I just turned a legend into a liar with a single truth.

The questions come rapid fire after that.

“You wrote his songs?”

“Why would Ricky lie?”

“Why make the claim now when Ricky can’t defend himself?”

“Do you have proof?”

And from Renee, “She’s a lying whore! Don’t believe a word she says!”

“If you want proof, I have over a decade’s worth, including every single draft of every song and all the brainstorming that went into it. No matter what Renee Rango says or what you think, Ricky Rango wasn’t the man he showed to the world. When I asked for a divorce, because I found out he’d been cheating, he threatened to kill me. That was your rock legend. He lived a lie, and he died with people believing that lie.”

“Why come forward now?”

“Because I’m tired of being the victim. I’ve spent too long letting other people dictate my life, and I’m taking my power back. Thank you for your time. I’m done here.”

I turn, and Lincoln follows at my back as we walk toward the pedestrian gate. McKinley pulls it open from the inside.

The press continues to yell questions until a gunshot explodes.

“Get down!” Lincoln wraps his arms around me and throws us both through the gate. We hit the ground hard and the metal slams shut behind us.

Eleven

Lincoln

I use my body to cover Whitney on the ground and reach out a hand to pull my sister closer. We wait for another shot to come, but all we hear is mass hysteria.

“Get her gun!”

“Don’t let her—”

“No!”

That’s when the second gunshot comes, and this one is even louder. I brace for impact, but when nothing hits me, I roll off Whitney and maneuver her and McKinley behind the stone column for better cover.

“Stay here. Don’t move.”

I stand as Commodore zips down the driveway in his power chair, holding his shotgun in his lap.

“No one move,” Commodore roars. “The sheriff will be here momentarily to arrest the person who just attempted to murder my grandson.”

“Oh my God. Did she hit you?” Whitney whips around, panic in her tone as she scours me for injury.

“No. I’m fine.”

“My son died because of that little whore,” Renee Rango screams. “She doesn’t get to live!”

Whitney attempts to peek around the column to see the woman, but I lock my arms around her.

“Don’t move until someone has her secured. Don’t make yourself an easy target.”

“But—” Whitney tries to protest, but I’m not going to take a chance with her. I meet her frantic blue gaze.

“Your life is more important than whatever shit that crazy woman has to spew. I won’t let Renee Rango take you from me again. No way in hell.”

The crack of another gunshot has me locking my arms tighter around her.

“That bitch!” Commodore yells from the driveway. “She fucking shot me!”

My gaze snaps to my grandfather. His left arm hangs at his side, blood soaking his white shirt.