Page 5 of Break the Barrier

“Out on a ride.” CT smirks. “He said he needed to feel the wind in his face.”

I crack a smile at the remark. Completely sure that my brother would say exactly that.

“Hey, what are we doing about pasture three?”

“We gotta move them, they’ve damn near mowed it down.”

“Tomorrow? I can get here early.”

“Yeah, let’s do it. We gotta beat the storm coming in.”

It was nearly spring now, and those spring storms were some of our worst ones.

That also meant that somehow, between work, school, and holidays, Thea had been avoiding me for months.

I grind my teeth at the realization.

I can’t believe I let her avoid me this long.

But tonight, I was going to get some answers.

Whether she likes it or not.

Bottle Grounds, after it closes, has an eerie feeling. I knew it was only Thea here now, given that those were her specific instructions because Annmarie and Juniper were gone early on these nights.

Her stipulation to me helping her so far was that her sisters cannot know what was going on. So, of course, that raised my hackles even more.

I dropped Lue off at CT and Dani’s apartment for a movie night, and I told CT I had to take care of something. When he asked what it was, I told him I didn’t know yet, but I’d let him know if it became serious.

To say I was feeling cryptic was an understatement.

I wasn’t someone who kept secrets, and I sure as hell didn’t keep them from CT, who has been my best friend since elementary school.

I walk to the back door and knock. When Thea doesn’t come to the door, I check to see if it’s locked, and when it budges easily under my hand, I grind my teeth.

Stepping inside, I hear the crooning sound of George Strait playing out in the barroom and move toward the noise. When I step through the door that spits me out behind the bar, I see Thea sitting on a stool with a drink in her hand, a bottle of whiskey beside her glass, and her head resting on her free hand.

“Hey.” My voice startles her, and she glances up quickly, her eyes wide and frightened for a moment before she relaxes at the sight of me.

I round the bar and take the seat next to her, my brows furrowed as I take her in.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“You need to lock your fucking doors at night. That’s not safe.”

“It’s our early night. It’s barely dark out.” It was true that on Monday nights, this town closed down early, but that didn’t make it safe.

“Have you ever thought that some douche might take advantage of that and try to knock into some businesses when the owners aren’t there?”

Her eyes are hard and determined when they meet mine. “Are you here to lecture me? Because right now, I can’t take that kind of thing. So, if that’s the case, I’d kindly like to ask you to leave.”

Her words have a harsh bite to them that I’ve never heard from Thea. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No. But please lock your doors.”

She takes the whiskey bottle and pours herself a drink. I reach behind the bar and grab the nearest glass, setting it down, and she gives me a generous pour.

Without thought or question, we clink our glasses, and I take a smooth swallow.

Thea shoots hers like she didn’t just pour three fingers into her glass.