Page 182 of Lost Trust

To compete again. To go after the championships I walked away from.

Shawn offers me representation.

Bryce tells me Dry Canyon Distilling Company and Bull Rope Whiskey want to sponsor me.

Jack tells me Buck’n Diesel wants in too.

I stare at all three of them.

My mind can’t keep up.

It’s too much.

Too fast.

Too impossible.

And then my eyes find Royce.

He’s sitting back, watching me.

“Can you guys give us a few minutes?” he asks the men.

Bryce nods. “We’ll meet you back in the office.”

The three men head out.

I wait until they’re gone before turning toward Royce. “What is happening?”

He takes my hand. “I’m leaving the circuit.”

My breath catches. “What?”

“I’m going to take care of my shoulder. Get the surgery. Do the recovery right. And when I’m done, I’m going to work for Bryce full-time.”

I stare at him. “Royce …”

“It’s your time, Rina.” His thumb brushes across my knuckles. “You’ve spent years putting everybody else first.” He smiles softly. “You’ve still got a world champion in you. You have buckles to win and records to break.”

My eyes fill again.

“I’ll be right here,” he continues. “Holding down the home front for you and Ryder. When I said I love you, I meant I love you both. You go chase it. Me and little man will make sure you’ve got somewhere to come home to.”

I shake my head. “I can’t believe you’d be willing to do that for me … for us.”

He shrugs like he’s telling me he’ll take out the trash. “Bryce is coughing up a pretty penny to have me as his right-hand man at the academy.”

“What about Axle?”

Royce looks genuinely confused. “What about him?”

“You two have been doing this rodeo thing together since you were boys.”

“I know.”

He leans back against the bench. “But Axle was always going to surpass me.”

There’s no bitterness in his voice.