Rise (Rise & Fall Duet #1) - Grahame Claire Page 0,51

and everyday normal person key instead of a fingerprint. He pushed both open wide.

Muffy rocketed inside, officially at the limit of his patience. Caught off guard, the leash slipped from Eric’s hand. He chased after him.

The dog flew from one room to another, his nose sniffing at warp speed. Eric was right behind him but too slow to keep up.

I looked on helplessly.

Lincoln appeared like he’d stepped into the wrong apartment.

A view of the city was the centerpiece to the entry. The lights spread out like stars. This was a perspective I’d never seen, and I’d lived in New York all my life.

It was breathtaking.

And so very Lincoln.

New York City looked like it belonged to him.

“Lexie!”

I ran toward Eric’s shout. “Where are you?”

He called my name again, this time more urgently.

Was he okay? I shouldn’t have let him run like that. If he was hurt . . .

Panic set in as I searched for my brother. Lincoln was on my heels.

“Lexie! Look!”

Eric stood in the center of a study, pointing to the wall.

“What’s wrong?” I asked breathlessly.

I skidded to a stop when I saw what had Eric shouting. It wasn’t distress. It was excitement in his voice.

His painting was on the wall.

I covered my mouth with my hand. When he’d taken it, I never really thought about what he’d do with it. In the back of my mind, I supposed I envisioned him tossing it somewhere on his way home.

Judging by the plethora of papers on his desk and files on the floor, and from what Beau had mentioned about him over the years, this was the most used room in his house.

And he’d given Eric a prime position.

“Lincoln,” I whispered.

Super stone stood quietly beside us, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. “It belongs there.”

The words caused me to stumble back.

The painting did look perfect where he’d hung it. But there was more behind what he’d spoken. I felt it.

“You like it?” Eric’s tone was half-question and half-declaration.

“Very much so.” Lincoln was quiet, yet certain.

“I wish Millie was here to see this.”

My brother’s attachment to that dog seemed to be growing by the day.

“You can tell her about it tomorrow,” I said.

“Would you mind keeping Muffy company while I unload his belongings?” Lincoln asked.

“Sure.” Eric sank to the floor and the dog lay beside him, head in his lap.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said once we were out in the hall, out of Eric’s earshot.

“I never planned for you to see it.”

Something about that stung, yet touched my soul at the same time. He didn’t intend for us to ever be in his home, even though we’d welcomed him into ours. But Eric’s gift had meant enough to him to display, and it wasn’t for our benefit. He hadn’t known we’d be coming.

“Thank you.”

“Why would you say that? You’re the one who helped me.”

I touched the bellman’s cart. “You just made him incredibly happy. And that’s all I ever want.”

He looked down, like he didn’t know what to do with the compliment. Slowly, he lifted his gaze. “Now you know a fraction of the effect the gift has on me.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lincoln

Eric and Muffy passed out on the sofa in my study.

In front of the painting.

I crooked my finger at Lexie.

She’d slipped off her heels some time ago as we set up Muffy’s things. Seeing her barefoot and comfortable in my home was . . . not as awkward as I always thought.

It was one thing for Beau and Teague to move about as if this were their place—because it was. I didn’t allow anyone else here with the exception of a housekeeper and an occasional maintenance person. Definitely not a woman I was interested in.

She trailed me to the living room and flopped on the sofa as if she’d been here a million times.

“Drink?” I held up a decanter of whiskey.

“No, thank you.”

I put the bottle back in its place and joined her.

“I believe that dog has more possessions than I do.”

Lexie snickered. “That is a lot of stuff for just a vacation.” She tucked her legs up under her. “Why is he here? It’s odd they’d ask you to keep him.”

I leaned my head back. “I’ve come to realize this is my brother’s discreet way of giving me a best friend.”

She looked at me incredulously. “And you let him do it?”

“When it comes to my siblings, apparently no isn’t in my vocabulary.”

“Damn it.” She snapped her fingers. “That means I have something in common with you.”

“The horror,”