Chapter 51
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
LOLA
The first thing I notice when we pull up to the rodeo grounds is the noise; even at two in the afternoon, the place is buzzing like it’s a party.
I had no clue what to expect. Wyatt was telling me all about rodeos this morning.
He’s coming next time, I promised him, but he’s got a friend coming over to play today.
Engines rumbling, some country music blasting somewhere in the distance, people laughing and shouting. It looks like fun.
My eyes widen as I step out of Hunter’s truck. “Holy shit,” I breathe.
Hunter shuts the door beside me and comes around the front of the truck with that slow, confident swagger that still makes my stomach flutter every time I see it. “Welcome to your first rodeo, city girl,” he says, clearly amused.
I glance around again. I’ve never been nervous in busy crowds before. In my old life, that was part of the job. This feels different. Because I know they’ll spot me a mile away as a New Yorker.
There are cowboys everywhere. Some leaning against fences, others walking bulls and horses through the grounds.
“It’s… a lot,” I admit.
Hunter chuckles, sliding his hand into mine. “You’ll get used to it.”
Used to it.
I never thought it would become normal to watch people voluntarily climb onto animals the size of small tanks as if it’s just another Saturday lunchtime activity.
We walk toward the arena entrance, and the closer we get, the more people seem to appear. Fans are filling the bleachers. Kids running around with cotton candy.
My fingers tighten around Hunter’s hand. “There are so many people,” I mutter.
He glances down at me, reading my expression instantly. “Hey,” he murmurs, pulling me a little closer to his side. “You’re alright. Just stick with me.”
Easy for him to say. This man walks through crowds like he owns the ground beneath them.
Actually… he kind of does.
We duck under a gate and move behind the scenes near the competitor area, and the atmosphere shifts instantly. It’s more focused here. And very tense.
My heart starts beating faster.
“Hunter!” someone calls.
I look up to see a group of guys heading toward us. They kind of look like Hunter and his brothers, just different. Less intimidating perhaps.
Hunter lifts a hand in greeting. “Boys.”
One of them claps Hunter on the shoulder before glancing at me. “Well damn,” he says with a grin. “This must be the wife.”
My cheeks warm instantly as Hunter’s arm wraps around my waist.
“Sure is. Meet Lola Sterling,” Hunter says, and I can hear the possessiveness in his tone.
It’s hot.
They all tip their hats slightly in greeting.
“Name’s Danny,” one says.
“Travis.”
“Jace.”
I’m sure I’ve seen at least one of their faces on the ranch.
I try to remember them all, but my brain is already spinning from the noise and movement around us. “Nice to meet you,” I say, hoping I don’t look as overwhelmed as I feel.
Danny chuckles. “Don’t worry, ma’am. First rodeo’s always a shock to the system.”
I laugh nervously. “That obvious?”
Hunter squeezes my hip.
“Little bit,” he teases.
My gaze drifts past them toward the chutes just as someone else approaches.
And suddenly, Violet appears beside me, which means she survived the ride in the truck with Colten.
“OH MY GOD,” she squeals.
I nearly jump.
She grabs my arm, her eyes locked on the arena like she’s just seen a celebrity. “Lola. Lola. I did not realize how big of a deal Ace is here.”
I blink. “Well… yeah.”
Hunter’s brother is standing near the gates, rolling his shoulders while another cowboy helps adjust the rope around his glove.
Even from here, he looks intense. Gone is the wild cowboy who dives headfirst into bounce houses.
Violet grips my arm tighter. “That man is the hottest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.”
I choke on a laugh. “You met him already, V. Remember?”
She shakes her head. “I met the annoying little brother that day, who couldn’t pack my shoes properly. This guy? This is a sexy version.”
This is not good for anyone. I take it Violet has made up her mind about Luke.
“Please act normal,” I whisper.
“I am acting normal.”
“You’re staring.”
“I’m appreciating.” She hums.
Hunter glances down at us suspiciously. “What are you two whispering about?”
“Nothing,” we both say quickly.
His eyes narrow.
But before he can question it further, a loudspeaker crackles overhead, and the announcer’s voice booms across the arena.
The crowd erupts.
“Looks like Ace is up,” Hunter mutters.
My attention snaps back toward Ace as he climbs onto the bull, settling into position while the handlers secure the rope. The bull beneath him is enormous. Like, way bigger than I assumed they’d be. Not that I’ve been face-to-face with one before in my life.
My stomach drops. Hunter told me that Ace recently took a few months off, and this is his first ride back. And now I’m nervous for him. “He’s actually going to ride that?”
“Yep, been doing crazy shit like this most of his life,” Hunter says calmly.
I glance behind him and spot Colten as he approaches Hunter and stands beside him.
It’s odd that Beau doesn’t seem to get involved in the family stuff much.
He’s not here today; he’d rather stay with Wyatt on the Ranch.
And when he is around, he’s always just there.
Not really doing much. I’m starting to wonder if it’s me he dislikes being around.
Colten and Hunter are both watching Ace with identical expressions. Pride. But also something else. Something I’d stab a guess at is fear.
Hunter’s jaw is tight, his arms folded across his chest as his gaze stays locked on the chute gate.
