"Yeah," Wes said, "but what can we do about it? I mean, I'm not the only one who's been doing his best to play the PBR's game. We all know they want a certain look, will ignore a few of the dumbass things we do, and yet if we get too far out of line, we won't be riding."
"And you're fine," Renato said. "Right now, what we need to be worried about is not dying out there."
"Yes, but it's not that easy," Wes shot back. "Renato, you're exactly what they want, but the rest of us?" He scoffed. "J.D. got famous for being an asshole. Ty for his looks. You for your spurring. Most of us? Shit."
"Most of us don't want to die," Jackson Cloutier said, his words just loud enough to cut through the room.
And for a moment, everyone looked around, trying to judge how the others were taking that. To me, it said more than they knew. They were scared. Really and truly scared, but unsure how to handle it. Men who chose to climb onto fifteen hundred to two thousand pound animals for fun? We weren't used to feeling our balls crawl up inside us like this.
Then that Australian rookie put it into words. "I'd rather head home in one piece than in a body bag. No offense, boys."
Around the room, too many of them began nodding in agreement.
Chapter 9
"Maybe we should all head home,"one of the new American guys, Blake something, said to the others.
"But what good does that do?" Ty asked, making my mind start to spin.
"It keeps us alive!" Sonny shot back. "I mean, that guy today? There's no way he's riding again, right? Have we even heard if he's ok?"
"He's not," I said, making them all look at me. "Casey Davis died tonight."
"And we just kept riding?!" Johnny Swindel, one of the lower-ranked riders asked, his mouth hanging open.
"Because," Renato said, "they have to tell his family first." He leaned back and waved for a waitress, but didn't stop talking. "For legal reasons, they can't stop the event, so they say he's headed for medical care, we'll pray a little more, and in a few hours, they'll announce it."
"How do you know?" Sonny demanded.
Renato grunted under his breath. "It's the same thing that happened the last time a rider was killed on the dirt, new boy."
"Fuck off!" Sonny shot back. "Maybe this isn't a big deal to you, but I just spent my entire savings to get here, mate."
"We know," I assured him.
"And I'd like to have something to show for it when I go home," he continued. "I mean, a few of us have been wondering why there are so many new guys on the tour, but we figured it had to do with that girl."
"Thatgirl," Ty growled, "is a better rider than half the men here, so don't you start blaming her too!"
"He wasn't." That came from Djalu Fox, the most veteran rider from Australia. "But you'd have to be blind to miss that half this shit is because of her."
"Because they're scared of her!" Ty snapped.
This was starting to get out of control, and that wouldn't help any of us. Ty was ready to start a fight. Renato was watching him, proving he was still Ty's wingman. Sonny was all bowed up, ready to shove to his feet, and the mood in here was turning sour quickly. I had to do something, and fast.
"Guys!" I barked, getting their attention. "All of you are missing the real problem. Sure, Cody's a symptom of it, butsheis not the issue. It's so much bigger than that."
"So spell it out for us new guys," Sonny demanded. "What am I missing?"
"The PBR," I explained, "is in the business of making money. We're the resource, and we'realleasy to replace. Me, you, and yes, her. I mean, what they did to our bullfighters all but proves it - and that's why Casey died tonight."
For a little too long, the men just stared at me. A few lifted their drinks to wash back the taste of that, proving they heard what I was saying. Sadly, most shook their heads, seeming more confused than anything.
So I decided to spell it out for them. "Professional Bull Riding makes money on our dumb asses being dumbasses. The more over-the-top we act, the more people hear about us. The more our name is getting attention, the more the sponsors pay. It's awhole cycle, right? But here's the thing none of you have stopped to think about yet." I looked around. "Our fans don't know shit about riding a bull."
"And?" Sonny asked, clearly confused.
"And they do know about fighting," Ty explained for me, sounding like he was putting the pieces together too. "Seeing me drop Austin on the big screen?"
