“You see that, Aunt Cissy?” Kayden stood mesmerized, his small form now highlighted in the glow of the pyrotechnics.
“Yeah,” she said.
Cissy halted and attempted to get her bearings. An announcer blared on the PA system, introducing the riders. Each bull rider sauntered out in turn from the curtained entrance.
“Where’s Mr. Dominic?” Jayden piped from behind, gripping her waistband.
“I don’t know. He’ll be out soon,” she shouted back. “Let’s get our seats so we can see him.”
Cissy reached Kayden and gave him a nudge, then picked her way carefully down the remainder of the aisle. Soon they were standing in front of their seats beside Pop, the boys gazing at the spectacle below.
“Quite a sight, isn’t it?” Pop yelled over the racket.
“Yeah.” Cissy exaggerated her nod over the boys’ heads, then faced the scene before them.
She swallowed hard and sifted through the men moving across the arena, straining for a glimpse of Dominic. It was exciting. She couldn’t help but admit that. But Jayden had been right. It was also loud, fast and overwhelming. And, most disconcerting, it all seemed so distant. As if it were occurring in another place and time. Apart from the real world.
And she didn’t even want to think about what could happen during a ride. Her nerves were shot as it was. She shuddered and sought comfort in attending to the boys.
Cissy wrapped her arm around Jayden’s shoulders and leaned down to press a kiss to his cheek. “Are you okay now?”
Jayden looked up, smiling big and scooting forward in his seat. “Yep. I want to see Mr. Dominic.”
Cissy sighed. So did she. And at the moment, he seemed a million miles beyond their reach.
The announcer continued to barrel out names and titles but paused several minutes later. “And in top position, grown here at home, current world champion, Dominic Slade.”
The seat behind Cissy’s legs almost lifted with the crowd’s cheering surge.
“There he is,” Kayden hollered, exchanging excited glances with Jayden.
Cissy followed the point of Kayden’s finger to the back edge of the arena. Dominic emerged among the flashing strobe lights and puffs of smoke, striding to the center of the ring. A black vest and chaps hugged his muscular frame. With his black Stetson, he rose a head above the rest of the men, striking and formidable.
“That’s Mr. Dominic, Pop,” Jayden shouted, bouncing in the aisle.
Pop’s proud countenance beamed even brighter. “I know, buddy.”
Dominic stepped to the front of the line of cowboys, removed his hat and waved it to the crowd. The cheers grew louder. Stomping was added to the mix, rattling the stands under their feet. A chant began to chain around the stadium.
“Stomp and roll. Stomp and roll. Stomp and roll.”
Cissy leaned over Kayden to call out to Pop, “What do they mean?”
“He always lands feetfirst.” He cupped his hand around his mouth and leaned closer. “Rides till his eight are up then jumps off. Rolls outta the way.”
“Every time?”
“Mostly.” Pop frowned for a moment. “There’s always those times, you know?” He turned and issued a comforting wink. “But he’s careful. Respects the animal.”
Cissy’s stomach churned. Dominic had turned to the opposite side of the ring, whirling his hat over his head before placing it back and exiting with the other riders.
She inhaled deeply and fidgeted in her seat. The cup of soda in her hand dented beneath her tight clutch. Fat drops of cold condensation and soda streamed down her wrist, sending a shiver through her bones.
“Cissy.” Pop’s hand landed on her knee. “He’s always careful. You can’t expect more than that in this sport.”
She nodded, managing a small smile. Sure. It was no secret the sport was dangerous. But it was one thing knowing it and another actually witnessing it. Cissy gnawed on the inside of her cheek. Especially, if you knew—and loved—the rider.
“Pop, when’s Mr. Dominic’s ride?” Kayden settled back in his seat and munched a mouthful of popcorn.
“Not for a while,” Pop said. “Logan texted, said he was later in the lineup.”
Well, that was a relief. At least she had some time to calm her nerves and prepare for the onslaught of tension ahead. Cissy eased back in her seat as well, straightening the straw on the drink with shaky fingers.
“Aunt Cissy?”
She stopped, the straw touching her mouth, and looked down at Jayden.
