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She gets up in his face but keeps her voice steady. “I don’t need you to be nice, Brody. I heard what you said earlier, so don’t spew this bullshit. Just be honest.”

Now I need to know what’s got her so pissed off. I stride up to the group of cowboys, nudging one with my shoulder. “What the hell did he say earlier?”

Dakota must not be surprised I’m back here because she keeps that glare fixed on him. “He said I’d never make it to the PBR, isn’t that right, sugar? You’ve been lying right to my face with all that room-temperature encouragement.”

Now, I’m the one fuming.

Brodie takes off his hat, running a hand through his dark hair, looking somewhat sheepish. That’s not good enough for me. Dakota steps back, and I stride right up to him, towering over Brodie with my extra few inches of height.

That’s one thing we hockey players have on bull riders—we’re taller.

“You’ve got two options. Either apologize or own up to what you said,” I demand.

In my periphery, Dakota’s brows shoot up in a look that seems half surprised and half impressed.

Brodie’s jaw works, and he glances at her like he’s debating what to do.

“Fine,” he mutters. “I don’t think you’ll make it. You’re too in your head. It’s gonna be a while before you get on the level needed for the PBR. Boone called it in that interview.”

I see Dakota sniff out of the corner of my eye, but she remains silent. I’m not expecting her to throw a punch because she doesn’t stand up for herself unless it’s something worth fighting for. She’ll let all the bullshit roll right off, but when it comes to her friends? Her family?

She would do anything for them.

Which is why I’ll always stand up for this woman.

I grip Brodie’s fringe jacket with everything I’ve got, lowering my voice to a vicious growl. “I can’t wait for her to prove you wrong.”

He stares.

I glare back.

Releasing him, I step away as Dakota spins around, colliding right into me. I catch her shoulders to steady her, and she grabs my wrists. There’s something in her eyes—gratitude, maybe? I can’t be sure because she shakes me off and strides toward the horse stalls. She’s not getting away that easily. I follow her instantly, but I catch the tail end of the cowboys’ discussion.

“Guess the rumors are true. I’d heard Kodie Cutler could be kind of rude, but that glare is something else. Sexy as shit, but terrifying.”

I slow my steps.

“Woo yeah, buddy, you do not want to get on her bad side,” Brodie agrees, his footsteps echoing.

“Boone lucked out,” he says, voices dimming. “Could you imagine spending a lifetime with that?”

“Fuck no,” he says. “One night, sure, but not a whole life.”

That makes me grind to a screeching halt.

“Careful, boys,” I call out with clenched fists, trying not to let my fuse snap. “You should watch that tone, or she might come after y’all.”

At least they have the audacity to look a little guilty. I’m seriously tempted to knock some sense into them, but they aren’t worth my time, and I’d rather go after Dakota to make sure she’s okay. Her outside might be steel, but her inside is pure gold. These guys don’t know her like I do.

She’s been keeping the fridge stocked with blueberries for Vienna, and she claims it’s because she likes them, but I know it’s really because I told her my baby girl loves them.

No one buys five boxes of blueberries at the grocery store just because. She softens for the people close to her, and I’m lucky that Vi and I are two of those people.

I follow her to a quiet area by the wooden horse stalls. She’s hunched over on a hay bale, feeding a lump to one of the brown and white Broncos. She’s always been an animal lover, so I’m not surprised to find her watching him chomp through the metal grates.

“What’re you doing back here?” she mumbles, looking at the horse through the bars and not me. “I’m not going to be good company tonight. Not after that fall, so you best be on your way. Leave me with my bottle of painkillers and Epsom salt. Maybe throw in some tequila.”

“Let’s get one thing straight.” I move closer to her back, breathing in the salty smell of her sweat mixed with leather. It’s rugged and fucking sexy. “I don’t care if you’re good company. The reason I came tonight is because I wanted to support you after all the training we’ve been doing, and don’t you fuckin’ dare listen to a word out of that asshole’s mouth. You’ve got everything it takes.”