I point at her. “See? You’re already learning.”
She smiles.
I love seeing that. Watching kids realize they are in the right place. They belong here. Seeing the dream become real.
“You’ve got talent, Natalia. You’re gonna tear up the PWR one day.”
Her eyes shine. “You think?”
“I know. Now that you’ve impressed everybody, go clean up and get some lunch.”
A laugh escapes her.
Then she jogs toward the fence, and I look over to Royce.
“You ready to eat?”
He folds his arms. “We’re going to the clinic first.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I told you, I’m fine.”
“You got kicked by a bull, Ax. We’re going to let the doctor check you out.”
“A small bull.”
“Bram weighs eleven hundred pounds,” he says.
“Exactly. A small bull. And it doesn’t even hurt anymore.”
Royce pinches the bridge of his nose.
It’s the truth. The pain is now just a dull ache. Enough to be annoying, but not concerning.
I start walking toward the gate.
“Axle, you’re going to the damn clinic.”
I glare at him. “I’m going to get food.”
He glares right back, and then the asshole smiles. “You can walk to the clinic, or I can call Momma. Your choice.”
I freeze.
Fucking traitor.
“Fine.”
He throws an arm across my shoulders.
I curse under my breath as pain shoots through my ribs. “Ow.”
“There it is,” he says. “I bet you cracked a rib.”
“I bruised a rib.”
