Seducing Texas (So not Prince Charming #2)(59)

I swivel my head to see Cyn holding her gun, her arms shaking. She runs to me while several cowboys jump the fence and rush over to help lift the bull off of me. Blood pools from the wound in my side. Pain knifes my ribs where the bull slammed into them.

“Shane,” my princess cries. “Oh God.”

I pull the gun from her trembling hand. She is my brave, level-headed princess, and I love her more each day.

“Don’t worry that sweet little ass of yours,” I say, pulling her against me. My blood coats her white satiny blouse, and she doesn’t even complain. God, I love her.

I’m bleeding like a stuck pig, and all I can think about is her. “You saved me, princess.”

“Shit for brains,” she mutters, “for taking on a bull. You saved Willa.” She presses her lips to mine.

A powerfully built man swaggers toward us. “That’s a hundred thousand dollar bull you’re going to have to pay for.”

She bolts upright. “That bull almost killed my sister and my boyfriend.”

He gets right in her face. “They shouldn’t have been in the arena.”

She stabs his chest with her finger. “Then sue the studio’s owner because my sister shouldn’t have been bull bait.”

“Where the hell is the director?” he barks.

The director and producer slowly walk toward them, the dust from the stampeding bull settling in the air.

Paramedics hurry toward me. They patch me up, and I slowly stand, my ribs screaming in pain.

“Why the hell did you put my sister in the arena during the bull riding?” Cyn yells at the director.

Wyatt joins the fray. “Why would you have one of the girls in the pit? She could’ve been killed.”

Willa holding tightly onto Aedan walks toward them. She’s still visibly shaken, and Aedan isn’t letting go of her.

“Now settle down,” the director says, waving his hands. “It was part of the act.”

“Who’s stupid idea was that?” Cyn demands. “Willa could’ve been killed. None of us should’ve been a clown distracting bulls.”

“The owner thought that would make the show more interesting,” the producer says. “We didn’t think she’d be in danger. He said the clowns would distract the bull.”

I limp over to them, despite the paramedic’s protests. “Who the hell is the owner?”

“Chang Wong,” Aedan says. He hasn’t let go of Willa clinging to him. Tears race down her cheeks.

“Shit,” I mutter. Wong is the man who tried to buy my first company. I bet some, if not all of those foreign bank accounts belong to him. Fuck. He set the Diaz sisters up to get to me. This is about drugs, my company, and stealing technology and my money.

“Who the hell is going to pay for my bull?” the beefy bull owner asks, his hands on his hips.

“You can’t bleed money out of a rock,” Cyn says. “And I had every right to shoot that animal charging my boyfriend.”

“We’ll have to take the money out of your earnings,” the producer says.

“Hell no,” Cyn says. “This is the owner’s and your screw-up. What kind of moron puts a young woman inside the arena during bull riding? I’ll sue you f*ckers.”

“That’s my princess,” I say.

Fay and Tanner finally join us. Her hair and lipstick are a mess and all over Tanner. Both of their shirttails are hanging out, and her lips are swollen from some serious lip locking. I never thought I would see her with a blue-collar workingman.

Fay touches my chest. “Oh, Shane. What is wrong with the studio?”

Tanner smirks. “He’ll be okay. Seen much worse.”

So have I, but that won’t stop me from soaking up my princess’s sympathy tonight. The bull gorging me isn’t the worst thing that’s happened to me. That f*cking grizzly ripped my leg open and then ripped my brother Red wide open until his guts spilled out. It still hurts losing my brothers. I lost both of them to the same damn bear.

I pull Cyn into me. She’s shaking mad. I could probably work a little head out of my injuries.

“That’s enough filming for today,” I say.

Willa clings to Aedan and hasn’t let go. He risked his neck for her, and that works for me. He must really care for her, which is good. I’d hate to kick his ass.

Now I have to deal with Wong. He must’ve set up the reality show for the sisters. He would’ve known when we’re not at the house. I don’t think my laptop has been tampered with because it’s in my truck, but he could’ve broken in to the townhouse to look for the drive. It seems everyone wants it.

“I have to load up my gear,” Aedan says to Willa.

As we head out to the cars, Aedan says, “The studio would know when we’re filming.”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that,” I say. “It gives them an opportunity to search Cyn’s home.”

I drive Cyn back, Tanner takes Fay, and Aedan drives Willa. When we park in the driveway, apprehension tightens my shoulders.

I unlock the door but walk inside first. An uneasy feeling sinks into my bones. It’s like someone is watching us. I check for webcams and listening devices and don’t find anything.

“What are you looking for?” Cyn asks.