Page 215 of Ride the Sky

I saddle up Lawless and take her into a trot in the frost-covered field.

The sun is shining. The wind is brisk. The grass crunches beneath Lawless’s hooves.

Almost unconsciously, my eyes drift across the street. Tripp’s house. That night.

I came close to losing everything. Including Wyatt.

It makes my blood run cold to remember. Wyatt screaming my name. Tripp’s blood. His touch. But every day it’s getting easier. Thanks to Wyatt. My husband who never lets me fall apart. Who has always fought for me.

Finally, I force my eyes away from the crime scene tape and snap the reins.

Lawless chuffs. My heart hammers. She’s ready. So am I. We race, icy air slicing at our faces. We ride the sky until we come to the outskirts of town. In the distance, Meadow Mountain. The scent of pine fills my nose.

I steady Lawless, taking it all in. The wild, fucked-up life of mine.

My phone pings. I pull it from my knapsack and scoff at the DM in my Instagram messages.

I still got you beat.

It’s from Cole Weston. Only this time, it’s not a fake account. The username is WestonWhiskey. Location Tempest, Montana.

Smiling, I message him back.You just let me know where and when to kick your ass.

I pocket my phone. Then I snap the reins and ride Lawless back to the cottage. Back to where my entire life awaits.

Under that big blue never-ending sky.

ONE MONTH LATER

It’s a crisp and cold morning on Runaway Ranch. October’s landed with a vengeance, just like this entire last month.

A lot’s happened.

After Cole Weston released the article, Pappy effectively got ousted from anything to do with rodeo. I declined the offer to continue with the Younger School. As luck would have it, a few past students came forward accusing Rand Younger of abuse, forcing him to close his school. Tripp’s still fucking dead.

Life’s goddamn great.

And I’m about to blow it all up.

I swing open the door to the Bullshit Box, stroll inside, and grin.

My brothers stand around, tossing darts and drinking beers. Keena lies in her bed, Mouse is perched on a windowsill. Lainie, swaddled tight in a pink blanket, sleeps in a small bassinet on top of Davis’s desk.

“Anyone work anymore, or y’all just loafin’?” I ask, perching on the edge of the sofa arm.

“Get in here, have a beer.” Charlie tosses me a cold can from the cooler.

“What’s goin’ on?” Ford asks, launching a dart at the bullseye. “Ain’t seen you much.”

“We’re all busy.” I shrug. The off-season has all of us doing our own things. “Ain’t you and Reese ’bout to go on tour?”

He grins. “Through the end of the year. Then we’ll be back to make a baby or some shit like that.”

Charlie grins.

Davis’s eyes drop to my ring finger. The new tattoo that lives there. “You and Fallon doin’ okay?”

“Yeah, we’re doin’ okay.” I give my brother a look, and he nods. “Best we can, right?”

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