Feeling like my body was suddenly that of a ninety-year-old woman, I climbed out of the truck. Ricky stood in the front yard, staring at me.

“Baby, please don’t go. I know you want out of this town as bad as I do. I’ll take care of you, I promise.”

I thought I’d felt sick when Lincoln said those same words to me, but that was only because I hadn’t heard them from Ricky’s lips while I was being forced into something I didn’t want. Now they were a hundred times worse.

I looked at Renee over my shoulder, and she nodded with a manic smile on her face.

She’s completely crazy. Which meant I had no choice. I couldn’t let her carry through with her threats. For the first time in my life, I was going to do something noble and worthy.

Ricky came toward me, holding out the ring. “Marry me, Whitney. Please.”

All the nobility in the world couldn’t stop my stomach from roiling as I forced myself to say the word that was going to change the rest of my life.

“Yes.”

Fifty-Four

Lincoln

Present day

The bellman takes Whitney’s luggage up to the helipad before I lead her out of the room.

“Lincoln! Come join us!”

I hear my mother’s voice coming from the lounge at the end of the VIP hall near the bar. She’s sitting at a table eating breakfast with Maren Higgins.

How the fuck did she get up here again?

Whitney steps out beside me.

“Mother, I told you—”

My mother stands, and Whitney stiffens beside me.

“You don’t need that whore,” my mother snaps. “Not when you have Maren—”

“Give it a rest, Sylvia.” Jackie steps out of her suite and walks toward my mother. She stops beside her table. “Haven’t we all lost enough? Isn’t it time to finally bury the ax? If they want to be together, let them.”

Finally, someone who has some goddamned sense.

“You might work for my daughter, but you can’t speak to me that way.”

“And I’m not going to let you treat my niece like this. She’s never done a thing to you, so why don’t you just let them be happy.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out. It’s the pilot. He’s arrived.

“We’re leaving, Mother. We’ll be back when the media circus dies down. I suggest you take a vacation and do the same.”

I slide my fingers into Whitney’s and lead her down the hall in the opposite direction.

“You little whore! You’re just like your mother! I won’t let you—”

“For the love of God, shut up, Sylvia.”

Thankfully, my mother finally listens to Jackie and goes silent.

Whitney stops and looks at me, indecision clear on her face. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” I squeeze her hand. “I love you.”

Whitney’s blue eyes shine. “I love you too.”

“Then let’s get the hell out of here.”