“Says the girl who nearly face-planted into a feed bucket last week because she couldn’t see it even with all the lights on.”
I gape at him. “You—you saw that?”
“Sweetheart, the entire barn saw that. Plus, I see more than you think I do.”
“Oh my god.” I slap a hand over my forehead. “I was really hoping I played that cool.”
“Not a chance. But it was impressive, I’ll give you that. Ten out of ten recover.”
“You’re awful when you start talking more.”
“You’re welcome.”
There’s that light laughter between us again. Despite how hard he fights it, it’s too natural for two people who barely know each other. But that’s the entirety of the last couple of weeks, I guess. With all of them. Except Lincoln, of course. He’s done everything he can to keep his distance.
Until today.
We ride farther following the fenceline where the snow deepens into drifts. Everything around us looks like a painting. Griffin keeps glancing at Ranger like he’s trying to act cool but is secretly thrilled to be here.
Lincoln burrows further into the collar of his jacket. “I… um… I meant to tell you… the car Lawson gave you.”
“Yeah?”
He exhales, the sound heavy. “It was my ex-wife’s. Melissa.”
I blink. “Oh.”
“I don’t know… I didn’t need to tell you,” he goes on, sounding almost irritated. Not with me but with himself. “But if you’re using it, you should know.”
“Wh-what happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”
He shifts slightly in his saddle. “Met her in college. Married her at twenty-three. Thought I knew what I was doing. I didn’t.” A bitter laugh escapes him. “She cheated on me. Jasper found out first. Caught her at the rodeo in Billings with some guy he competed against. He told me, and I signed the papers six weeks later.”
My chest twists. “I’m sorry.”
He nods once. Not dismissing my apology, just absorbing it.
Then, like he realizes he’s said more in the last minute than he intended to all week, he says, “Anyway… how was your life in New York?”
My whole body freezes, and so does Griffin beneath me.
Lincoln instantly looks like he wants to rewind time. “Abigail. Sweetheart—shit.” He pulls Ranger closer and reaches out, his hand landing warm and gentle against my thigh. His thumb rubbing small circles. “I’m sorry. That was stupid of me. I shouldn’t have asked that.”
The sincerity in his voice hits deeper than the words. And he’s right. But also… I’m tired of running from this. From all of it.
Taking a slow breath, I shake my head ever so slightly. “No. It’s okay. Really.”
He watches me carefully. Waiting. So I tell him.
Not everything. Not the darkest corners of my past. But enough that the shape of who I am and how I got here is clear.
“My family owed the Bratva a debt,” I start quietly. “A big one. And instead of paying it in money… they paid with me and my sister.” Lincoln’s jaw goes hard, but he stays silent. “The Novikovs took me in an arrangement. I was supposed to marry Aleksandr, the older of the two brothers. The one that was a little more sane. He was the heir.”
Ranger shifts, but Lincoln’s hand stays steady on my leg.
“When Aleksandr was killed, instead of letting me go, they passed me along to his brother, Maxim. Like I was nothing more than a piece of property.” I can feel the tears sting the backs of my eyes. “I was… I was nothing to them. Nothing but leverage. Nothing but something to trade and control.”
Lincoln blows out a breath so rough I can feel the intensity of it deep in my chest.
