“Who the hell is this, and why do you have my girlfriend’s phone?”
He whimpers. The man fucking whimpers through the phone. “Mr. Garrison it’s not—”
“Where the fuck is she?”
“Bac-Ba-Back cattle barn,” he stumbles through the words, shouting heard in the background before the line goes dead.
I’m moving in seconds, sprinting to the barn where they house the rodeo bulls between rides and the night before and after the event.
It’s easier not to move them too much, so the distributors always stay over the weekend.
There’s a dense crowd as I race into the barn, River’s voice heard over another man’s I recognize.
Shoving to the front, she’s on her knees, covered in blood, while two men hold down the leg of one of the bulls.
“What the hell?” I bark.
The bull writhes beneath them. A shaft of metal sticking out of his front leg that looks suspiciously like a piece of the gate latch.
“Gray, thank goodness. Gate went bad, and Roscoe here rammed into the metal. Took the thing clear off when he pulled away.” One of the younger ranch hands word vomits the recap, fighting against the strength of the scared animal beneath him.
Dropping to my knees beside River, I do my best to inspect the wound. “Has he been sedated yet?”
“Yes, but he won’t relax. I didn’t feel comfortable giving him more,” she grunts, her tongs pinched tight around the black steel as she pulls with all her strength.
“Where’s Gorman? Where the hell is the vet?” I shout, searching the familiar faces surrounding us.
“He left after the last ride. Said he had a sick kid at home. They came and got me when this happened,” River relays, once again tugging at the chunk of metal.
Taking the pliers from River, I thank her and get to work.
If this is the shit that happens when my brother and I aren’t around, I know the decision I made earlier tonight is the right one.
This won’t happen again.
Not on my watch.
Chapter 34
River
GrayandIarecovered in blood when we finally climb into the truck.
My body vibrates with adrenaline, and his with anger.
I’ve seen Gray writhing with fury, but this is another level. Those animals and this ranch mean so much to him. For something to go so horribly wrong that could have been prevented is crushing him. He’d voiced that frustration repeatedly while we cleaned up Roscoe’s leg.
“This wouldn’t have happened if I werehere.”Each repetition growled harsher than the last.
There would never have been a bull put in a stall with a faulty gate. Gorman would have been called to come back.
Had he been here, the proper people would have known these things.
“Are you okay?” I ask him.
“No.” The single word is devoid of any inflection. Just as empty as those dark brown eyes appear now.
“Okay. You were amazing back there.” I place my hand on his thigh. “I’ve never seen Dr. Garrison in action.”
