Page 58 of Big Daddy Bull Riders

She felt the man’s body go rigid against hers. It almost seemed as if he was forcing back tears. Perhaps as big and tough as he was, seeing his little girl cry was too much.

Changing a glance at Jackson, she saw that his eyes seemed a little damp, too. A heaviness hung in the air.

“I promise, sweetpea. Just trust your Daddies,” Slater said.

They kissed. She then kissed Jackson. Who cared if anyone saw? It was their life. They could live it however the hell they wanted to.

“You run along now, honey,” Slater said, patting her behind. “Get up in the stands where it’s safe.”

She sniffled, dried her eyes, and then obeyed.

She just hoped it wasn’t for the last time.

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

Slater had a bad feeling in his gut.

True to his name, Son of Satan was a beast. The thing was already trying to buck and torque, threatening to bust right out of the chute and stomp everyone around him to pieces.

Standing on one of the slats of the chute so he was taller and more level with Slater, Jackson said, “You sure about this, brother?”

Slater laughed. “I guess we’re not brothers, after all. Not after what we’ve been doing.”

Despite the grim circumstances, this at least drew a laugh from Jackson, a fact Slater was thankful for. Anything to add a little levity to the moment was much appreciated.

“You know I’ll nurse you back to health.”

“You’ve done it before,” Slater agreed.

“That’s right. And I’d do it a hundred times over. I know our Little girl feels the same way.”

Slater shook his head. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

The bull snorted and tried to rear back.

“Whoa there, old son. Easy now. Save it for out there,” Slater said.

The animal didn’t seem to give a damn.

“It’s not too late,” Jackson said.

“Everyone will think I’m a damn coward if I back out now.”

Jackson shook his head. “Nope. They’ll think you actually have a lick of common sense. Anyway, who the hell cares what anyone thinks? We have sweet Mina. We have each other. What else matters?”

“Big Cedar matters,” Slater said. “That’s what this is about!”

“Big Cedar is the people,” a new voice said. “Not a place.”

They looked to see Walker standing front and center, the Big Cedar contingent behind him.

Mina stepped forward.

“What’s going on?” Slater asked.

“Who are all these people?” the burly old chute boss said. He looked as if he’d just stepped out of a western movie, complete with a drooping, walrus mustache.

“Just some friends,” Slater said.

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