Page 1 of Downpour

PROLOGUE

RAY

Do you know what it sounds like when seventy thousand people fall silent at the same time? I do.

“Tight legs, loose hips,” Marty said. “You all taped up?”

I nodded and blocked everything out. The crowd, the announcer—even the two-thousand-pound beast under my ass. It all faded away.

I was in the zone, and I wasn’t leaving until the title was mine.

“Rider ready.”

Seventy thousand people holding their breath sounds like the hush before a thunderclap.

The chute boss placed a steady hand on my shoulder, ready to catch me in case Homewrecker decided to slam me into the gate before it opened.

“Go Uncle Ray!” my nieces cheered, bouncing up and down.

“You got this, brother!” Christian shouted, followed by a sharp whistle.

Eight seconds.

I never bothered counting in my head. Some riders did, but time had a way of freezing when a beast the size of a wrecking ball was trying to end me. The pain ripping through my shoulder made it hard to tell seven seconds from eight.

I shut my eyes, blocking out everything until all I heard was silence.

The gate swung wide, but Homewrecker paused.

Aw, shit.

Nothing worse than a boring bull.

I needed him to bring everything he had. Fifty points were on me, but the other fifty for bucking and intensity were all up to the animal.

With a grunt, Homewrecker threw me in the air, but I held on. The animal twisted like a tornado, slamming forward and back with each buck.

My hand ached and burned as every muscle and tendon stretched to its limit. I squeezed harder, fighting for every second.

The crowd’s roar crushed my mental block.

Had it been eight seconds or was I just putting on a good show?

Homewrecker veered left then snapped right, catching me off guard. I shifted my hips to counter, but I could tell he was done with me.

He thrashed left and right until my grip failed and he threw me into the air. A hoof connected with my side, and pain exploded through my body.

The ground rushed up to meet me and I slammed into the dirt head-first. The pain stopped immediately.

That’s weird.

I tried to roll onto my knees to get out of the ring, but nothing happened no matter how much I jerked.

Remember how I said the seventy-thousand-strong silence felt like waiting for thunder?

I couldn’t feel a thing, but I sensed the weight of that gasp.

Then shouts erupted like a storm.

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