He scrunched up his face and whispered, “I gotta pee.”
One hour, two bathroom trips and four hot dogs later, they all stared anxiously at the cowboys milling around the bull pens. Cissy tensed. Dominic was due up any minute.
She could just make out his profile as he straddled the bull, Chaos, in the chute below. As Dominic maneuvered into position, the announcer peppered the audience with tidbits on the bull’s quirks. Unpredictable rolls, jaw-breaking kicks and four-foot leaps into the air were hallmarks of the burly, black-haired beast.
Cissy’s heart hammered. Every ride up to this point had been a violent, bone-jarring spectacle. Each bull jumped higher than the one before and each rider slammed harder into the dirt. At times, it was gut-wrenching to watch.
“Mr. Dominic still has his cowboy hat on.” Jayden frowned up at Pop. “Where’s his helmet?”
“He’s old school, buddy.” Pop’s gaze remained on Dominic. “Says he rides better without it.” He shrugged. “Been that way since he was a kid.”
“Bet he don’t even need it,” Kayden boasted, lifting his chin.
“They all need it,” Cissy muttered. She tried to still the nervous bounce of her legs. “Only three have managed to make it so far. What are Dominic’s odds?”
Pop sat up straighter, his chest lifting. “Real good.”
Cissy’s teeth began to chatter. “Do you think he’ll stay on?” she asked.
“My boy doesn’t just stay on, Cissy.” His eyes remained on Dominic, the admiration in his voice unmistakable. “He’s gonna make that bull dance.”
The announcer blared in once more, drawing the crowd’s attention to Dominic’s chute. A few shifts and settling movements and Dominic tipped his head. The gate clanged open.
Chaos barreled out of the chute, hind legs thrusting into the air to fling Dominic back against his haunches only to yank him forward on the return. The bull’s tail whipped in all directions. Chaos kicked his hooves, spraying up clumps of dirt. The bull jerked its head and snot slung from its nose.
The hellish assault continued, the two seconds that followed suspended and drawn out. Then something changed.
Dominic dipped to the side, leaning with the bull’s bend, then rose up, his brawny arm stretching above him in a graceful arc. Chaos snapped back, dragging Dominic back down, but the momentum was met with accepted ease. The bull and Dominic still rose and fell with fury but the actions were fluid and in tandem.
The crowd roared louder with each buck of the bull. Cissy’s muscles tightened to the point of pain. She forced her head to the side but was unable to tear her eyes from Dominic.
Time passed in moments. Moments of violent elegance she’d never expected to find played out on the dirt floor below them. Dominic’s and the bull’s strength were at their height, meeting somewhere in the middle in mutual respect and culminating in a savage ballet. It was breathtaking and heroic. Overwhelming yet empowering.
A buzzer sounded, signaling the end of eight seconds. The fluid motions ceased. The relentless bucking returned. Dominic scrambled to unleash his hand from the rope.
Cissy jumped from her seat, her throat closing. “He can’t get loose—”
“He’ll get it.” Pop was on his feet, too. His voice shook. “Just hold on.”
Fractions of a second seemed like an eternity as Dominic finally managed to wrangle his hand free. Dominic bolted from the bull’s back just as it heaved, slamming to his feet in a crouch and r
olling off to the side.
Cissy relaxed, her body sagging. The boys’ squeals raked across her fragile nerves.
“He did it!” Kayden grabbed on to Pop’s legs and jumped in excitement. “Mr. Dominic did it.”
Surprisingly, a laugh burst from Cissy’s mouth and a smile stretched her cheeks. Dominic had indeed done it. He’d outshone every other rider. Stood taller than any other man.
Dominic jogged to the side rail as the bullfighters enticed Chaos out of the arena. The crowd thundered in approval and he waved his hat once again. Kayden and Jayden yanked on Cissy’s legs, jostling her frame. Their excited shouts and praises merged with those of the crowd.
Cissy cheered with them, her chest swelling much the same way as Pop’s had before. Her heart squeezed, fit to burst. It was all she could do to keep her legs still when Dominic turned to stride out of the arena. Her eyes clung to him, every muscle in her body straining to go with him. To follow.
