Page 89 of Jump Back On

"That's the plan," I promised. "Thank you!"

Which made her grin at me, but I was already heading back to get my gear. As I walked, I scanned the page that had my bull on it. Goliath was his name, and I didn't know much about him. Curious, I pulled out my phone and Googled him.

Big and brindle, his name wasn't some kind of joke. The PBR page had him listed at number seven in the Unleash the Beast standings. The video I found had Gustavo on him, and this bull made Gustavo look tiny. He also bucked with the kind of power that would slingshot his riders right into the dirt.

So, not an easy ride. I was thinking through how I was going to handle this when I reached my gear. On autopilot, I unzipped my rope bag - and paused. Goliath was immediately forgotten. I could fucking smell it! Cooking oil this time. Less greasy but just as bad for the fibers of my rope.

"Goddamn it!" I yelled, pulling the thing out and feeling the slickness on my fingers.

"Cody?" one of the Brazilians asked.

I ran my hands over the rope, checking to see how bad it was. The answer was bad. As the anger took over, I flipped my rope bag over and realized the entire back side was dark. Some fucker had opened it and poured the oil right in, most likely.

So I turned, throwing my now useless rope across the area in a fit of pure rage. "You think this is going to stop me?" I screamed. "You think you're going to make me quit bygreasing my fucking rope again?!"

"What?" Gustavo breathed.

"Cody?" This was from Jake, hurrying over from the other side.

And there, right across from me, was Ty. My little tantrum had made everyone in this area look at me, but his eyes were the ones that kept me from ranting even more.

"You good?" he asked.

I nodded. "I have a backup."

"Isitgood?"

Yeah, and that was the question, wasn't it? Wiping my hands on my thighs, I turned for my gear bag and had to check. In there, my chaps took up most of the space, because I hadn't put them on yet. I found my spurs. Down at the bottom was a very pretty black rope. One that had been given to me by Ty.

My fingers ran across it, finding it sticky from the rosin I'd rubbed on it in Cheyenne. Letting out a relieved sigh, I pulled it out and flipped it onto the panel before me.

"It's good," I announced, aware half these men were watching me, waiting for an answer.

But instead of warming it up, I crossed the room to where Ty was focused on his own rope again. Moving to his side, there was something that just had to be said.

"Thank you." I flopped my back against the panel he was using.

He looked up, those pretty brown eyes of his finding mine. "Looks like you're going to need a few more. Should probably start keeping one in the truck, eh?"

I smiled at the little twang of his Canadian accent. "Yeah, but I mean it, Ty. Thank you. For the rope, for being worried, and for everything yesterday."

He just nodded. "I'm trying here, Cody."

That made me pause. "Ty..."

"No, hear me out," he begged. "I know you and Tanner are working out. I know you were worried about J.D." He glanced over, making me overly aware we were completely surrounded by others who were probably listening in. "I also know I was a piece of shit for a long-ass time. Long before you showed up. Back in Cheyenne, you called me out for it, so I'm trying, ok?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"And J.D. is still one of my friends," he said. "You made that happen, but it doesn't have a damned thing else to do with you."

"Understood," I assured him.

So he pulled in a big breath. "But I'm still going to be your protector."

"Ty..." I groaned.

"I'm going to show you I can do it," he insisted. "And don't you dare try to say you don't need one. I saw your fucking face, Cody. There's still a hint of a bruise on your neck. J.D. is laid up after that wreck. Tanner's out in the arena." He turned and stabbed a finger down at the ground. "And I'm here. I'm right fucking here, so I'm going to step up, be a real man, and stop thinking with my dick. I'm going to figure a few things out, stop assuming I'm owed what I want, and prove I'm not a piece of shit."

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