32
AVA
This breakup was ten times worse than the first one.
But wait… We hadn’t really broken up, had we? Lincoln just allowed me to escape without argument. Somehow, that made things worse because I felt guilty as all hell. He texted me after I ran. He hadn’t demanded answers, hadn’t sent angry words. He simply asked if I was okay.
Once I had checked into a hotel, I responded. His next question had really driven the nail of guilt into my chest.
Are you safe?
I told him where I was, so he wouldn’t worry, and then I cried harder. Even after I turned down his proposal, Lincoln remained concerned about me. He was such an amazing guy. Iwantedto marry him. Every fiber of my being had screamed yes when he got down on one knee with that ring. But I couldn’t say yes. Not with Derek’s threat hanging over us like a dark cloud. Not when my ambition threatened his name, his business, everything he’d built.
I had to protect him fromme. From this obsessive need I had to prove myself as a journalist. Yet, everything in me was telling me to go home to Lincoln. Right now.
Groaning, I flopped back onto the bed. I’d been holed up in this room for two days trying tothink,as I’d told Lincoln I needed time to do. But I was getting nowhere. I still had no answers, still couldn’t come to any decision. Maybe I needed to get outside the four walls—take a walk… do anything but torture myself.
I rolled off the bed, shoved my feet into my sneakers, and pulled on a hoodie. They were among the few things I’d grabbed before my hectic dash from Lincoln’s place. I decided to throw on my sunglasses too because there was still a chance Derek, the menace, was watching me. That thought made me shudder.
Once I was outside, I took a much-needed gulp of fresh air. The neighborhood was quiet and upscale. It was a far cry from the first hotel I’d stayed in when I first came to LA—where I’d clutched my purse with my pepper spray like a lifeline and triple-locked the door every night. Here, I felt safer. Notcompletelysafe, but safe enough to walk without constantly checking over my shoulder.
I ducked into a corner café and ordered the strongest coffee they had. Sleep had eluded me for two nights straight. The first few sips hit me with a jolt of clarity. I needed to figure things out. I couldn’t leave Lincoln hanging like this. He didn’t deserve it.
I wandered, sipping my coffee, watching the world move around me. Joggers ran past, a kid zoomed by on a scooter, a lady yapped on her phone as she walked her dog… The world kept spinning, but I felt distant from it. Lost.
That was when I spotted something in my periphery that didn’t fit in with everything else. A tinted SUV crawling a few feet behind. I felt that prickling sensation at the back of my neck, too. The one where you knew you were being watched.
My heart started to hammer. I wasn’t sure what to do—run or scream bloody murder to get other people’s attention. It could be Derek or someone else sent by that evil music executive. I slowedmy pace to casually glance into a shop window, hoping to catch the driver’s reflection. He had the window down, so I got a look at him.
Wait a minute… I stopped walking and spun around. It was one of Lincoln’s guys. As someone with billions who also had a level of fame, of course he had security. But they didn’t follow him around and form human barricades like you saw with other celebrities. These guys were more subtle. Whenever they accompanied Lincoln anywhere, you didn’t see them much. Sometimes I’d even forget they were there.
I peered at the guy, whose face I knew well because he was one of Lincoln’s most trusted. In fact, he was theownerof a security firm Lincoln had on retainer. They were friends. He grinned at me, and I bet his eyes gleamed with amusement behind his sunglasses.
“Charlie, right?” I asked when I stepped closer to the SUV.
“Hello, Miss Montgomery.”
“How long have you been following me?”
“I’ve been parked outside your hotel since the night you checked in.”
My heart jolted. Lincoln sent him as soon as I told him where I was. I lifted an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be… I don’t know… more inconspicuous.”
His smile broadened. “I wasn’t trying to hide.”
I tucked my chin into my chest and chuckled. Lincoln. That incredible man. I had hurt him, and he still ensured my protection. God, I loved him. That was the moment of clarity I needed. I had to see him and explain why I ran off. He deserved the truth. With a determined sigh, I opened the passenger door.
“Can you take me to him, please?”
Charlie nodded. “It would be my pleasure.”
The elevator ride to Lincoln’s office felt longer than usual. My heart thudded harder with every passing second, and my nerves tangled with guilt. Charlie had walked me in, ensuring I was delivered right to Sienna.
Lincoln’s assistant greeted me warmly. “Hey, Ava. Go on right in.”
I blinked. “Are you sure? Shouldn’t you call him? See if he’s busy.”
She chuckled. “There’s no one in there with him, and he gave strict orders. If it’s Ava, send her right in. No questions.”
