The Barn is exactly that, an oversized, red barn on the outskirts of town. Equipped with a full gym, sparring ring, and bull simulator, The Barn is the go-to place for local bull riders—both professional and wannabe—which also makes it a cesspool of assholes from all walks of life.

Owned by bull-rider-turned-professional-trainer Roy MacElroy, The Barn has been my home away from home for as long as I can remember. When I was young and angry at the world, Roy gave me an outlet. He helped me channel my emotions into something worth fighting for.

Myself.

He taught me that strength isn’t about size by introducing me to my first bull.

Lucy was fifteen hundred pounds of wild muscle. The first time I got the nerve to climb on her back, she tossed me around like a rag doll. I only stayed on for two seconds, but it was long enough for me to fall in love with the sport.

Bull riding is a combination of reaction, reflex, coordination, flexibility, and core strength. Through weight training, cardio, and stretching, Roy taught me how to use my scrawny frame to my advantage—although at six-foot-one, one hundred and ninety-five pounds, no one today would dare call me puny.

With Roy’s guidance and training, and a heavy dose of determination, I made it to the PBR, where I met Adley’s brother, Rhett. He climbed to the top of the ranks, going so far as to win three world championships before getting back together with his high school sweetheart and deciding the life of a professional bull rider wasn’t for him.

While he was closing out his final season, I was being booted out of the PBR lineup, and without the backing of some giant sponsors, there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

Now, instead of competing against the new wave of arrogant young pricks, I’m helping train them. I shouldn’t complain. It’s a job, and right now I need all the money I can get.

So anyway, while I’m here to blow off steam, I’m also here to work.

I enter The Barn through the back door, rather than the front, a perk of being like a son to the owner.

Roy is standing at the back of the locker room, restocking the shelf with clean towels. “Hey.”

I nod in his direction. “Is Hunter here yet?”

“Yup. He’s out there waiting on ya.”

“Good. I hope he’s ready to get his ass handed to him.”

Hunter Bradley is one of those pricks I’ve been training. He’s cocky, rich, and insanely talented.

Flinging a towel over his shoulder, Roy looks at me. “You just came from your father’s house, didn’t ya?” he asks, walking across the room.

“How can you tell?”

“You always have this wild look in your eye after you leave his place. I take it the visit didn’t go well.”

“Does it ever?”

Roy frowns and pats my back. “You’re a good son, Linc. A much better one than he deserves.”

“Tell him that.”

“My guess is he already knows; he’s just too stubborn to swallow his pride and admit to it. Oh, your sister is here. She’s at the front desk waiting to talk to ya.”

“What’s Chloe doing here?”

“Don’t know. Didn’t ask. But she’s been out there about twenty minutes or so. I reckon you better get out there before she leaves.”

I toss my gym bag onto the bench and walk across the muggy room. Roy stops me before I make it to the door.

“She looks happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen her. Said she has one more final and she’ll be done with school.” I nod, and he continues. “You should be proud.”

“I am, but Chloe did all the work.”

Chloe worked hard for her teaching degree. It took a little longer than expected because money was tight, but we got her there.

“Nah.” He looks down and shakes his head before bringing his eyes back to mine. “She might’ve put in the work, but you made it possible.”

“Yeah, illegally.” I laugh, although it isn’t at all funny.

At the beginning of Chloe’s senior year of high school, I asked her what she wanted to do with her life. Her answer pissed me off.

“What life?” she’d said. “Dad can’t afford to put me through school. I’ll probably end up knocked up and cleaning hotel rooms like Mom.”

I told her to try again, to imagine what she’d like to do if she had the money for college.

She shrugged her shoulders and looked off in the distance. “A teacher. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. But it’s just a dream, Linc.”

It was a dream I was determined to make come true.

That was the year fellow bull rider Carlos Romero introduced me to the world of illegal, unsanctioned bull riding. Turns out rich men like to gamble on the lives of men like me, men crazy enough or desperate enough to mount a pissed-off bull in a run-down barn in the middle of a forgotten field.

I made enough money at the first ride to pay for Chloe’s first semester of college, and I kept showing up until I had enough to get her through the first two years.

When Roy found out what I was doing, he was pissed. It took a forceful slap upside the head for me to realize illegal bull riding wasn’t the answer to my problems, even though it sure did help ease the burden. Truth be told, I was risking my career and my freedom.

Now that my career is shot, it’s an option if times get tough.

Roy clears his throat. “Rose and I were talkin’, and we’d like to throw Chloe a little party. Nothing fancy, just something here at the gym. A few close friends and some cake. Somethin’ to celebrate her graduation.”

“She’d like that. Let me know what you decide, and I’ll help out however I can.”

“This one’s on me. All you have to do is show up.”

