"Uh, Tanner?" Isaac slurred.
"He's not a rider," I reminded him. "But yeah. Same theory." Then I turned to Wyatt again. "Look, you're not a big guy, and these assholes travel in packs. I know, because I used to get with my friends and turn stupid too. Still, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to be out and proud. So, you two decide how you want to handle this..."
"I don't want to pretend to just be your buddy," Wyatt told Wes.
"And they won't kickyourass in the parking lot," Wes shot back. "That's what I've been trying to tell you."
"But it doesn't change," I told them, "until we make it. Look, Wes, if you need a pal to walk you out? Well, I'll gladly do it."
"Why?" Wes asked.
"Because this shit has got to change, and that's easy to say when I'm not doing anything. So yeah, I'll step up. I'll be slightly inconvenienced. And who knows, maybe I can lead by example."
"Doesn't change the strike shit, though," Wes said.
"But bailing would," Jorge said. "And yeah, wewillkeep all of y'all up. You just have to convince the rest, Ty."
Yeah, I had this. "Hey, cowboys!" I bellowed. "Hey! I think I may have solved the suspension problem!"
Oh and that made all of them pay attention. "Thought Deviant was paying the fines!" someone yelled back.
"They are," I said, stepping forward. "But Wes just pointed out something else. Donald Merrill said the third time? Suspension. But what if we change things up? What if wedon'tsend the bulls out without a rider?"
"So, ride?" Sonny asked.
"Nope," I said. "Guys, the point is to make sure that if the judges screw someone, we get them as close to winning as we can, right?"
"Thought so, yeah," Gustavo said.
I nodded. "Well, so we bail. Three seconds, seven and half? Doesn't matter as long as we get a no-score, right? Also means we'll technically be riding. And if they ask why? We give them a shitty fucking excuse. The rope was hurting my hand. Thought I pulled my elbow. Shit like that."
"Use their bullshit against them," Wes said, stepping forward. "We let them set the tone, then we double down on it. We make sure they realize we're not going to let them walk all over us."
"Or use us up," Jake called out. "They think we're just a disposable resource. Let's make it clear thatwe, the riders, are the stars of this fucking show."
"And our matadors!" I added. "Because those guys just promised me they'd make sure this works. Who's in?"
And the bar erupted with cheers.
Chapter 77
J.D. was much tooquiet on the way home from the bar. Thankfully, a few hits from his vape when we made it back to our suite and he started feeling better - and hungry. One big meal from room service later, then showers, and we were all actually starting to feel human again. That was when J.D. got a text.
He swiped, read it, and then just started laughing.
"What?" Cody demanded.
J.D. was busy tapping at his screen. "Ty wants Max's number. Says he just got an offer from Deviant."
"Good," I said. "The guy's been busting his ass lately."
"Yeah, he has," Cody agreed. "I just can't believe Deviant's doing as much as they are. I mean, that's alotof money they're dropping for a sport they only just got interested in."
"But they're a real big company," J.D. pointed out. "They prolly got it."
"They do," I assured them. "Deviant Games has millions of subscribers, and they keep churning out new - and amazing - games that people actually want without abandoning the old ones. It's basically a money-printing machine for them."
"But they didn't have to help the PBR," Cody pointed out. "And this? It's..."
