Page 20 of Buck This (Battle of the Bulls #6)
A strange buzzing sound woke him up.
Buck sat up in the dark, his hand resting protectively on Torrey’s waist. She was still sleeping soundly if her steady breathing was anything to go by, but something felt…off.
Buzz.
It was his phone vibrating with text messages. Not many had his number, and he’d retreated from all meaningful friendships after Teague had died, so it made no sense that someone was texting him in the middle of the night.
Buzz.
Maybe it was Quickdraw and something was wrong.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
Carefully, Buck eased out of bed and tucked the covers back into place so Torrey wouldn’t get cold.
He picked up his phone from where he’d left it on the counter of the small kitchenette last night, and what he saw on the screen chilled his blood.
The first text was from an unknown number and read, It should’ve been you that died .
Buck’s heart dropped to the floor.
There were moments in a man’s life that altered the course of it completely.
The first one happened two years ago when he’d lost Teague.
Buck had the second one this week when he’d met Torrey.
He’d had another when Quickdraw had gone all in with coaching him.
But this fourth moment was one that would destroy it all. It was one that dragged his ghosts from their graves.
It was one he would never be able to banish from his mind for the rest of his days.
Here in the dark of his RV, Buck stared in horror as text after text appeared on his phone, picking up speed.
…is this true?...
…what the hell, man…
…it’s on the news already…
…why didn’t you say anything…
…you don’t know me, but I got your number, and would like to pay you for an exclusive interview…
…the cops are involved now…
…your eligibility to buck in this competition is under review…
…Buck! Call me!... That last one was from Quickdraw. He’d sent three similar ones, but he didn’t get it. He didn’t understand.
This news couldn’t be locked away again. It was out.
Fuck.
Buck knew the exact pictures they would use in the news stories. They would be plastered all over the internet, and all over the TV.
His phone vibrated constantly as text after text, and call after call came through.
Buck couldn’t breathe.
He knew what pictures they would find.
He knew.
He tried to drag air into his lungs and looked over at Torrey, still sleeping soundly in his bed. God she was so pretty. She was perfect.
Everything he touched turned to rot.
She couldn’t get caught up in this storm. He couldn’t allow it.
He couldn’t ruin her.
His career was over. His life was over. Again.
That didn’t mean hers had to be.
He’d done exactly what he’d known he would do—let everyone down. He’d let them down years ago, he’d just been walking around pretending he was still worth a shit.
Quiet as a breath, he stood and grabbed his shirt and wallet, and slipped out of the RV.
His phone vibrated constantly in his pocket, and after he got into his truck, and quietly shut the door beside him, he pulled the phone out, turned it off completely, then tossed it into the back seat.
He wouldn’t need it anymore.
Everything was done.