Roy smiles and walks out of the locker room. I follow close behind. I don’t immediately see Chloe, so I walk toward the front door, hoping she didn’t already leave.

“Hey, Linc.”

I look over and smile at Rose. She’s sitting at the reception desk with a pencil tucked behind her ear and spreadsheets scattered on the desk. Roy has two girls, and they couldn’t be more different. Violet is five years older than Rose, and she’s the free spirit of the family. She hightailed it out of town the second she turned eighteen, determined to conquer the world. But not Rose. Rose is a homebody. All she wants is to settle down in the town where she grew up and be close to her dad.

“Hey, Rose. Did Chloe leave?”

She shakes her head. “She stepped out to make a phone call. She’ll be right back. Don’t forget to sign in.” She taps the clipboard on the front desk, and I scrawl my name across it.

“Your dad told me about the party for Chloe.”

“I know it’s short notice, but I was thinking next Saturday. I’ll let a few of the guys know. It’ll just be something small with a few of her friends.”

“Next Saturday is perfect. But you know you don’t have to do this, right?”

Rose smiles and fiddles with a paper on the desk. “Chloe is like family. She helped Dad throw a graduation party for a me last year, so this is the least I can do.”

I open my mouth, but Rose stops me.

“She’s my best friend, Linc. I want to do this.”

“She’s lucky to have you in her life.”

Rose swallows. “I’m here for you too, you know.”

Chloe’s laughter saves me, and I glance toward the front door in time to see her walk through it, followed by my friend Deacon.

Chloe sees me and smiles. Her smile is bright and reminds me so much of our mother’s. Chloe and I share the same eyes—big and round, the color of dark chocolate, and framed by thick black lashes—something we inherited from our father. But everything else she got from Mom. Her high cheek bones, small button nose, and dark straight hair make it nearly impossible to look at her and not see the woman who brought us into this world.

It’s also something she doesn’t like to be reminded of.

“Hey,” she says, taking a step toward me.

“What are you doing here?” I pull her in for a hug, making sure to nudge Deacon back a few steps in the process.

He chuckles. The last thing Chloe needs is to get tied up with one of these assholes.

Deacon is a damn good friend, but the guy can’t keep his dick in his pants to save his life, and Chloe deserves better than that.

Shit. I wonder if that’s how Rhett would feel if he found out about Adley and me.

“It’s Friday. You always come here on Friday, and I wanted to see you. Did you just come from Dad’s house?”

“Yup.” I nod for her to follow me to the locker room.

Chloe turns around. “It was great seeing you again, Deacon. I’ll call you later, Rose,” she waves to them before following me.

I’m not a fan of Chloe coming to The Barn. It isn’t exactly in the best part of town, and some of the men that frequent the place are questionable at best. But we grew up here, and whether I like it or not, she feels safe and comfortable, and I don’t want to take that away from her.

We reach the locker room, and Chloe knows the routine. She covers her eyes until I confirm that it’s empty.

“You’re good.”

She drops her hand, along with her purse, in time to catch the roll of tape I toss at her.

“Are we still on for Sunday?” she asks.

“Sunday?”

“Kid Connection. We volunteered for this Sunday, remember?”

“Right. I forgot.”

“You don’t have to come. They always have plenty of volunteers show up.”

Three years ago, I saw a flier stapled to a pole asking for adults who would be willing to volunteer their time at a local shelter to be a mentor. All of the kids in the shelter are waiting for a foster home or to be adopted, and the majority of them have never had a strong adult presence in their lives. Chloe and I know all too well what’s it like to grow up without stable parents, and we saw it as an opportunity to give back. We volunteer about once a month, sometimes more if they need it.

“I’ll be there.” Not going isn’t an option.

“How was Dad? Still sober?” Chloe asks, wrapping the tape around my wrist.

“Yup. Six weeks. He asked about you.”

Her hands falter for only a second. “Oh yeah?”

“Says he hasn’t seen you in a few days.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“That’s what I told him. How are finals going?”

The smile that touches her lips is genuine, and I don’t see it nearly enough. “Good. Only one more to go.”

“You got any interviews lined up?”

She shakes her head and twists the tape around my left wrist one last time before ripping the end off and moving to the right hand. “After I finish finals, I’ll drop some applications.”

“Don’t forget to order your cap and gown. I saw the form sitting on your kitchen counter the last time I was over there.”

“I’m, uh…” Chloe clears her throat. “I’m not walking at graduation.”

“What do you mean you’re not walking? You worked hard for your teaching degree, and I want to see you up on that stage.”

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have had the chance to go to college. You’ve spent enough on me. I don’t want you to waste your money on a cap and gown that’ll only get worn once. Plus…” She takes a deep breath and blows it out.

