Page 120 of Burned & Bound

“But none like Rampage,” she pointed out. I ran a hand through my hair to keep from clipping at her too quickly. All anyone wanted to talk about was Rampage’s destruction—like I wasn’t aware how dangerous the bull was. But the thing of it was, he was just another fucking bull. I refused to let his track record fuck with my head like it did everyone else’s.

“Well, he ain’t ever come up against me,” I said with confidence.Was I talking out of my ass? Maybe a little.But I wouldn’t let a bull get the better of me before I ever got on its back.

It took me another ten minutes before I managed to escape her.That was ten minutes too many.Interviews came with the territory, but fuck, I was over them. I had an opening night party to get to and West to spend time with.

West, despite the clear line in the sand keeping our relationship quiet, stood along a nearby fence just waiting for me to finish up. After five interviews, he hadn’t moved. Not once. He didn’t even fucking smoke. He just stood there listening and fading into the background.

I hated that last part—though, I had a feeling he didn’t mind being ignored by everyone.

“We’re escaping now,” I said in a hushed voice as I strode right past him. He hurried after me. “If I do one more goddamn interview, I might start fucking lying just for the hell of it.”

“Amy would fucking love that,” he replied gruffly.

“Amy would eat me for fucking breakfast.” I laughed. We made our way through the parking lot, and I kept my head low just to avoid more people. “Granted, I might just do that shit to fuck with her.”

I wouldn’t. I didn’t need bad press.

“Are you worried?” West asked quietly. I blew out a long breath as I shoved my hands in my pockets.

“Maybe,” I admitted. I could tell West anything—there was no concern there. “I know Rampage is a wild fucking mess with a bad reputation. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself, you know?”

He made a small sound.Who was I kidding?West didn’t have a clue about bull riding. I had to assume Darla and the girls told him about Rampage’s reputation.

“Hey.” I stopped, turning and stopping in front of him. His jaw set tight as if waiting for some kind of backlash. I knew it was instinct for him—years of expressing something and having it used against him—but that didn’t make it suck any less. “I’ll be okay. I’ve done this hundreds of times.”

“On a bull like Rampage?” He cocked a brow, clearly not buying a word I said.

“A bull is just a bull,” I told him. Glancing around us to make sure we were alone, I stepped closer and placed a lingering kiss on his forehead. “Besides, we both know I love a fucking challenge.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” The words came out so softly that I almost missed them. But hearing that West was afraid for me was almost enough to make me pull out of the event.

Almost.

CHAPTER 84

west

Jackson was in hiselement. That much was clear as day as I watched him dance with a group of cowboys and bunnies—one of those line dances or some shit. I didn’t have a clue what they were doing, but he did. His smile was wide, his laughter was loud, and I had a feeling nothing would stop him from enjoying the night.

This Jackson was different. So different I almost didn’t recognize him. I knew from following his career that he was more lighthearted while on the circuit, but I hadn’t anticipated this.

But me? I stuck to my seat, doing whatever I could do to stay invisible on the sidelines. My nerves burned, misfiring left and right until I couldn’t sit still. The restless energy funneled into my legs, leaving me bouncing anxiously. It was too loud. Too chaotic. Too much.

I wasn’t cut out for this lifestyle.

I wasn’t cut out to keep up with Jackson like this—not when I wanted to crawl into a hole where not a single fucking person could bother me.

There wasn’t a hole I could crawl into, but I did walk my ass out the door without letting Jackson know. He wouldn’t notice anyway, and I didn’twant him to. He didn’t need a night where my stupid bullshit swept in and ruined it all.

The knowledge I had of Rampage made me curious. Enough so that I fucking broke into the animal holding area.They needed better fucking security.Considering the value of the animals in the pens, I shouldn’t have been able to walk in like I did.

Rampage’s pen was set away from all the rest, which did nothing but solidify the stories about him. Still, I leaned on the metal gate and studied him. The Bushwacker bull just stood there.

He watched me.

I watched him.

Neither of us moved.

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