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"Then learn to ride!" I yelled, refusing to back down or back up.
"Guys!" Jorge tried. "Y'all..."
Neither of us listened to him. Austin simply shoved at me again. "Tryin' to get me killed? Is that it? Can't deal with me on your own so gonna let the bulls do it?"
This time, I pushed back. "In case you forgot, I'm the reason your face is green! I 'dealt' with you just fine. You want a second round? Wanna let your fans see the kind of man you are?"
"I will - "
A hat in my face stopped the fight that was just about to erupt. "Take it," Isaac said, pushing it into Austin's chest. "And here's your rope too. Time to go, Austin."
"I'll remember this," the man snarled, snapping his gear out of Isaac's hands.
I just chuckled. "One second's a real long time, huh?"
Austin had almost turned, but that was enough to make him pause. "What?"
I just lifted my hands and stepped back. "Just sayin' it might be something you wanna consider."
"Don't fuck with us," Jorge told him.
But Isaac pointed at the gate. "Time to go, Austin. You already got the attention you wanted. Now have sports medicine check you out to see if your head's still on right."
"Fuck you," Austin growled, but he went.
And up on the bull pen, Cletus was trying his hardest to make a joke of our scene, but it wasn't working. The crowd was quiet. They'd been ready for a fight to break out, and I had a feeling it was coming. I also knew Austin wasn't the kind of guy to take me head on.
Nope, he was going to try something worse. I had no clue what it would be, but I needed to make sure J.D. kept Cody close. This wasn't over, not by a long shot, and the best way to get to me was to get to her.
Sadly, I had a feeling that asshole knew it.
Chapter18
One second.That was how long the bullfighters had hesitated. I hadn't counted, and the clock had already stopped, but I was damned sure it had been exactly one second. Those guys had warned all of us often enough, and now they'd just made it clear they weren't fucking around.
Hopefully, I wouldn't get the same treatment. Tanner had been cool with me all week. Not friendly, but also not pissed. The question was whether or not Jorge and Isaac were still holding a grudge, because I'd done some bone-headed shit when it came to Cody.
Now, I needed to try something else. If I couldn't go near her, and I shouldn't distract her, I only had one way to get her attention. I knew that girl well enough to know she'd watch my ride, even if she pretended like she hadn't. Shit, the way she'd glanced back when we were lined up for the introduction ceremony?
She still thought about me.
Maybe she didn't like me anymore. Maybe she wouldn't give me the time of day. I figured I deserved that, even if I wasn't quite sure why, but I was going to figure it out. While I did, I needed to make sure she missed me. If I wanted a second chance with her, then Ineededher to miss me as much as I missed her.
However, Austin was the next to last rider in his set. One more guy rode, managing to pull off a measly 77.25 with a nice, clean dismount. After that, Cletus took over, which meant we were on a commercial break. It also meant my group of bulls was being loaded to go. For me, it was go time.
Snagging my rope, helmet, glove, and other gear, I headed to the far side. Sitting at eleventh place overall, I'd be the first out for this set. That meant I had to hustle. Walking all the way to the back of the line, I found the big black-and-white monster that I was going to show who was boss.
Disco Breakout wasn't happy about this. Standing in his chute, he was hopping mad, literally. The fucker had his head down and kept popping his ass up. Well, if he wore himself out a bit, maybe I'd have a better chance of riding him to a full eight.
This was the bull who'd thrown Cody across the arena and into my arms back in Tulsa. How fucking fitting that he'd be the one I had to ride to prove to her I was the real deal? Or worse, the one that would put me on the ground, toss me around like a rag doll, and make sure I had other things to worry about than the woman who'd just walked out of my life.
"Rope," I said, offering it up to the chute attendant.
"Who's pulling?" another man asked.
I shook my head just as a man said, "I got it!"
Turning, I let out a groan. Of all the people in the world, it had to be Jake. Of course it did. It seemed like he'd taken a little too much interest in me lately, and hell if I could figure out why.
