Chapter 18
Hadley
Being distracted with two tons of pure rage between your legs is not smart. But here I am, strapped to a damn bull, my head somewhere back at that lake this afternoon. Levi yells something in my direction, and I try my best to dislodge the memories of the singular moment insisting on replaying like I might forget.
Not likely.
But I need this ride. So, I rein in my wandering mind and re-strap down to help me into the head space. Mosquitos buzz around. Their presence since this afternoon has been a constant annoyance. One I’m hoping will disappear as the night cools off.
Fingers crossed.
I slap my neck, squashing one of the damn bloodsuckers, and get back to the task at hand. Levi checks in as I slam my fist into my rope hand and nod quickly at the gate cowboy.
The chute gate flies open.
The giant grey bull under me lunges from the small space and sets spinning to the right. I settle in for the ride, spurring him round as I hold my breath and my hand high in the air.
Every revolution we take, I glance at the clock.
4.12
6.37
8.00
The buzzer screams through the air, and I tug my hand free and leap from his back, sticking the landing before gunning it for the rails.
Safe halfway up the rails, I wait on my score.
Logan and his crew have the grey giant trotting for the return gate as my eighty-one points light up the board.
Not bad, but not great, either.
The ride was too easy and my only one for the night.
The Bravos have five riders busting from the chutes tonight, me being one of them. It’s an odd feeling wanting Knox to do well. Alongside my other teammates, we both need to score well to keep the team high on the leaderboard. Which is updated every week after the events. Tonight marks the first night of riding with sponsors pinned to my shirt.
Expectations also hang from the team shirt as I make my way back behind the chutes. Hands slap my back and shoulders.
“Good one, Jonesy.”
“Rode him down, bud!” another voice echoes from a few chutes down.
“Guess the locker-room talk makes all the difference.” Knox stops in front of me.
Hell, tonight isn’t even the best ride of my rodeo career. I know he’s trying to stir shit, but we’re supposed to be on the same team now, so...
“Good luck, Knox.” The words feel uneasy on my tongue. I’m not one to wish harm on another—I wasn’t raised that way—so I give him a hard slap on his shoulder and step around him.
“Luck, Jones, has nothing to do with it. Watch and learn.” He slides his black hat on his head, tugging the collar of his team shirt littered with sponsors, and stalks for the chute and the bull with his name on it. Literally.
Kadence. Known on the circuit for being one of the most erratic bulls.
Apparently, there is a god.
I can’t resist the opportunity to see Kade Knox get spat out and land on his arrogant ass. So instead of making my way back to the locker room in the back of the office building, I head for the open return gate and lean on it.
Knox climbs the rails and lowers himself onto the bull that’s already kicking up a fuss in the chute. Levi is snapping something out into the earpiece he has strapped to his head. His clipboard hits the dust as Kadence rears up in the chute, propelling Knox backward.
