Her expression creases with concern. “Are you sure that’s the best idea?”

“It was a graze. He said he had worse in the war.”

“What about . . . Mrs. Rango?” McKinley asks.

“The deputies blocked off the area, and the coroner arrived before we came inside.”

“I still can’t believe this . . .” Whitney trails off.

“I know. But it’s not your fault.”

She shakes her head as I wrap an arm around her shoulders. “I just want it all to be over. I don’t want to lose anyone else. I don’t care who it is. There’s been too much loss.”

“It will be over. I promise.”

“Ricky’s fans are going to be so angry when they hear about Renee,” Whitney whispers.

“And that’s not our problem.” I close my arms around her and pull her into my chest. “It’s going to be fine. I’m proud of you. You were amazing.” I press a kiss to her forehead.

McKinley’s cell phone rings, and she pulls it from her pocket to look at it. “I’m sorry, I have to take this. Will you excuse me?”

“We’ll leave you here in peace. I’ll be close if you need me, Mac.”

“Don’t call me that,” my sister says before she answers the phone.

She starts talking, and I lead Whitney toward the door.

“I’m worried about her,” Whitney says. “She puts on a good front, but she’s still a little girl who just lost her mom and then saw her grandpa get shot.”

My hand tightens its grip on Whitney’s. “I know. But I also know my sister. She’s not playing. She’s strong. She’ll grieve, but it’ll happen in her own time and her own way.”

“What about you?” she asks.

“I’ve been grieving the loss of my mother since the night my father died. We lost part of her then, and we never got her back.”

Whitney’s arms wrap around me. “I’m so sorry, Lincoln. I could apologize a million times and it wouldn’t be enough. I just hope Commodore—”

I interrupt her before she can keep saying she’s sorry. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t do any of this. I didn’t do any of this. That’s what we have to remember. We did nothing wrong. Please tell me you understand and believe that.”

Whitney is quiet for several moments. “I’m not going to run, if that’s what you’re asking.” She looks up at me, and the conviction in her expression gives me a punch of strength. “I’m done running. I’m staying here. With you. If you’ll still have me.”

“I’ll always have you.” I lower my forehead to hers and breathe her in as I squeeze her tighter. “You leaving is the one thing that would break me, Blue. With you, I can take on anything. Without you, I’d go back to being a shell of a man.”

I pause for a beat, and I know this isn’t the time to share what else I’m thinking, but if today has taught me anything, it’s that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. I pull back to meet her beautiful blue gaze that sucked me in from that very first night.