Page 190 of Ride the Sky

Pappy pales. “Weston?” He snorts, hanging onto his bravado. “He’s nothing more than a pompous showboat.”

“He has evidence,” I say. “Proof from that day. It’ll be in the papers tomorrow. Everyone will know you rig rides. Nearly kill your clients.” I step forward, kicking a boot into his side. “You’re fucked Pappy. It’s over.”

Pappy sinks to his knees in the dust of the barn. His face looks like shit, cut up and bleeding.

“So what do we do now?” Tripp asks over my shoulder.

“We make him hurt.” Wyatt moves fast around the barn, grabbing a length of rope. Then he crouches down next to Pappy, shoving him into a sitting position. “You’re gonna feel what Fallon felt that day. You’re gonna be in just as much pain as she was…but this time, no one’s gonna be around to help you.”

I shiver at the venom in his voice. He’s ruthless vengeance, and I’ve never loved him more.

Wyatt hands me one end of the rope. The other end he knots around Pappy’s ankle. “Tie this to Lawless.”

Pappy swallows. “Please, I’ll—”

“Do anything?” Wyatt’s voice is hard as he shoves up to stand. Fire blazes in his eyes. “That ship’s fuckin’ sailed.”

Doubt and worry twist my stomach. “Wyatt.”

His eyes meet mine. His fingers take my chin. “He hurt you.” My breath catches at the gravity in his voice. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”

As my mind careens through the last few months, pain, bitterness wedges itself in my chest. “No,” I say. “Don’t stop.”

“Here.” Tripp leads out Lawless.

“I want to do it,” I demand and take the free end of the rope. I work a Honda knot around the saddle horn.

Pappy takes a shuddering breath, a sound between a moan and a sob erupts from his mouth.

I look Lawless in those big beautiful dark eyes. “You know what to do, girl.” She nickers softly, ears pricked forward.

“Fuck,” Tripp breathes, wide-eyed. He shakes himself out of his daze, looks at me. “I’ll take care of Pappy. You go.”

“Let him go three rounds and then halt Lawless,” I tell Tripp. “I want Pappy breathing when that article hits.”

Grinning, Wyatt slaps Tripp on the back. “Come by Nowhere when you’re done. You’ve earned yourself a drink.”

With that, Wyatt takes my hand and leads me out of the barn and into the sunset.

Loud music. Sticky dance floor. Bright neon.

Nowhere.

Between watching Fallon damn near give me a heart attack and beatin’ Pappy’s ass, it’s about fucking time we enjoy the day.

“You ready to break some news?” Fallon murmurs.

I take her hand. “Can’t damn wait.”

My gaze settles on her ring finger. The tattoo. My heart pulses. No damn way to describe that feeling. What she did. It’s permanent.Weare permanent.

My girl.

My fucking wife.

We lock eyes and she grins. “Let’s get this over with.”

I scour the room and find my family at the back of the bar, standing around the dart board and a pair of low cocktail tables with chairs. Across both tables, a graveyard of beers and shots.

---