was waiting for her when she got home. Told her that if she tried to leave, he’d take every cent she had to her name and keep her from ever seeing us again.”
“There’s no way. It wouldn’t have worked,” Ellie argued.
“Wouldn’t it have? You know how Dad is. He’s got resources everywhere. Had a file of false evidence. And he made sure Mom knew it.”
“She must’ve been so scared.”
My rib cage tightened around my lungs, making it difficult to draw in a full breath. “She was.”
“How?” Ellie whispered. “How did you know?”
“I overheard them.” I could still picture everything as if it were yesterday, pressing myself against the wall next to the stupid priceless statue I’d wanted to smash into a million pieces. “He was cheating on her. Repeatedly. And after that day, he rubbed it in her face. Made sure she knew exactly what he was doing.”
“Mom,” Ellie croaked.
“I know,” I rasped. “He beat her down, little by little. And that accident, on the bridge… El, there were no skid marks, no evidence that Mom tried to brake.”
Ellie was quiet for a long while, and I gave it to her. Everything I’d just piled onto her required time to process.
“He killed her.”
“Yeah. He did.” Though it wasn’t by cutting brake lines or sabotaging her engine. He killed her by stealing her life away, little by little.
More silence reigned. Finally, Ellie spoke again. “I need to go.”
“El—”
“I’m okay. Maybe I’m finally seeing things clearly now. But I have some things I need to do.”
“Let me help?—”
“No, Linc. I need to do this myself. I’ve let too many people step in for me in my life. I need to handle this on my own.”
I knew what Ellie meant. The life she’d lived had been one of privilege, but it didn’t come without a price. And maybe she was done paying it.
“I’m here for you,” I said. “You need a safe place to land, I’ve got you.”
“Thanks, ConCon. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She hung up before I could say anything else. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the device, hoping like hell I’d done the right thing.