The bull keeps charging. Fast. Way faster than something that big should move.
Axle and Royce appear from the opposite side. Pushing him left.
The bull swings his head and changes direction.
For a moment, the three of us form a giant triangle around him. The truck on one side. The horses on the other. Keeping him trapped in the open pasture.
The bull snorts and throws his head.
Axle points directly at me. “Stay in the truck!”
I can barely hear him over the distance.
“Move to the middle!”
I throw the truck into park and slide across the bench seat.
The last thing I need is an angry bull deciding to test the driver’s door.
Bryce arrives out of nowhere a few seconds later.
His horse skids to a stop between the bull and the truck, creating a barrier between me and the agitated beast.
The bull swings toward him, and Bryce calmly turns him away.
The three cowboys start working together. Years of experience in handling bulls show in every move. Every turn. Every adjustment.
The bull starts backing toward the trailer slowly. Reluctantly.
Royce reaches for a rope hanging from his saddle. The loop spins and lands perfectly over the bull’s horns.
“Got him!”
Bryce follows. His rope flies and catches the hind legs.
The two ropes stretch tight. The bull bellows. Really angry now. The muscles in his shoulders bunch as he fights against the ropes.
But Bryce and Royce keep him stretched out. Off-balance and uncomfortable.
Exactly where they want him.
Axle dismounts and starts jogging toward the trailer.
My pulse immediately spikes.
He drops the ramp and swings the gate open. Then moves directly behind the bull. Close enough to touch him.
My palms start sweating.
“Axle,” I mutter.
The bull jerks, snorts, and throws dirt, doing everything he can to show his displeasure.
Axle talks to him the entire time. His voice calm and steady. Almost soothing. “Easy now.”
The bull backs up toward the trailer. One step, then another. Until his back legs are on the ramp.
For a second, I think they’ve got him. Then everything goes wrong. The bull explodes. He kicks backward with tremendous force and leaps sideways. Axle anticipates the move and pivots, but the bull’s hind legs catch the side of the trailer, and the gate jolts forward. Slamming directly into the back of Axle’s head.