A heavy weight settled over her. Cissy stopped shouting, her energy bottoming out. Was this what Crystal had felt with Jason? Had she watched him perform, fallen for him all over again and been so driven to stay at his side that she was ready to follow wherever he led?
Crystal had loved Jason. She’d declared it a thousand times over the years. And she’d never once hesitated to rush after him when he’d swept through town. There was no question—when Crystal had followed, she’d been happy with Jason.
But at what cost?
“Wasn’t it great, Aunt Cissy?”
A tug on her shirttail focused Cissy’s attention back on the boys. Jayden clutched one of her hands, Kayden the other. Smiles engulfed both their faces as they looked up at her. They bounced and chattered with excitement, contentment shining from their eyes.
Cissy froze. She knew exactly what price Crystal had paid.
* * *
DOMINIC SCRAWLED HIS signature across what seemed like the millionth T-shirt and shifted his weight to his other leg. The first round had ended, and he was on the ass end of an hour of fan meet and greets. He glanced up, scanning the stands but couldn’t pinpoint Cissy or the boys among the scattering of attendees weaving their way to the exits.
He sighed. At least the crowd had dwindled down to a handful of people and the arena was almost empty again.
“Can I get a quick picture, Dom?”
Dominic glanced up, smarting at the sharp pain slashing through his neck, and nodded at the redhead waving a cell phone in front of her chest. Handing off the shirt to a fan, he propped his hands on his hips and assumed the preferred public relations stance.
“Fantastic,” the redhead gushed.
The phone flashed and clicked, leading Dominic to relax. But she thrust the phone into her friend’s hands and rushed over, pressing against his side and wrapping an arm around his waist. He smothered a wince as she bumped into his tender ribs.
She blinked up at him and grinned. “Just one more with me, okay?”
Dominic complied, disentangling her hands from him after the phone’s next flash and easing away.
“Sorry, that’s it.” He tipped his hat and turned, his eyes scouring the stands once more.
Still no sign of Cissy or the boys. He rubbed a hand over his side, trying to smooth away the soreness. It’d been a good ride. One of his best, even. But damned if he couldn’t wait to get off the dirt and back on solid ground with Cissy. He’d tried several times to snag a glimpse of her before and after his bout with Chaos but had been unsuccessful.
“If you’re looking for someone, I think I found ’em.”
Logan appeared at his side, grinning. He held Kayden and Jayden back with a finger in their belt loops. The boys cackled, straining against his hold and waving their arms and legs in circles in an effort to escape.
“That was awesome, Mr. Dominic.” Kayden beamed up at him with both arms outstretched.
Dominic laughed, reaching down gingerly to slip his hands under the boy’s armpits and haul him up to his chest. Kayden wrapped his legs tight around his waist and snuggled close. The soreness in Dominic’s ribs increased to a painful throb.
“Just awesome,” Kayden whispered again. He pecked a kiss against Dominic’s cheek and planted his face in his neck.
Dominic smiled. Any pain he’d felt receded. That warm peace returned, filling his chest.
Jayden managed to escape Logan’s hold and clutch Dominic’s leg. “Yeah. It was great, Mr. Dominic.”
“I’m glad y’all enjoyed it,” he murmured, smoothing a hand over Jayden’s blond head at his thigh.
“Careful, boys.”
A gentle hand on his lower back accompanied Cissy’s voice. Heat rushed through Dominic’s body as she lifted Kayden away from his chest, her touch brushing over him.
“Mr. Dominic had a rough ride.” She lowered Kayden to the ground then whispered in Dominic’s ear, “How bad are you hurt?”
Dominic nuzzled her temple, then curled his hand around her nape. “I’m fine. Much better now, in fact.”
She issued a broken smile, her lips barely moving.
“What did you think?” he asked, hating the uncertainty in his tone.
A real smile appeared, her face blushing. “It was—” she moved her hands as though trying to catch the words “—beautiful.”
Beautiful. He didn’t think anyone had ever used that word in reference to bull riding. But the way it rolled off her tongue had his toes curling in his boots.
