Page 172 of Ride the Sky

Davis glares then drags a hand over his head. “Makin’ me go gray, Cupcake.”

Dakota leans in, kissing him, and whispers, “Only you.”

Hard expression softening, Davis traps Dakota in his arms and leans back against the couch.

“Ford,” Dakota starts, struggling to read her card beneath Davis’s massive bicep. “If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would you choose?”

“Fuckin’ easy.” Ford scoffs. Then his gaze lands on Reese. “Reese.”

Howls from all of us.

“Oh my god.” Reese’s eyes are wide. Her cheeks pink with delight. Embarrassment. “You’re disgusting, Ford.”

He laughs, slaps her ass. “Okay, Birdie, you’re up.” Reading his card, he says, “Who is most likely to get into a bar fight?”

Ford throws the card in the air in defeat. Everyone groans, their gazes snapping to me and Fallon.

Fallon waves her fingers, tattoos rippling.

“I don’t even need to answer that,” Reese quips, drawing a card. “Wyatt.” Her emerald eyes gleam. “What’s the biggest secret you’ve ever kept?”

“Not that,” Charlie booms when my eyes flick to Fallon. “We already know that one.”

“Don’t be a chicken,” Reese teases.

“Hell, you’re puttin’ me on the spot,” I try to joke. I know my voice holds a sliver of trepidation, but I can’t help it.

Weight settles in my chest. For so long, I’ve held this secret about Younger. One that ate at me over the years. I’m tired of it. Tired of always trying to convince everyone I’m the fun one who doesn’t get too worked up about life, doesn’t take anything too seriously.

Fallon slips her tattooed fingers through mine and whispers, “Tell them, Wyatt. It’s time.”

My heart hammers. She’s right. If everyone else can be honest, so can I. I’ve got the bravest woman in the world by my side.

Davis frowns. “Tell us what?”

At the expectant stares, I clear my dry throat then say, “I lied to y’all. About the training job.”

“Ain’t no secret you hate it,” Ford says. “Picked up on that pretty damn loud and clear.”

“I don’t hate it because I quit rodeo.” I pause and take a deep breath before continuing. “I hate it because of Younger.”

“Younger?” Charlie frowns. “But he’s the best.”

“Yeah. He is.” I jerk my head in a nod. “Remember that horseback riding accident I got into when I was fourteen?”

The room gets deathly quiet, and my brothers tense, their faces pained. Everyone in my family had been a wreck, cominghome from their jobs, taking time away to be there for me. I’ll never forget that.

I swallow the brick in my throat and say, “It wasn’t an accident.”

Ford looks startled, his eyes slicing to Charlie’s.

Davis tenses, shifts on the couch. “What are you talkin’ about?”

Fallon squeezes my fingers, urging me on. Giving me her strength.

“I lied.” I look up. “It was Younger. He beat the shit out of me.”

A gasp from Ruby.

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