Chapter 26
Dirt Road Anthem - Jason Aldean
Wyatt
“ D amn!” Finn swung off his horse, slapping the ground hard.
I followed suit, my boots kicking up dust as I landed.
He clapped me on the back so forcefully I stumbled forward. “That was our best fucking time yet!”
I grinned ear-to-ear like a damn fool, my heart thundering in my chest. The rush of rodeo always hit me hard, that high I couldn’t get enough of. But the only other thing I craved was her—the tiny blonde tornado already launching herself into my arms.
Kinsley wrapped herself around me, her lean legs squeezing my waist as she smashed her lips against mine. I drank her in greedily, my hands sliding down to cup her ass and pull her harder against me.
“You’re such a show-off,” she said.
“It’s roping. The only show I want to put on is for you.” I nipped at her jawline, dragging my teeth along her delicate skin.
“Oh, really?” She raised an eyebrow at me.
“I mean in the ring, on a horse.” I placed her back on the ground.
“Aww, I was hoping for a little dance, less clothing maybe.”
I pretended to consider. “Maybe later,” I said with a straight face.
“Ha! That’ll be the day.”
“Are you saying I can’t dance?”
“Yes.”
“You’re right.” I kissed her again.
“Would you two stop that? You’re embarrassing me,” Finn said as the three of us started leading the horses back to the barn.
Kinsley was all over Gambler, peppering that damn ornery horse with kisses and baby talk.
“Get over it,” I told him.
“Must be nice to have your rich girlfriend buy you a new horse.”
Those mocking words cut deep, causing every muscle in my body to seize up. I wheeled around to find that prick, Travis, leaning against the barn door, a couple of his clowns flanking him with matching shit-eating grins.
Kinsley’s small hand slid into mine, giving a reassuring squeeze, but I was already losing my grip, the haze of anger clouding my vision.
“It’s a borrowed horse ridden by a skilled cowboy,” Finn shot back. “We can’t help that we’re better than you.”
“You guys weren’t that great a few weeks ago.”
“Horse was slowing down; it happens to the best of them.”
I didn’t want to let Finn do all the talking. I wanted to say something, defend myself, but I couldn’t form any words. It wasn’t the horse. I’d been doing this my whole life. Kinsley hadn’t bought him for me; I was doing her a favour by riding him while she recovered.
But she has recovered, I reminded myself. Should I be telling her to ride him again? If she wanted him back, she’d tell me, right?
“Is her daddy paying all your bills too?”
“Oh, shut up, Travis,” Kinsley barked. “C’mon, Wyatt.” She tugged at my arm.
I hadn’t realised I’d stopped moving.
“Wyatt.” She was looking at me, her brow furrowed.
Behind her, Travis was smirking at me like a smug SOB.
“How deep are those Jackson Ranch pockets, Collins?”
I couldn’t pinpoint the moment I decided to punch Travis, but my knuckles burned when they hit his jaw. He was blindsided and hit the ground with a hard thud.
“Shit,” I heard Finn breathe.
Travis’s friends were already on me as if eager to be let loose. I ducked as a fist flew towards my face, but the other guy had come around behind me and stopped me from falling, only so his friend’s next blow landed hard in my gut.
“Finally, Collins. I’ve been waiting to kick your ass.” Travis rose from the dirt, rubbing his thumb and forefinger over his chin and flexing his jaw.
Then it was on.
Kinsley shrieked as we brawled. Finn’s voice was letting out a slew of curses as he fought. It was three against two. At least until Kinsley decided she’d had enough and leapt onto Travis’s back with her arm circling his throat in a chokehold.
“Kinsley! Get out of here!” I barked.
“Punch him!”
Fuck.
I pummelled him in the stomach, and he curled over, Kinsley going down with him, so I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her off him. She was swinging her arms and legs wildly, trying to get at Travis and deliver her own beating, but I held tight and avoided flying limbs.
A small crowd had gathered, and Grady and Rhett burst through at a run.
“Why didn’t you guys tell me we were finally going to kick these pansy asses?” Grady jumped into the fray.
“Sorry, I didn’t have time to make a call,” I gritted through my teeth.
It wasn’t long till Travis was groaning in pain, another guy was doubled over clutching his stomach, and Grady had the third pinned to the side of the barn.
“That was fun, but I was just getting warmed up. Wanna go again?” Grady asked the guy who glared at him.
“Let’s go.”. I released Kinsley, spit on the ground, and kicked a spray of dirt towards Travis before stalking off into the cool shade of the barn.
I was aware of my friends and Kinsley following me, but I didn’t slow my steps. The adrenaline was still pumping through my veins as I leaned against the barn’s wall, my chest heaving with each ragged breath. The dirt and sweat trickled down my back. My knuckles throbbed where they had connected with Travis’s jaw, and my stomach ached from the blow he had landed on me.
I hated this feeling, the raw aggression that took over. It was like a switch flipped inside me, turning me into a different person—one who didn’t care about the consequences of his actions.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down, but the images of the fight played over and over again in my mind. Kinsley’s fierce determination as she choked Travis. Finn’s furious curses as he fought off his attacker. Grady’s brashness as he jumped into the fray. It’d all been so intense, so primal. So out of control.
My nightmare had come true. Other competitors saw me differently now, thinking I was getting lucky because I was riding Kinsley’s fancy horse. I couldn’t shake the feeling that my wins weren’t about my own skills anymore but because I’d taken what wasn’t mine and I hadn’t earned.