“What?”

“I know how tight money has been since you lost your spot with the PBR and—”

“Order the damn cap and gown, and register for graduation.”

She frowns, but doesn’t look up, and I make a mental note to call the college and make sure she follows through.

“I’m going to pay you back,” she says softly. “For everything.”

“I don’t want you to pay me back.”

“I know you don’t, but I want to. You aren’t my parent, Linc. You’re my brother. It’s not your job to take care of me.”

“It is my job. I want you to have all of the things I never had. That’s why I pushed you to follow your dreams. You’re going to get out of this town and make something of yourself.”

Ripping the tape, she tosses the roll on the counter and looks up at me, her eyes hesitant and worried. “I’m not leaving you here to care for Dad by yourself. It’s me and you against the world, remember?”

Hooking an arm around her neck, I pull my baby sister in for a hug the way I’ve done so many times over the years. Although at twenty-four, she’s not so little anymore.

“Always. It’s always me and you against the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t venture out and see what that world has to offer.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, smiling when I see a text from Adley.

I made it.

My fingers fly against the screen. Good.

“Who is that?”

“Adley.” I tuck my phone in my back pocket.

Chloe takes a step back. “Oh yeah? You still seeing her?”

“If that’s what you want to call it.”

“How are Rhett and the rest of the Brady Bunch doing?”

I grin and shake my head.

“What? Come on, that was funny. From what you’ve told me, the Allens are exactly like the Brady Bunch.”

“You don’t even know them. They’re great people.”

“I’ve met Rhett, and if they’re anything like him, I’m sure they are great. When do I get to meet Adley?”

“You don’t need to meet her. We’re short term, remember?”

“Uh-huh.” She doesn’t look convinced. “You’ve been saying that for five months.”

This isn’t exactly the conversation I want to be having with Chloe. “So, if the Allens are the Brady Bunch, what does that make us?” I ask.

Her smile grows. “The Bundys.”

“I like the Bundys.”

“Me too.” Chloe grabs her purse. “But I guarantee you Marsha Brady didn’t marry Bud Bundy.”

Her words are a slap to the face, but I refuse to let her see the effect they have on me.

Chloe takes a breath and looks down. “That came out wrong. I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Squaring my shoulders, I puff up my chest. “I can’t get hurt.”

“Right.” She nods slowly. “I forgot. You’re invincible.”

“Damn straight. Now if you’re done annoying me, I need to get to work.”

“Wait. There’s one more thing we need to talk about.”

“What’s that?”

“Where I’m going to live. I have to be out of student housing by the end of this month. Rose offered to let me to come stay with her and Chelsie. Donna moved out, so they have an extra room.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

Chloe parks a hand on her hip. “It’s cute that you think you can tell me what to do.”

“Chloe—” I grit my teeth, and she places a hand on my shoulder.

“I know you don’t like Rose, but it’s only until I get a job and can afford a place of my own. They’re letting me stay for free.”

“It’s not that I don’t like her…”

“You two have history. I get it,” she says. “But she’s one of my closest friends, and I’m sure as hell not moving in with Dad.”

“You can live with me. The house is ours anyway. Grandma left it to the both of us.”

That was another thing that pissed Dad off. My grandparents didn’t protect us from our parents, but they were smart enough not to leave what little they had to them.

She doesn’t look so sure about my offer. “Is that a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Oh, I don’t know. How about because of your girlfriend, who isn’t really your girlfriend, who stays with you most nights?”

“She’s not my girlfriend, and she was staying the night because she had clinicals in Houston. It was pointless for her to drive an hour home. Now that clinicals are over, I’m not even sure when I’ll see her again.”

“You’ll see her. Does she have a toothbrush in your bathroom?”

“Yes, but—”

“Clothes in your closet?”

“A few, but—”

“She’s your girlfriend. I’m moving in with Rose, end of discussion. And I’d really like to meet Adley. If you’re going to keep seeing her, bring her around. If she’s important to you, she’s important to me.”

I open my mouth to tell Chloe that Adley isn’t important to me, but I can’t get the words to come out. Chloe grins.

Nothing like getting schooled on relationships by your little sister. Gripping the back of my neck, I look at the door to make sure no one is listening to our conversation.

“It’s okay to be happy, Linc. You deserve it more than anyone else I know. Stop fighting it.”

Is that what I’m doing?

I’ve never considered myself a relationship kind of guy, and my parents sort of ruined the idea of love and marriage. But the thought of another man touching Adley makes me want to murder someone.

“Oh, this is going to be fun to watch.” With a kiss to my cheek, Chloe disappears from the locker room.

I’m left staring at the door, wondering when my best friend’s little sister became my girlfriend.