Colten looks just as rigid beside him.
“Why does he do this?” I murmur.
Violet answers before Hunter can. “Because it’s hot.”
I stare at her. “You think attempted death is hot?”
“Yes.”
I’m not sure my heart could cope with watching Hunter do something like this.
The announcer’s voice rises again. “LET’S HEAR IT FOR ACE STERLING!”
The gate bursts open, and the bull explodes into motion. I gasp and feel sick all at the same time. The thing launches into the air, twisting violently as Ace holds on with one hand, the other arm stretched out for balance.
The entire arena roars.
Dust flies everywhere as the bull bucks again, spinning hard enough to make my stomach flip just watching it. Ace moves with it like he’s part of the animal. It’s completely insane to watch.
My nails dig into Hunter’s arm without me realizing. “Oh my god,” I gasp.
Hunter doesn’t move.
Every muscle in his body is locked tight as he watches his brother ride a creature that clearly wants him dead.
The bull twists again with another violent buck, and Ace still hangs on.
The buzzer sounds. Eight seconds. The longest eight seconds of my life so far. What the hell was that?
The bullfighters rush in, and Ace finally drops off the animal, landing on the dirt before jogging away as the bull charges past.
The crowd goes wild.
My heart is pounding so hard I swear it might burst out of my chest. I turn to Hunter. “This is absolutely insane, cowboy.”
He finally exhales, a slow grin breaking across his face as relief replaces the tension. “Yeah,” he says.
Then he glances toward the arena where Ace is tipping his hat to the cheering crowd with the wildest smile on his face.
“But damn if he ain’t good.”
I have no idea what is good in this scenario. But I assume, looking at his face, Ace just impressed him. And that makes me happy. I like Ace.
Violet leans in closer to me, her shoulder brushing against mine as another huge cowboy makes his way over to Hunter.
This one has brown eyes, and jet black hair.
Like the rest, he’s covered in tattoos. “Hunter fucking Sterling. Looks like Ace is back, and even better than before.” He greets Hunter with a smile.
“Jett,” Hunter says back.
“Lola. Meet my cousin. Jett Lawson,” he says, and then looks to Jett. “And this is Lola Sterling. My wife.”
Jett's dark eyes go wide, and he clears his throat. “Wow. Didn’t expect that news to be part of my day,” he jokes, extending his hand to me.
I take it. “Nice to meet you.”
He grins. “Welcome to the crazy family, Lola.” He turns his attention back to Hunter. “I gotta talk to you, meet me by your truck,” he says, quietly enough so that no one else can hear, but me and Hunter.
“Alright.”
He then leans in and whispers something else to Hunter, something I can’t quite hear, and pulls back.
Hunter's hand squeezes mine as Jett says goodbye to me and lights a cigarette, heading away from us casually, but not before eye fucking my best friend first.
“Okay. He was hot, too. Hunter has very good-looking relatives,” Violet whispers, instantly relieving my anxiety.
Hunter takes a breath. “Violet. You have a better chance with Jett than you do with Ace. His heart already belongs to someone else.”
Violet sighs. I catch her staring at Ace as he walks over. “Are you one hundred percent?”
I nudge her side, hoping she might stop talking.
“Colten, can you stay with the girls while I see Jett?” Hunter asks.
Colten grins. “Yeah. This job seems like a breeze compared to the other shit you have me do.”
Hunter pins him with a stare. “You’re talking about my wife.”
Oh my god, are they about to start fighting? I can’t work them out. They’re both stone-faced, staring at each other.
And then, they both erupt into laughter.
“Look after my wife, Colt.”
He gives Hunter a salute. Before I can ask any questions, Hunter turns to me, grabs my face, and kisses me so damn hard I can’t think straight anymore.
“I won’t be long,” he says. He nods to Ace, who doesn’t even get a chance to speak to us; he’s running after Hunter.
“Great job out there!” Violet calls to Ace as he breezes past us.
“Throw him your panties next time, Violet, that might get his attention,” Colten tells her with a serious expression on his face.
Violet chews her lip, almost like she’s seriously debating that advice.
“I swear to God, V. Keep your panties on at the rodeo. Please.”
Colten chuckles, lighting up a cigarette. “Look, Ace could do with gettin’ some.”
I scowl at him. He is not helping the situation. And Violet needs to fix her… whatever the hell it is she has with Luke before she goes after my husband’s brother or cousin at this rate.
My gaze drifts back to watching Hunter walk away.
I’m starting to realize there isn’t much opportunity to relax here. There is always something Hunter has to deal with. Which is fine, so long as he always comes back to me.
I keep watching Hunter as he walks away, spinning my ring on my finger.
“He will be fine, Lola. Don’t worry about him,” Colten says quietly.
I smile as I look up at him. “It’s nice to see him have someone who actually cares for him. You’re good for him.”
And I take that as a win. Colten seems quieter than Hunter and Ace. But I think he’s starting to warm to me. I want to win him over and show him that I do love his brother.
“Can we go get some food?” Violet asks, completely oblivious to everything else going on around her.
“Yeah. Let’s go. I want a beer,” Colten says and leads us into the crowd.