“Almost perfection, son,” Pop added.
Kayden skipped over to snag one of Pop’s hands, swinging it between them. “Yeah,” Kayden quipped. “It was perfect.”
Dominic grunted. “I wouldn’t go that far.” He rolled his shoulders. “I’m gonna have to soak for at least an hour tonight to get through the next round tomorrow.”
Jayden’s hands tightened around his leg, his head swiveling to the side. “Can’t we stay for tomorrow, Aunt Cissy?”
Dominic tensed, his eyes shooting back to Cissy’s. “You’re leaving?”
She nodded, nibbling on her lower lip. “We need to get back. The boys may not look like it but they’re worn out.”
“So we’ll take them to the hotel and put them to bed.” His fingers massaged her neck with nervous motions. “They’ll be good to go by morning.”
“Yeah,” Kayden added. “We’ll be good to go by morning, Aunt Cissy.”
Cissy shook her head, opening her mouth to speak but no sound emerged.
“Logan, why don’t you and I take the boys outside and get some fresh air?” Pop wiggled his free hand at Jayden, who reluctantly released Dominic to amble over to him. Jerking his chin at Cissy as he passed, Pop added, “We’ll get settled in the truck and be ready for whatever you decide.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled.
Dominic just caught the hard set of Logan’s jaw before they all moved away, making their way toward the exit. The boys trailed behind Logan and Pop, Jayden craning his neck to keep sight of Dominic over his shoulder with a worried expression. Dominic’s anxiety heightened and his hand tightened at the back of Cissy’s neck.
“What’s going on here, Cissy? I thought you knew this was a two-day event.”
She nodded, gaze straying over his left shoulder. “I knew. I just... I need to get the boys settled.”
“So we’ll get them back and settled tomorrow,” Dominic said. “After the last round.”
“That’s not what I mean,” she whispered, eyeing the few stragglers milling about the arena.
“Look at me.” He gripped her upper arms, tugging her closer to him. “I’m right here. Talk to me.”
She looked at him then, those blue eyes of hers wary but determined. His gut knotted.
“Please understand,” she said. “I need to get the boys settled. This trip with you was fun but—” she licked her lips “—we have to get settled.”
“I’m still not following you.” He dipped his head to peer at her. To try to make some sense out of what she was saying.
Cissy stiffened, drawing herself to her full height. “I mean this is good fun for a weekend every now and then, but that’s all.”
“Good fun for a weekend?” Even he winced at the bitterness in his tone. He drew his head back. “This is who I am, Cissy.”
She bristled. “This isn’t who you are. This is just something you do.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that. It’s something I do. But it’s important to me.”
“I know it is, and I’m not trying to take that away from you—”
“Then, what are you trying to do?”
“I’m trying to get you to understand this won’t turn out to be just a two-day event. It’ll be one weekend before another, then another. Month after month. Just like you’ve spent all the ones before this summer. I can’t plan my nephews’ schedule around your trips,” she blurted out. “They need to be settled. Somewhere permanent. Someplace that’s home. This isn’t the kind of life Kayden and Jayden can flourish in. And if it’s not the right kind of life for them, then it’s not the right kind of life for me.”
That he understood. It hit its mark. A shot right to his chest. His hands dropped from her to hang at his sides.
“So you’re giving me an ultimatum,” he said. “That’s what’s really going on here.”
Her face softened. “It wasn’t intentional. I didn’t come out here with this planned.” She stepped forward, smoothing her hands over his vest. “The last thing I’d ever want to do is force you to choose between me and a career you love.”
“But you’re doing it anyway,” he forced out. “You’re making me choose.”
He tried, without success, to suppress the sneer that crept over his face. He’d always known how fragile and fickle a woman’s love was. And it always came at a price.
“You say you love me but threaten to leave,” he continued. “Plan to walk away before we even really start. What the hell kind of love is that?”
Her face paled, her expression contorting with pain. Immediately, regret flooded him, closing his throat and burning his eyes. She drew back from him and wrung her hands in the hem of her shirt.
Twins for the Bull Rider Page 16