Jericho grinds his molars.
I tap the paperwork, ordering, "Sign."
Colt begs, "Can't you take double? That's not leaving us with much."
"No. I can't. You should have thought about that before you destroyed another working man's livelihood," I lecture.
They exchange a glance, hesitating, but then sign.
Jericho sets his pen down first, his tone tight when he says, "Seriously, Willow. This Wyatt situation… Do you really think adding him to the team is a good idea?"
Colt leans in to add sharply, "It's bad enough you're entertaining it. But if you take him on, you're risking the entire agency and team. He's toxic."
"This has nothing to do with you two. Stay out of it," I fume.
"The hell it doesn't," Jericho snaps. "Every time his name shows up in a headline, our sponsors get nervous. You know how smallthis circuit is. If he screws up, it doesn't just stain him. It stains the entire team."
Colt pipes in with, "You think every sponsor isn't watching him? Now they'll be watching you too. And the second they smell instability, they'll pull their money. So if you bring him in, you're rolling the dice with all our futures."
I clench my jaw, refusing to let them rattle me, not ready to reveal Wyatt's riding as an independent.
Let them squirm after what they did.
I declare, "I know exactly what's at stake."
Jericho laughs bitterly. "Do you? Because from where we sit, it looks like you're making decisions with your heart, not your head. And that's a problem."
A wave of anxiety crashes over me. I fire back, "I'm treating him like any rider who wants to rebuild. He's earned at least that much."
Colt scoffs. "Earned it? Plenty of riders out there who've worked their asses off don't get this shot. But he does? Because he grew up on your ranch?"
I relax, realizing they weren't referring to our secret relationship. But I keep steel in my voice. "I know exactly what he's done. But it'smydecision.Myagency. You don't like it? You should have thought about it before you made Christmas into a fight club. And if you don't like my decisions, you're welcome to walk."
Jericho's eyes narrow. "You think you're untouchable because you built this place? Don't forget the basics. If you lose your credibility, we all lose opportunities. If you drag his mess in here, you're gambling with more than justyourname."
Colt interjects, his voice dark. "Let's not pretend Wyatt won't self-destruct again. That's what he does, Willow. He burns everything down around him. He won't think twice about including you in the flames."
I exhale through my nose, steadying myself. "You don't need to like my decision. You just need to respect it."
Tension swirls around us, crackling like a live wire. No one speaks.
Jericho's jaw clenches.
Colt's fists curl against his thighs.
Finally, Jericho exhales sharply. "Fine. Do what you want, Willow." He rises.
Colt follows, scowling. "Don't say we didn't warn you. When he crashes, don't expect us to stand by quietly."
"Noted," I say coolly.
As they push back from the desk, the door swings open. Like clockwork, fate twists the knife.
Wyatt steps in.
His dark gaze sweeps the room, locking on me instantly. Heat coils low in my stomach at the sheer weight of his stare. He doesn't glance away when addressing Jericho and Colt. "Gentlemen."
Jericho's lip curls. "Houston."
