Because I was pissed. I was also the one person in the right position this time. These guys weren't used to this sort of harassment, butIwas. These cowboys didn't know how to play this game, but I'd mastered it. Max had given me an arsenal of sorts in the form of the right sponsors, and J.D. had taught me how to be a little crazy.
Now, I had to cowgirl up and protect my guys. All of them.
"They started this because I showed up," I told Jake. "They did all of this to try to run me out, right? Austin attacked Tanner because of it - "
"Or because Austin thinks Tanner's just as bad as a woman," Jake pointed out. "Could be two separate issues, Cody."
"And Tanner's still my man," I said, turning to look at him again. "I'm still a bull rider, and no one comes at me without expecting me to push back. I might be a girl, but I'm notthattype of girl, and I'm sure as shit not scared of a little pain. So yeah, the plan?" I felt my lips curling into some sort of crazy grin. "I think it's called 'hold my beer.'"
"Yep," Jake said, catching my elbow to encourage me forward. "I think the PBR 'done fucked up' this time." He chuckled at his forced country slang. "But I can't push this, Cody. I can nudge, and I can give ideas, but I cannot be the face of it. That's got to be Ty and Renato..." He slowed so we were truly side by side. "And you, I think. America needs someone to lead us."
"Jake, I'm still a rookie."
"But you're J.D.'s rookie," he reminded me. "You're the heir apparent, so show these fuckers why the PBR's bad boy latched onto you. And no, it's not just because he's crushing hard. And yes, I know all about that mess you have going on."
"Oh," I said, because what else was there?
Jake knew J.D. had a thing for me? Or was he just guessing? And if he knew that, how much more did he know about us? Then again, if he did know, he sure wasn't pulling away or making things hard for me. In fact, he was stepping up.
"Jake?"
He paused right before the stairs that led up to the chutes. "Hm?"
I watched his face, wondering if I'd be able to see a reaction on this man. "Are you really on my side?"
"Yeah, Cody. I am. They made me pick, so I did. You didn't push me, so that means I have to push myself, and you know what?"
"What?"
He rubbed my arm gently, right across where it said "Girls Do It." "For years now, I've done everything I could to stay out of the drama. The whole time, my scores improved, but my sponsors didn't. Then this woman blows in here, shaking everything up, and her vestandchaps fill up in weeks. Not even months, just weeks! Every time I think I should hate her for having it easy, she keeps showing she's honestly working for it, then doubling down and being the kind of person most of us should be."
"Me?" I asked.
"Mhm," he agreed. "You, the bull rider who's showing me I've been a chickenshit this whole time. So yeah, I might not help, but I'll fucking hold your beer and cheer you on."
"Or help?" I suggested, hoping to encourage him just a bit.
But he shook his head. "No, if I tried, it'd fuck everything up. See, you're not playing by the same rules as the rest of these guys, but I'm not either. Different rules. Different reasons. Different fights, and I might be gasoline to your fire."
"Then maybe it's time for things to burn." And I turned, climbing up the stairs to where the bulls were starting to flow into their chutes.
Chapter 14
Ty and Renatowere moving along the catwalk. Well, the concrete aisle that served as one in this particular arena. It put us high enough to get into the cattle chutes and was narrow enough the fans could be blocked off from this side, although I had a feeling this usually led to normal seating when the PBR wasn't here.
And right now, it was full. Riders stood with their helmets hanging loosely from their fingers and their ropes slung haphazardly over their shoulders. Heads were bent close enough that hats nearly collided. Most of these guys were camped out, making the pair moving even more obvious.
"What's your ranking today?" Jake asked, pointing at the air as if he was counting chutes.
"Still thirteen," I admitted. "Somehow, I moved neither up nor down."
He grunted at that and kept guiding me forward a bit more, then turned me to a chute. "Ok, this one's going to be yours. If Don comes back here - er, Mr. Merrill, I mean - then just ignore him for a bit, ok?"
I gave him a suspicious look. "Why?"
"Because he has it in for you," Jake said, "and I don't want this to fall apart before it even gets started. Now be a good girl. I have to make sure everything's a go."
I scoffed. "No."
