Page 23 of Buck This (Battle of the Bulls #6)

Buck lifted her by the waist out of the passenger’s seat of his truck and grabbed her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The media had seen his truck coming into the athlete parking lot and they were swarming them. He didn’t react, didn’t respond, other than to pull her behind him protectively and barrel through the crowd.

Torrey felt claustrophobic with the push of bodies, but just as she felt the panic clawing up the back of her throat, Buck This barked out, “Back up. Please. We’re due inside in five minutes.”

Quickdraw appeared out of nowhere, parting the reporters, and then there was Dead, and Train Wreck, and Tuff Enough helping to make a path for Buck and Torrey.

Two Shots Down and the mates were hanging by the entrance with a duffel bag.

He handed Buck a couple of shaker bottles, and Buck released her hand to take them.

“Have you eaten?” Quickdraw asked from behind him.

“No,” Buck said somberly.

“Take both then. Protein shake and pre-workout. I need you to move. You’re supposed to be on the dirt right now.”

Buck chugged the protein shake as they walked, and then handed the empty to Quickdraw, then downed the pre-workout, and tossed a look over his shoulder, locked eyes on Torrey and reached his hand back like it was the most natural thing in the world. She trotted closer and slipped her hand into his.

She could hear her voice on the jumbotron from here. Her interview was being played for the audience. Holy moly, this was overwhelming.

Raven was there, brushing the back of Torrey’s hair.

She slipped a cowboy hat over Torrey’s head, and smoothed out the hem of her tank top.

She straightened her necklace, did a once over as she walked backward in front of Torrey, then gave the nod of approval.

“Give ‘em hell,” she murmured. “Come straight to the box after he’s loaded.

She squeezed Raven’s hand and mouthed, Thank you .

Raven gripped her shoulders quickly and nodded, and Torrey could see the emotion there. She was happy Torrey had found him and brought him back around. Buck couldn’t go out on what Cobalt had done. Not like this.

“Why is he so calm?” she heard Dead ask Train Wreck behind them. “Should we get him riled up?”

“He’s good,” Torrey said confidently.

Buck This squeezed her hand, and she could tell he’d heard the exchange.

Her voice was getting louder from the media interview she’d done on camera earlier today.

Raven had done her hair quickly and did a speed-job on her make-up, but she’d still been wearing the shirt Buck had given her to sleep in last night, all tied at the button of her Wrangler shorts.

She hadn’t cared about any of it. She’d only wanted to get the real story out—the one she’d found in the official court documents, when Buck had been released from jail because it had been proven that he hadn’t been driving.

Both had been thrown from the truck and Buck had gone crazy afterward in his grief.

He’d spent a few weeks in jail, but the charges had been dropped when the investigators had time to sift through what had really happened.

The news stations were having to air apologies for not looking more deeply into the allegations, fake paperwork, and lack of research on Quickdraw’s threats to sue them for defamation.

Cobalt and some of the other riders had fed them a story and two stations had run with it.

The rest had been wise enough to look deeper. Those two had done damage though.

She’d taken the power away and called it all out. Including Cobalt.

Her voice was getting louder as they reached the edge of the arena. She could see herself on the jumbotron now.

“…He’s going to be great because he has to be.

He’s not doing this for him, or for fame, or for money.

He’s doing this for his brother. He’s doing this because for that eight seconds, he feels like he’s doing something right.

He’s doing this for those who have lost and suffered, who can’t get the bad out of their heads.

He will be great because he’s got his brother’s voice telling him to push the hurt to his toes and buck strong.

You’re wrong to exploit his pain. His story isn’t for mass consumption.

Not yet. You rushed it.” Her lip trembled in the interview before she finished with the line, “He isn’t done yet. ”

The jumbotron cut to a cowboy explaining that they would not be cutting Buck This Storme from the event, and that his name was back in the hat.

Quickdraw and the others stayed at the gate as Torrey’s boots hit arena dirt, and in front of her, still holding her hand, Buck This lifted his free hand, palm up, a few times, encouraging the crowd to cheer. The stands went wild.

Torrey’s stomach was full of nerves as they walked to the center of the arena and up onto a stage they had set up.

As soon as they hit the stairs to the stage, lines of fire lit up in the arena dirt behind them, and the overhead lights dimmed.

