“You can’t promise that. Give me some time to process—to decide what to do. I can’t keep going like this, but he’s calmed down since Trey left. I just gave him some more money not long ago and haven’t heard from him since, so maybe it’s going to get better.”
I can see Carson thinking—literally like watching gears turn. He doesn’t like this. I knew he wouldn’t, but I trust him to let me figure this out or at least give me a moment to breathe. “Okay, but only for a few days. I don’t like this, Jessie, and you’re done dealing with this on your own. If he does anything—and I meananything, a text, a call, a fucking letter in the mail—you tell me. You and Gran can come stay at the ranch, too, if you need to.”
“Thank you, Carson. I need to process everything.” I tell him about the police coming to my house and show him the card they gave me. He knows Sheriff Young personally and assures me he’s a good officer.
“Think about calling Bryce. I know he’d do anything to help you,” he suggests as he heads for his truck.
I climb back into my car. “I will. Thank you for listening, Carson. I promise I’ll figure something out.”
He stops in front of the truck. “We’llfigure something out. You’re not alone in this anymore. Besides, if worse comes to worst, no one would ever find a body out here.”
I laugh, but he doesn’t. He climbs in his truck and drives off.
Yikes. I’m going to chalk that comment up to Carson’s dry humor and promptly forget he said it.
Chapter 37
Trey
Irun the tail of my bull rope through my pinky finger.
“Slide up slow and easy, Trey. I’ve got a hold of you.” Knox is spotting me. His arm reaches across my chest, holding tight to my vest.
This bull is known for being bad in the chute, but everyone who has ridden him put up big scores. No one has gotten less than ninety on him. The trick, however, is making itoutof the chute. They have a rope tied over his neck and another looped underneath, massaging him to attempt keeping him calm.
I slide up slowly. I make it to my rope, but as I lift my chin to nod, the bull rears like he’s trying to climb out of the chute. He pushes the neck rope back so far my riding arm gets trapped under it with my elbow now on the bull’s back.
Just couldn’t fucking stand, could you?
“Let go of the rope!” Knox yells at the guy holding the neck rope with a death grip. Knox grabs a hold of the back of my vest,letting go of the front to reach forward with his other hand and try to pull my tail and free my riding hand.
He reaches for it, but the bull flips completely over in the chute. It happens fast. Before I can blink, I feel dirt under my boots. I drop into the back corner of the chute, the safest place to be in this situation. The bull has wedged himself at an angle, giving me just enough room not to be totally crushed. I’m still getting the fuck smashed out of me, but I haven’t heard any bones snap, so that’s good.
My hand is still tied in, and I can feel my tail has rolled under my handle. I hear Knox above me, screaming at the latch man to open the damn gate, but if I don’t get my hand free, I’m going to be hung up when this bull rolls to his feet once the gate opens. Unfortunately, my free arm shoulder is wedged into the gate, and I can’t move my free hand until that gate opens.
I hear theclangof the latch, and the bull starts to shift. As he flails to stand, I try to stand on his left side. As soon as my arm is free, I reach for my bull rope, but the bull slings his head as he attempts to gather himself. A horn catches me in the chest, flinging me backward. Once he’s upright, he goes to bucking.
I just can’t fucking win today.
He turns back to the left, into me. I throw my arm over his neck and try to stay on my feet. Bull fighters are jumping over me trying to free my hand. The bull keeps bucking and spinning and gets a horn behind my knee, flinging me all the way over his back. I’m pretty sure I kick a bull fighter in the head as the bull keeps bucking. My handfinallycomes free, but I catch the bull’s hip as he kicks, and he sends me flying right into the steel corner post of the bucking chutes.
I’m really starting to fucking hate this bull.
As I lay in a heap, gasping for air, Knox jumps down, kneeling beside me. “You good?”
“That. Fucking. Hurt. I thought you said you had me. What happened?”
“Well, you were supposed to let go, and I sure as hell wasn’t going down there with you.”
“Oh, I knew I forgot something.” I shake my head, holding out my hand for him to help me up. “You wouldn’t have fit anyway. It’s a one bedroom.”
Knox laughs, slapping me on the back. “There isn’t much give in these steel chutes, huh?”
A judge runs up and asks if I want the reride.
Hm, do I want to get on another bull? Boy do I.
I almost roll my eyes at him, but I refrain. “I’m gonna pass.”
