Sometimes the best way to hold on is to let go.

Smart mouthed, pig headed, and the best bull rider in Missouri, I’m following in my father’s footsteps. He named me after his rodeo heroes, Cody and Lane, hoping I’d become a legend like they were. There’s only one little problem.

Girls aren’t supposed to ride bulls.

That’s never stopped me before, though. Riding in the PBR is my chance to get out of my small town. It’s the one shot I have for a better life. If I want to change my future, then the only way that’s going to happen is if I can make a check big enough to buy me a new life.

I expected hazing. What I didn’t expect was the making out in hotel rooms, stealing kisses behind the chutes, and sweet smiles in the arena. The guy keeping the bulls off me is clearly on my side. The rider I’ve idolized for years is hitting on me. Then there’s J.D. Adkins. That man is trouble, and everyone knows it, but he calls me his rookie.

There has to be a catch, and I’m waiting for the manure to hit the fan. I just need to stay focused and – more importantly – keep my head down. Because in this sport, the pranks are the kind that can be fatal. If I want that better life, I need to make sure I hold on for all eight seconds.

The question is what I want to hold on to.