Bridles (Black Gulch Ranch #8)

Chapter 1

Sawyer

“Fuck, I died.” Falling backwards into my pillows, it takes everything in me not to chuck my stupid controller across my bedroom.

“There’s still thirty seconds.” Scotty’s panicked voice is garbled in my headphones.

Figures, since I can see his character spraying and praying a volley of rounds at the overpowering opposing team.

My respawn countdown takes forever.

Five measly seconds left.

All I can do is reload and empty one burst.

“Game over, bro. We lost big time.” Scott’s avatar disappears from my screen.

“Wait. Where’d you go?” I was hoping for a few more rounds before I had to go hook up the hay trailer.

“My sister has me working right up until the second I leave. I can’t wait until all my classes start so I don’t have to be at the bar anymore.” He lets out a long groan. “It wouldn’t be so bad if the old ladies didn’t hit on me all the time.”

“You like it, don’t lie. Besides, I told you my dad would give you a job here, so don’t bitch.” I bet he’d like it more than I do.

But his laugh says otherwise. “And miss my chance to see co-eds on campus? Yea, shoveling horse shit sounds way better. I’d rather sling drinks for Val, and she’s a bitch.”

There’s a brief knock on my bedroom door before it swings open, my own sister popping her head through the gap. “Come on, we’re picking up pizza tonight.”

“I gotta go, Scotty. But might see you in a few.” The only place around that makes pizza is Val’s place, the Hilltop Bar.

“A’ight. Later.” The background noise from his mic disappears.

“Sawyer,” Sophia whines. “Let’s get there and back. We gotta start getting the room for Grandma and Grandpa ready tonight.”

Crud. I forgot they get in tomorrow.

This house is getting too full. At least I can’t hear the babies when they’re in Dad’s room at night.

But Grandpa snores loud enough to rattle the windows and they’ll be right next to me.

Tossing my headphones onto my nightstand, I give my shirt a quick sniff test.

Val made fun of me once, years ago, for stinking like the farm.

I dunno why, but ever since I try not to stink when I know I’m gonna see her.

Weird, I guess. She’s maybe twelve years older than me and Scotty? I shouldn’t let it bug me.

Yea. Screw her. It doesn’t.

Grabbing my wallet, I stuff it in the back pocket of my jeans, then follow Sophia out into the living room.

“I ordered out. We’re gonna go pick it up,” she proudly proclaims to Lori.

I glance at Lori on the couch and immediately regret it.

Geez. She’s nursing.

It makes me feel strange catching a glimpse of the side of my dad’s wife’s breast before I flee outside.

She’s practically my age. Well, I think three years older? That still only puts her at twenty-five, tops.

“Are we taking your rig?” I point at Sophia’s SUV from the bottom of the porch step.

Her dark ponytail waves as she shakes her head. “I’m almost out of gas and don’t feel like stopping. We can take the flatbed.” As if to emphasize, she holds up the brass keys to the old Dodge.

“Fine. You’re driving.” There’s a spring in the seat that digs into my nuts every time I do.

My twin sister rolls her bright blue eyes and limps to the handle, yanking the creaky door open with a popping sound. “You’re such a baby,” she grumbles, tugging herself behind the wheel.

“Only by three minutes. That doesn’t automatically make you older and wiser. Just snottier.” I wrinkle my nose in imitation of her favorite expression and fold myself into the passenger side.

“You used to be less sullen. Now you just piss and moan all the time.” Her middle finger wags in my direction as she pulls the truck into the parking lot of the bar.

The sheriff is there, almost pinned against his truck with a girl tucked behind him and a very angry looking man in his face.

“What the fuck?” Sophia slams on the brakes making me almost bounce against the dash.

I should have known better than to not buckle up when she’s driving.

Before I can stop her, she’s leaning out of the window and trash talking the guy with a dark beard.

Should I help?

Wade’s a huge guy. I can’t see him losing a fight any time soon.

But I hop out, just in case. “Wade, you need help? We could practically hear you yelling from the road.”

“No, Sawyer, we’re fine here.” Wade holds up his palm, making me pause.

Sophia slams the truck into park and slides from the high seat, her fists landing on her hips.

Oh, she’s pissed.

“Oliver, just because you’re top dog in the chutes doesn’t mean you can be an ass here.” Her voice has the tone of take-no-shit.

“Fuck off, Sophia. You don’t have any room to talk, rodeo primadonna,” Oliver barks without looking at her.

“I think we should all settle down.” Wade’s tone is deep, authoritarian. He almost sounds like Dad when he’s barking orders across the cows.

Oliver’s finger raises. “We ain’t done, sheriff,” he spits, then pivots past me to climb in his own work rig and trailer with an excavator on it.

“That guy is such a jerk,” Sophia mutters. “He thinks he owns every rodeo just because he went to the Pbr a couple of times.”

“What was that all about?” I watch Oliver’s Caterpillar disappear down the road.

Wade sighs. “Nothing. I had it handled. You kids shouldn’t be jumping into arguments.”

Sophia snorts. “He deserves all the shit he gets.”

“Thank you.” The dark haired girl calls out from Wade’s broad shoulders. “I don’t think we’ve met yet?”

“Sophia McCullough.” My sister holds out her hand. “That’s my brother, Sawyer.”

“There are Mason’s kids. You know, Black Gulch?” Wade turns to the woman.

Shit, she’s barely my age.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Elena.” Her eyes flick between us nervously.

Sophia nods. “I know who you are. You don’t look that scary.”

I’m surprised she’s acting nice. We all know who Elena is.

And what she did.

She killed cows. Blew up Blue and Libby’s place.

All I could think when I heard of her was what I’d have done if she had attacked our place.

Hell, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be nice.

“I’m gonna go grab the pizzas.” I don’t really want anything to do with her. “Glad I gotta name to the face.”

Turning on the heel of my Ariat boot, I walk away from the first person I think I’ve ever felt hatred towards.