The jumbotron showed a man talking about the legacy both riders and bull shifters were making for the next generation, and the tradition behind these events.

Buck This walked Torrey to where the other significant others were and left her standing right by Reece.

He leaned in and kissed her lips right there in front of everyone and then turned and settled at the end of the row of bucking bull shifters.

He was looking at something to his left. Just…staring.

Torrey rocked forward on her toes to see around the announcers. Cobalt stood there, hands clasped in front of him, looking down at the stage.

The riders were pulling chips out of a hat that had the bulls’ names written onto them. When it came to Cobalt to draw a name, Buck stepped forward. “I want Cobalt Blue.”

The announcer paused, the hat in his hand. Cobalt was rushing to reach in there, like he hadn’t heard Buck, but the announcer pulled it away at the last second.

“We have a call-out,” he said. “Now if you’re new to our events, you might not know the rules on drawing bulls.

A call-out is allowed only if the rider and bull are contenders for a possible first place finish, and this call-out is from the bull, Buck This Storme, to the rider Cobalt Blue.

My scorekeepers are tallying it up right now to tell me if this is a fair call out.

Can Buck This Storme finish first tonight? ”

There was a guy at the end of the stage with an iPad, and he looked up and nodded once. “The call-out is good if both agree to it.”

Buck lifted his chin higher into the air, eyes unblinking and trained on Cobalt. There was a camera right by his face, and ooooh, Torrey smiled. Anyone watching this would see the fire in his expression right now. She couldn’t be any prouder of anyone. It wasn’t possible. Atta boy.

“You’re number one, right?” Buck asked. “You got bucked off yesterday, but you’re number one.”

“I got a re-ride yesterday! I rode out! The buck on you doesn’t count because you got a penalty,” Cobalt barked out. “My score is the highest! I am number one. That’s not just some numbers I made up. The circuit announced it. That’s the place I earned.”

Buck shrugged. “Prove it. Take the call-out. Ride my bull for eight seconds. Be number one.”

“I choose to draw,” Cobalt announced sternly.

What a coward. The crowd booed as he drew a chip out of the hat. Torrey could tell even the riders thought it was weak by the looks they exchanged with each other.

“Cobalt Blue will be riding Iron Will,” the announcer said.

Buck huffed a laugh and shook his head, then tossed a look at Torrey over his shoulder before he dragged his glare to Cobalt again. “Ride him out,” Buck barked. “I’ll see you at finals.” The rage in his eyes was infinite.

Buck This turned and offered his hand to Torrey.

From beside her, Reece said, “Torrey—”

“Don’t even try,” Torrey gritted out. “I don’t respect you enough to listen. Not anymore. What you and Cobalt did was so messed up.” She held her gaze a second more, and then made her way to Buck, slipped her hand into his and followed him offstage.

“Don’t you want to see who draws you?” the announcer asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” Buck called. A cameraman was following them. “Whoever draws me is a steppingstone.”

Oh shit. The crowd was going wild, and there were a bunch of people hanging over the edge of the opening to exit the arena. They had to walk beside of line of lingering flames to get to them, and Buck fist bumped a few of them before he led Torrey through.

“Dude, that was awesome,” Dead said through a grin as they met them near the loading chutes. “I thought Cobalt was going to piss his pants,” he said gleefully.

“Your T-shirts are sold out completely,” Quickdraw said. “Just so you know. The crowd is behind you.”

“Because of her,” Buck said, twitching his head toward Torrey. “That interview she did changed everything.”

Quickdraw gripped him by the back of the neck, then pulled him in for a rough hug, then shoved him back. “She got you back in here, now it’s your turn. Let’s go Change before the others get back here. I can buy you a few minutes with the Changing area. Keep the assholes out, yeah?”

“I don’t think I’ll need it.”

Quickdraw frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I can see him,” Buck This whispered, his heart in his eyes.

Oooh, Torrey’s chest ached, and she blinked back an instant burning sensation that filled her eyes.

“You can see who?” Quickdraw asked low.

“Teague.”

“Where?”

Buck This twitched his head toward a set of panels leaning up against a wall.

Quickdraw’s eyes darted to the empty area, then back to Buck. “What’s he saying?”

“Buck strong.”

Quickdraw nodded, eyes locked on Buck’s. “You ready?”

“I’m ready.”