Rise (Rise & Fall Duet #1) - Grahame Claire Page 0,12

see my brother.

After the fire at Grey Paws, Daniel had graciously offered Teague, Pepper, and Miss Adeline an apartment and the entire bottom floor for the dog rescue.

While I would have preferred they stay with me, these accommodations worked better for the dogs. I understood that and while grateful to the Elliotts for their kindness to my family, I didn’t like not being the one to take care of them. I’d failed my family once by not being able to protect my mother. I wouldn’t fail them again.

Teague, and by extension Pepper, Miss Adeline, and the dogs, were my responsibility. It didn’t matter he was only a few years younger than I was and more than capable of seeing after himself.

I couldn’t change the habit of a lifetime.

That habit included Beau too.

“You didn’t come home last night,” I said quietly when she caught up to me.

Lexie sped ahead to walk with her brother.

Beau’s face turned red, though I wasn’t sure if it was guilt at being caught or anger that I was prying in her personal life.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but it was late. You’d already gone to bed.”

Both. That was what the red shade of her cheeks meant.

“What my sister does is absolutely my business. Especially under my roof.”

She yanked on the chain around her neck. “I can find a new roof to sleep under,” she huffed. “And you sound like Dad.”

She might as well have punched me in the chest. Twice.

I hated that she lived on the other side of the world where I couldn’t watch over her. Beau back in the city, living with me, meant that I could breathe easier. I didn’t want her to find somewhere else to stay.

And the knockout blow: I sounded like our father.

There was nothing I wanted less, though if I were being honest, she was right.

Teague and Beau had thankfully taken after our mother. They had her kindness and spirit even if they’d both been too young to remember that before she died.

Unfortunately, I was my father’s son down to mannerisms, thought patterns, and style of dress.

I was too old to change.

I was who I was.

I’d accepted the ugly truth a long time ago.

But because I was so like him, I could shield my brother and sister from him. That was my place in life. Nothing would change that. Not even their fierce independence.

Unless you go to prison.

I wouldn’t let that stop me either.

“You weren’t working.”

Beau had been behaving strangely, disappearing at odd times and seeming a bit . . . off-balance.

Her eyes rounded. “Are you watching me too?”

I pressed my lips together. Not in real time. But when she hadn’t been home at two in the morning, I’d checked the cameras at the office. To make sure she was safe.

If I wanted an answer for her whereabouts, I’d probably have more success speaking to our father.

“The city isn’t safe at those hours.”

“You were nearly arrested, yet you’re grilling me. I don’t think so, Lincoln.”

Damn it. We were not talking about that. And once we were alone back at home, there’d be no escaping her.

“You do everything by the book. Why would you even be on the feds’ radar?” she pressed.

I gripped the leash more tightly. Muffy glanced back as if he sensed my tension. At least he couldn’t ask me any questions.

“It’s none of your concern.”

“The hell it’s not,” she shouted, garnering the attention of Lexie, Eric, and Miss Adeline.

“I’d appreciate your discretion,” I said quietly.

“Did you know that was coming?”

I halted and drilled her in place with my gaze. “I would never intentionally disrupt Teague’s important moment.” And no, I hadn’t known I was under investigation, let alone they’d found enough to attempt to arrest me.

“I—” She clutched the gold chain, looking contrite. “I know that. I’m just . . . worried.”

“Don’t be.”

Eric held the elevator open for us.

“We’re not done talking about this,” Beau said through gritted teeth as she marched forward.

I pressed my lips together.

Talking to her would be worse than federal agents.

Chapter Eight

Lexie

“We have ice cream at our place. Homemade strawberry. Want to come?”

Was Eric determined to torture me?

No. My brother didn’t have a malicious bone in his body.

He’d made a new friend in Lincoln. More like he’d adopted Lincoln as his friend. I wasn’t so sure the feeling was reciprocated.

Discreetly, I shook my head behind my brother’s back. Lincoln would say no anyway, but I wanted to make sure he knew he wasn’t welcome.

Even if I’d wanted his company—which I definitely