"She's fine," Ty said. "Her throat's sore, Anthony's documenting the injuries."
"And what the fuck happened?" Tanner demanded.
"Austin," I growled.
"No..." Tanner said, claiming the chair beside her. "Cody? Are you ok?"
"I stabbed him," she said. "J.D. said I'd need the knife, and I did. I don't know where it is."
"And you don't need to worry about that," Anthony promised. "What you need is to show me where you kept it."
"Boot," I told him.
So he got pictures of that too. At some point, a few of the guys trickled in to check on her. Anthony suggested moving her to the back, into a more private room, but it was Cody who said no. I tried to tell her it was ok, but she weren't listening.
"They came too," she finally whispered to me. "They all came!"
And that was when I understood. These men? Bull rider after bull rider came to check on her, but they'd also come to save her.They'd stepped up to save her when she'd needed it most - and they hadn't done that back home.
There, they'd all been Austins. Here, she was one of us. We stood with her, and she stood with us. And yeah, that shit felt damned good. Same way it did when they didn’t hate me for having a fuckin' boyfriend. For her, this was just like that - but more.
And they all came. Not Austin or Derek, but everyone else. Jorge and Isaac too. Even Cletus pushed in to make sure she was ok, but he couldn't stay long. There was a closing ceremony and the drill team wouldn't be out there very long.
Yeah, but I didn't give a shit about none of that. Fuck the PBR. Fuck the fans. Fuck all of this, because my girl mattered more to me. And surprisingly, the men packing every empty space of this room? They weren't moving either.
And then Donald Merrill showed up.
The man stormed in, pushing bull riders aside as he waded his way closer. I stood, ready to keep him far from my girl, but Cody tugged my hand, making it clear she didn't want me to leave.
"Youstabbedhim?" Mr. Merrill demanded.
"Sir," Anthony said. "This is really not the time."
"Sheattackedone of her fellow bull riders!" Mr. Merrill yelled. "And I don't care why, Cody. When you joined the PBR, you signed a contract stating you understood the rules. Every time you check in, you do it again, and Iexpectthose rules to be followed, do you understand me?"
"He attacked her!" I shot back, the words coming out a warning.
"And I don't care!" Mr. Merrill informed me. "Fighting is one thing. This? It was attempted murder! You? You are suspended, Cody. Ten events!"
"What?!" I saw her mouth form that word, but no sound came out.
"She's the fucking victim!" Ty told him.
"And now a man is headed to the hospital in critical condition," Mr. Merrill pointed out. "He coulddie, Ty."
"She could've too!" Tanner yelled.
"Do not," Mr. Merrill warned, "push me, boys." And he looked back at Cody, but a cold, cruel smile curled the corners of his mouth. "You, Miss Jennings, are done. I told you this wouldn't work, and you just proved it. So maybe take your dog and pony show with you, because it's not going to get easier. Ten events. That's next season, and you'll have to qualify all over again."
"Fuck you," she hissed, the words creaky as they came out. Then she rocked forward, yanking at her tattered shirt to show the damage as she stood. "He attacked me! He wanted to kill me. I just made sure he couldn't."
"You sent your damned pet after her," I snarled, locking eyes with him.
Because Cody had let go of me. She'd turned me loose, and this man? Oh, he'd just fucked up so bad. If he was going to kick her out, then I had nothing left to lose. I'd make him pay.
More than that, I'd make himhurt.
And I lunged. Tanner was only a split second behind me, and that boy wasn't trying to hold me back. Naw, he was gonna help me.
