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 it out of 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 the clang of 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 hand finally comes 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.”
He grins, like he knows I’m holding in a smartass reply, before jogging off.
I’m packing my bag and my phone lights up. Kacey is calling. “Hey, Knox, look.” I show him my phone screen. “Must be calling to complain about you again.” I smile at his scowl before answering. “Hello?”
“Are you okay?” she asks, and now I feel bad. I know Kacey doesn’t handle the wrecks and dangers of the sport well. Knox and I both try to be safe and always assure her that we’re okay. I should’ve texted her tonight, but I didn’t think about it. My head has been all over the place lately.
“I’m good, Kace. I promise.”
“Do not lie to me, Trey Bennett,” she demands, practically shouting. “He smashed you and then threw you around like a rag doll. He could’ve broken your back or worse.”
I wince and hold the phone away from my ear. “Rubber bones?” I offer. Unfortunately, she doesn’t laugh. I hear someone in the background. “Am I on speaker?”
I move away from the back of the chutes, finding a quieter spot. I hear more mumbling in the background. “Uh— Don’t change the subject. What hurts where and how bad on a scale of one to ten?”
Wait, a scale of one to ten?
Jessie.
She’s there. I can feel it. “Kacey, I won’t lie, it fucking hurt. But you can tell Jessie I’m fine. I’ll ride again tomorrow; I just didn’t want the re-ride.”
There’s a long, silent pause—she might have muted the phone—before Kacey replies. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“I know she’s there, Kace. Can I . . .” I hesitate.
Can I what? Talk to her? She clearly doesn’t want to talk to me, or she could’ve fucking called me herself.
It gives me a small glimmer of hope—hope I’m truly terrified to hang on to—she’s watching and cared enough to make Kacey call on speaker phone to check in.
“Never mind. But next time she’s worried about me, tell her to call me herself.
” Silence is my only answer. I didn’t expect anything less, and I feel like shit putting Kacey in the middle of it.
“You better go call Knox—I told him you were calling to complain about him.”
She chuckles, but it’s half-hearted. “Yeah, okay. Bye, Trey.”
I rub my eyes. Fighting the urge to call Jessie’s cell.
I’m such an idiot. If she wanted to talk to me, she’d reach out.
The fact that I was on speaker phone, and she never said a word is proof enough she has no desire to talk to me.
I still worry about her and wonder what’s going on with Daryl every day.
I’ve come so close to caving and telling Knox or calling Carson so he can watch out for her, but I can’t bring myself to break her trust again—I have to believe she can handle this.
Because she said so. At least until I can get home and win her back.